How to Pronounce Real

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

real

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

4

Letters

/ɹiːl/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “real”

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

Sounds exactly like: reel, riehl, riel — easy to mix up when writing.

What does real mean?

noun

  1. A commodity; see realty.
  2. (grammar) One of the three genders that the common gender can be separated into in the Scandinavian languages.

adjective

  1. True, genuine, not merely nominal or apparent.
  2. Genuine, not artificial, counterfeit, or fake.

    “This is real leather.”

adverb

  1. Really, very.

    “When I told him the truth, he got real mad.”

Synonyms

actualauthenticgenuineheartfelttrue

Antonyms

artificialcounterfeitfakeshamfeigned

Hear “real” 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 real

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

zealpuerilegenteelrevealkeelpealsurrealfeelappealheeldealsqueal

Related words

veryveridicaltruereallyfactualactualrealisticexistent

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "real"?▾

"Real" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "real"?▾

The IPA transcription of "real" is /ɹiːl/.

What does "real" mean?▾

Real: A commodity; see realty.

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