How to pronounce athlete
athlete
/ˈæθliːt/
2 syllables, stress on the first
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What to watch for
th is the voiceless /θ/ here, as in “think”.
Athlete, sound by sound
| /æ/as in cat | Open the mouth wide, as for “ah”, but say “e”. Wider than in “bed”. |
| /θ/as in think | Tongue tip between the teeth, breathe out with no voice. It is not S, F or T. |
| /l/as in look | Tongue tip on the ridge behind the teeth; air flows around the sides. |
| /iː/as in sheep | A long, tense “ee”; lips spread as in a smile. |
| /t/as in ten | Tongue tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth, not on the teeth. With a light puff of air. |
In a sentence
"Are you an athlete?" "No, I'm a fan."
More words with the /θ/ sound
- fatima/ˈfæθɪmə/
- goethe/gəʊθ/
- scythe/sɪθ/
- through/θruː/
- lymphadenopathy/lɪmfəˈdenəpæθi/
- ethereal/ɪˈθɪriːəl/
- atherosclerosis/æθərəʊsklərˈəʊsɪs/
- ianthe/iːˈɑːnθeɪ/
- months/mʌnθs/
- sloth/sləʊθ/
Questions and answers
How do you pronounce athlete?
Athlete is pronounced /ˈæθliːt/ in American English.
How many syllables are in athlete?
Athlete has 2 syllables.
Which syllable is stressed in athlete?
The first syllable: /ˈæθliːt/.
Is there a silent or unusual letter in athlete?
th is the voiceless /θ/ here, as in “think”.