Native Phrase Lab
WillowbrookWord 486 of 545 · Very British words
How to pronounce little
/ˈlɪtəl/ British English
LIT·əl
2 beats (syllables). The strong beat is the first one.
a Coloured letters don’t sound the way they look.
✗ Many people say
LID·dəl
✓ Say
LIT·əl
My tip
Use a clear t: LIT-əl. Not LID-əl.
In a sentence
I speak a little English.
Now you say it
- Listen to me two or three times.
- Say it slowly, one beat at a time: LIT-əl.
- Say the sentence at normal speed.
Questions
How do you pronounce little?
In British English, little is pronounced /ˈlɪtəl/. Say it like this: LIT-əl. Use a clear t: LIT-əl. Not LID-əl.
How many syllables are in little?
When you say it, little has 2 syllables: LIT-əl. The strong beat is the first one, LIT.
More words like this: very british words
Practise these sounds
- The schwa, /ə/The small, weak sound in this word. It’s one of the 4 sounds you can practise completely free in my Sound Atlas.
- The strong beat: /ɪ/ as in “ship”Meet this sound and hear it in my Sound Atlas. Free.
- The Sound MapAll 44 sounds of British English, in my voice. Free.
- Pitch PerfectHear me say it, record yourself, and see your sound under mine. A premium game.
- More gamesFive of my English games are free to play.