How to Pronounce Ails

To pronounce "ails", say AILS — one syllable, IPA /eɪlz/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

ails

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying ails, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

1

Syllable

4

Letters

/eɪlz/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “ails”

"ails" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with entails and travails, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: ayles, ailes, ales, alles — easy to mix up when writing.

What does ails mean?

noun

  1. An ailment; trouble; illness.

verb

  1. To cause to suffer; to trouble, afflict. (Now chiefly in interrogative or indefinite constructions.)

    “Have some chicken soup. It's good for what ails you.”

  2. To be ill; to suffer; to be troubled.

noun

  1. The awn of barley or other types of corn.

Hear “ails” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with ails

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

entailstravailsdetailsgaleswailstailstalesnailstrailssailsbalesprevails

Related words

painafflicttroublegarlicachesafflictsailmentsbothers

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "ails"?▾

"Ails" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "ails"?▾

The IPA transcription of "ails" is /eɪlz/.

What does "ails" mean?▾

Ails: An ailment; trouble; illness.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “ails” in the full dictionary →