How to Pronounce Whale

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

whale

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Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

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2

Syllables

5

Letters

/weɪl/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “whale”

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

Sounds exactly like: wail, wale, weyl — easy to mix up when writing.

What does whale mean?

noun

  1. Any of several species of large sea mammals of the infraorder Cetacea.
  2. Something, or someone, that is very large.

verb

  1. To hunt for whales.

Words that rhyme with whale

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

wailgaleavailfrailassailtravailprevailentailstaleunveilailbale

Related words

heavyweighthulkgiantcetaceanorcorcafinbackbowhead

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "whale"?▾

"Whale" has 2 syllables: whal · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "whale"?▾

The IPA transcription of "whale" is /weɪl/.

What does "whale" mean?▾

Whale: Any of several species of large sea mammals of the infraorder Cetacea.

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