To pronounce "colonel", say KER-nel — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈkɝnəɫ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.
colonel
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Accent
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2
Syllables
7
Letters
/ˈkɝnəɫ/
🇺🇸 IPA (US)
/kˈɜːnəl/
🇬🇧 IPA (UK)
"colonel" has 2 syllables: colonel. It rhymes with infernal and diurnal, if that helps it stick.
Sounds exactly like: kernel — easy to mix up when writing.
noun
verb
Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.
Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.
Related pages on PronounceIt, chosen from what we know about this word.
Train the contrast: bad vs bed, pen vs pan
Sounds worth drilling for a word spelled like this:
Colonel appears in 50 Most Commonly Mispronounced English Words — others from that list:
Read next: 20 Commonly Mispronounced English Words (and How to Say Them)
To pronounce "colonel", say KER-nel — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈkɝnəɫ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.
"Colonel" has 2 syllables.
The IPA transcription of "colonel" is /ˈkɝnəɫ/.
Colonel: A commissioned officer in an armed military organization, typically the highest rank before flag officer ranks (generals). It is generally found in armies, air forces or naval infantry (marines).
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