Learn How to Pronounce telephone
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:
telephone
Definition:
(nou) electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds (nou) transmitting speech at a distance
Phonetic Transcription:
ˈtelɪfəʊn
Examples:
After the second telephone call, police gathered evidence from the restroom.
The smacking, slurping, chomping and gulping is an inharmonious contribution to any telephone call.
Subscriber signaling is between the telephone and the telephone exchange.
Learn more about:telephone
Related Words:
How to perfect your pronunciation of: telephone
Learn Individual Sounds
Break telephone down into individual sounds such as ˈtelɪfəʊn. Practice these parts before you learn to say the whole word.
Copy Others
Use the tools above to find out how different people say telephone 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 telephone in the pronunciation tool as many times as it takes before you get it right. Record yourself saying different sentences with telephone.
Get a Native Tutor
Improve your pronunciation with native speakers! Practice with American, British, and Australian teachers on Promova.
Common mistakes of telephone pronunciation
- Stressing the wrong syllable: Many learners incorrectly stress the second syllable, pronouncing it as /ˌtɛl.əˈfoʊn/ (US) or /ˌtɛl.ɪˈfəʊn/ (UK). Tip: Remember to stress the first syllable: /ˈtɛl.ə.foʊn/ (US), /ˈtɛl.ɪ.fəʊn/ (UK).
- Omitting the schwa sound: Some speakers drop the schwa in the second syllable, saying "tel-efone" instead of "telephone." Tip: Practice the full pronunciation to include the unstressed vowel sound: /ˈtɛl.ə.foʊn/ (US), /ˈtɛl.ɪ.fəʊn/ (UK).
- Mispronouncing the "ph": A common mistake is pronouncing "ph" as /f/ instead of the correct /f/. Tip: Focus on the "ph" sound in "telephone" to ensure clarity: /ˈtɛl.ə.foʊn/ (US), /ˈtɛl.ɪ.fəʊn/ (UK).
- Confusing "o" sounds: Some learners confuse the "o" in the last syllable, pronouncing it as /oʊ/ instead of /əʊ/ or /ə/. Tip: Listen to native speakers to distinguish the subtle differences in vowel sounds.
- Overemphasizing the "e": A frequent error is overemphasizing the "e" in the first syllable, leading to "tel-e-phone." Tip: Keep the "e" short and light to maintain the correct rhythm: /ˈtɛl.ə.foʊn/ (US), /ˈtɛl.ɪ.fəʊn/ (UK).