How To Pronounce Universal

In British English, universal is pronounced /ˌjuː.nɪˈvɜː.səl/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˌjʷuː.nɪˈvɜːʴ.sl̩]. In American English, it is pronounced /ˌjuː.nəˈvɜːr.səl/.

Universal has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third syllable. The British and American pronunciations are different, so listen to both.

Slashes / / show the phonemic transcription, the sounds that change meaning. Square brackets [ ] show the phonetic transcription, with the finer detail of how the sounds are actually made.