How to Pronounce Tale

To pronounce "tale", say TAL-e — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈteɪl/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

tale

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

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

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

Syllables

Letters

/ˈteɪl/

IPA

"tale" has 2 syllables: tal-e. It rhymes with wail and gale, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: tail — easy to mix up when writing.

noun

An account of an asserted fact or circumstance; a rumour; a report, especially an idle or malicious story; a piece of gossip or slander; a lie.
“Don't tell tales!”
A rehearsal of what has occurred; narrative; discourse; statement; history; story.
“the Canterbury Tales”

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.

How many syllables are in "tale"?▾

"Tale" has 2 syllables: tal · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "tale"?▾

The IPA transcription of "tale" is /ˈteɪl/.

What does "tale" mean?▾

Tale: An account of an asserted fact or circumstance; a rumour; a report, especially an idle or malicious story; a piece of gossip or slander; a lie.

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