How many syllables are in “colleague”?

“Colleague” has 2 syllables: KOL-eeg.

What is the IPA for “colleague”?

The American English IPA transcription of “colleague” is ˈkɑliːɡ.

How can I practice pronouncing “colleague”?

Press play to hear “colleague” spoken by our AI model, then record yourself on this page to get an instant pronunciation score — your first try needs no account.

American English pronunciation

How to pronounce colleague

/ˈkɑliːɡ/KOL-eeg2 syllables

“colleague” comes up constantly at work, so it's worth getting right. It's 2 syllables (KOL-eeg), and the trick is in the sounds below — hear it, then say it back and let our AI model show you how close you landed.

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The sounds to nail

/l/as in love
Tongue tip at gum ridge. At the end of a syllable ('feel'), the tongue body also pulls back — the dark L.
/iː/as in fleece
Tense, smiling. Pull tongue high and front. Longer than 'ih'.
/ɡ/as in go
Voiced stop in the back of the mouth.

Trickier for some first languages

The sounds in “colleague” are common stumbling blocks for speakers of:

Russian speakers →French speakers →Chinese speakers →

Common questions

How many syllables are in “colleague”?: “Colleague” has 2 syllables: KOL-eeg.
What is the IPA for “colleague”?: The American English IPA transcription of “colleague” is ˈkɑliːɡ.
How can I practice pronouncing “colleague”?: Press play to hear “colleague” spoken by our AI model, then record yourself on this page to get an instant pronunciation score — your first try needs no account.

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