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How to pronounce beautiful

Learn how to pronounce beautiful in English with clear US and UK audio, simple phonetic spelling, IPA, syllables, stress, and pronunciation tips.

1. Audio

Tap US Audio or UK Audio to listen first. Use Slow 0.55x for practice.

2. Simple phonetic spelling
BYOO-tih-fuhl
3. IPA transcription
/ˈbjuːtɪfəl/
4. Syllables
beautiful
5. Stress
BYOO-tih-fuhl
6. Native-language tips

byoo-tih-fuhl

  • The first syllable is strongest and begins with a /bj/ sound cluster.

What beautiful means

Very pleasant to see, hear, or experience.

How to say beautiful in American English

Use the simple guide "BYOO-tih-fuhl" and compare it with US IPA /ˈbjuːtɪfəl/.

What makes this word difficult

The beau spelling sounds like byoo, not like bee-aw. The final -ful is weak and usually uses schwa. The French-looking spelling beau hides a simple English /bjuː/ pronunciation.

Mouth and tongue position

Start with /b/, glide quickly into /j/, then hold /uː/ before reducing the last two syllables.

Common pronunciation mistakes

  • Breaking the first syllable into two separate vowels.
  • Making -ful too strong at the end.

Natural example sentences

  • That was a beautiful piece of music.
  • The view from the hill is beautiful at sunset.

Tips for language learners

chinese speakers

  • Keep the first syllable long; do not give equal time to all three syllables.

FAQ

What is the IPA for beautiful?

A common IPA transcription is /ˈbjuːtɪfəl/. PronounceText can show US and UK variants when they differ.

Where is the stress in beautiful?

The stress guide is BYOO-tih-fuhl.