How to Pronounce Professional

To pronounce "professional", say prof-ESS-ion-al — 4 syllables, IPA /pɹəˈfɛʃənəɫ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

professional

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

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4

Syllables

12

Letters

/pɹəˈfɛʃənəɫ/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/pɹəfˈɛʃənəl/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “professional”

Break "professional" into 4 beats and lean on "ESS" — that's the stressed one. It rhymes with processional and unprofessional, if that helps it stick.

What does professional mean?

noun

  1. A person who belongs to a profession
  2. A person who earns their living from a specified activity

adjective

  1. Of, pertaining to, or in accordance with the (usually high) standards of a profession.
  2. That is carried out for money, especially as a livelihood.

Hear “professional” 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 professional

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

processionalunprofessionalconfessionalobsessionalsessionalnonprofessionalconcessionalcongressional

Related words

masterpaidwhite-collarexpertprofessedprononrecreationalvocation

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "professional"?▾

"Professional" has 4 syllables: prof · ess · ion · al.

What is the IPA transcription of "professional"?▾

The IPA transcription of "professional" is /pɹəˈfɛʃənəɫ/.

What does "professional" mean?▾

Professional: A person who belongs to a profession

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