How to pronounce thoughtful
thoughtful
/ˈθɔːtfəl/
2 syllables, stress on the first
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What to watch for
-ough- has no single reading in English: though /ðəʊ/, through /θruː/, tough /tʌf/, thought /θɔːt/. It has to be learned word by word.
th is the voiceless /θ/ here, as in “think”.
Thoughtful, sound by sound
| /θ/as in think | Tongue tip between the teeth, breathe out with no voice. It is not S, F or T. |
| /ɔː/as in thought | A long, open “aw” with rounded lips. Do not finish it with “oo”. |
| /t/as in ten | Tongue tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth, not on the teeth. With a light puff of air. |
| /f/as in five | Upper teeth on the lower lip, no voice. |
| /ə/as in cup | A short, relaxed “uh”; the mouth is barely open. |
| /l/as in look | Tongue tip on the ridge behind the teeth; air flows around the sides. |
In a sentence
She was a strange child, quiet and thoughtful.
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 thoughtful?
Thoughtful is pronounced /ˈθɔːtfəl/ in American English.
How many syllables are in thoughtful?
Thoughtful has 2 syllables.
Which syllable is stressed in thoughtful?
The first syllable: /ˈθɔːtfəl/.
Is there a silent or unusual letter in thoughtful?
-ough- has no single reading in English: though /ðəʊ/, through /θruː/, tough /tʌf/, thought /θɔːt/. It has to be learned word by word.