Learn How to Pronounce melancholy
Not sure how to say a word? Try the Promova pronunciation tool for free and learn how to pronounce anything in English correctly. Discover over 100,000 words and easily learn English pronunciation online!
Find your word:
Find how to pronounce a word and practice it in our free word pronouncer for English learners!
How to pronounce:
melancholy
Definition:
(nou) a feeling of thoughtful sadness (nou) a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed (nou) a humor that was once believed to be secreted by the kidneys or spleen and to cause sadness and melancholy
Phonetic Transcription:
ˈmeləŋkɒli
Examples:
Gives an impressive of effusive melancholy.
He became melancholy and unsociable.
He is in addition the victim of melancholy.
Learn more about:melancholy
Related Words:
How to perfect your pronunciation of: melancholy
Learn Individual Sounds
Break melancholy down into individual sounds such as ˈmeləŋkɒli. Practice these parts before you learn to say the whole word.
Copy Others
Use the tools above to find out how different people say melancholy in their accents, then try to repeat after them.
Pick an Accent
Avoid mixing word pronunciations. If you’re learning American English, stick to it and try not to confuse yourself with British pronunciation.
Record Yourself
Say melancholy in the pronunciation tool as many times as it takes before you get it right. Record yourself saying different sentences with melancholy.
Get a Native Tutor
Improve your pronunciation with native speakers! Practice with American, British, and Australian teachers on Promova.
Common mistakes of melancholy pronunciation
- Misplacing the stress: Many people incorrectly stress the second syllable, saying "melanˈcholy". The correct stress is on the first syllable: "ˈmɛl.ənˌkɑː.li" (US), "ˈmɛl.ən.kɒl.i" (UK). Tip: Remember to emphasize the first syllable.
- Incorrect vowel sounds: Some might pronounce "melancholy" with a long "a" sound, saying "melanˈcholee". The correct pronunciation has a short "a" sound: "ˈmɛl.ənˌkɑː.li" (US), "ˈmɛl.ən.kɒl.i" (UK). Tip: Focus on the "a" being short and subtle.
- Omitting syllables: A common mistake is to drop the second syllable, resulting in "melanˈkoli". The word should be pronounced with three clear syllables: "ˈmɛl.ənˌkɑː.li" (US), "ˈmɛl.ən.kɒl.i" (UK). Tip: Practice saying each syllable distinctly.
- Confusing with similar words: Some may confuse "melancholy" with "melody", pronouncing it like "ˈmɛl.ə.di". Remember that "melancholy" has a different structure and stress pattern. Tip: Pay attention to the syllable breakdown: "ˈmɛl.ənˌkɑː.li".
- Mispronouncing the "ch": Some speakers may pronounce "ch" as "sh", saying "melanˈsholy". The correct sound is a hard "k" as in "cat": "ˈmɛl.ənˌkɑː.li" (US), "ˈmɛl.ən.kɒl.i" (UK). Tip: Practice with words like "cat" to get the "k" sound right.