Pronunciation Guide • English
How to Pronounce literally
Difficulty: easy
IPA Transcription
/ˈlɪtərəli/
Why is it so hard to pronounce?
LIT-er-ul-ee. Four syllables. Commonly compressed to "LIT-ruh-lee" in casual speech. The full pronunciation has four distinct syllables.
💡 Pro Tip for literally
LIT-er-ul-ee. Four syllables in careful speech.
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Hear 'literally' Audio Now →Word Origins
The term literally originates from Latin "literalis". Understanding its etymology helps explain why it breaks standard pronunciation rules.