Learn How to Pronounce personal

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:

Listen to the pronunciation:

personal

Definition:

(nou) a short newspaper article about a particular person or group

Phonetic Transcription:

ˈpɜːsənəl

Examples:

The aspirant is to keep the individual lessons personal.

This was considered private and a personal act of penitence toward the gods.

There's a real difference between something being private and something being personal.

Learn more about:
personal

Related Words:

privacy

individual

How to perfect your pronunciation of: personal

Learn Individual Sounds

Break personal down into individual sounds such as ˈpɜːsənəl. Practice these parts before you learn to say the whole word.

Copy Others

Use the tools above to find out how different people say personal 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 personal in the pronunciation tool as many times as it takes before you get it right. Record yourself saying different sentences with personal.

Get a Native Tutor

Improve your pronunciation with native speakers! Practice with American, British, and Australian teachers on Promova.

Common mistakes of personal pronunciation

Stress placement: Many learners incorrectly stress the first syllable, saying "PER-sonal" [ˈpɜr.sən.əl] (US) or [ˈpɜː.sən.əl] (UK). This shifts the focus away from the correct stress on the second syllable. Tip: Remember to emphasize the second syllable, "son".
Vowel sound confusion: Some people pronounce the "e" in "personal" as a long vowel, leading to "pee-rsonal". The correct pronunciation features a schwa sound [ə] in the first syllable. Tip: Practice saying "pər" quickly to get the right sound.
The "r" sound: Non-native speakers often struggle with the "r" in "personal", sometimes pronouncing it too softly or omitting it. In both US and UK English, the "r" should be clear [ˈpɜr.sən.əl] / [ˈpɜː.sən.əl]. Tip: Focus on articulating the "r" to ensure clarity.
Ending syllable: Some learners may pronounce the last syllable as "nal" instead of "nəl", resulting in "personal" sounding awkward. The correct pronunciation ends with a schwa [əl]. Tip: Practice saying "nəl" softly to master the ending.
The "a" sound: A common mistake is pronouncing the "a" in "personal" as a long "a" sound, leading to "payr-sonal". The correct sound is a schwa [ə]. Tip: Use "pər" to connect the sounds smoothly for better pronunciation.

Frequently asked questions

How do you pronounce "personal" in American English?

In American English, "personal" is pronounced as /ˈpɜr.sən.əl/. The primary stress is on the first syllable, which sounds like "pur," followed by a schwa sound in the second syllable.

Is there a difference in pronunciation of "personal" between British and American English?

Yes, in British English, "personal" is pronounced as /ˈpɜː.sən.əl/. The main difference is in the vowel sound of the first syllable, which is more open in British pronunciation.

What is the correct syllable breakdown for "personal"?

The word "personal" has three syllables: "per," "son," and "al." It is divided as /ˈpɜr.sən.əl/ in American English and /ˈpɜː.sən.əl/ in British English.

Are there any common mistakes when pronouncing "personal"?

One common mistake is misplacing the stress, saying "per-SO-nal" instead of "PER-son-al." Remember to emphasize the first syllable to pronounce it correctly.