American English pronunciation
How to pronounce probably
“probably” is one of those English words that looks nothing like it sounds. It's 3 syllables (PROB-uh-blee), 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.
Say it & get scored
Hear probably, then record yourself and our AI model will score your pronunciation, sound by sound.
The sounds to nail
- /ɹ/as in red
American /r/: bunch the tongue back and slightly up. Lips rounded. Don't tap the roof.
- /ʌ/as in cup
Relaxed central vowel (sometimes a schwa /ə/ when unstressed). Don't pronounce the full vowel in unstressed syllables.
- /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.
Trickier for some first languages
The sounds in “probably” are common stumbling blocks for speakers of:
Common questions
- How many syllables are in “probably”?
- “Probably” has 3 syllables: PROB-uh-blee.
- What is the IPA for “probably”?
- The American English IPA transcription of “probably” is ˈprɑbəbli.
- How can I practice pronouncing “probably”?
- Press play to hear “probably” 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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