English pronunciation · Words Starting with B

Brussels Pronunciation

Brussels is pronounced BRUH-suhlz, IPA /ˈbrəsəlz/.

BRUH-suhlz

US /ˈbrəsəlz/

Syllables: BRUH · suhlz (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)

proper noun (place name): The capital of Belgium and the seat of most European Union institutions.

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Brussels in a Sentence

  • We changed trains in Brussels on the way to Amsterdam.
  • The summit in Brussels ran two days longer than planned.
  • Brussels sprouts get their name from the city.

Common Mispronunciations of Brussels

Not BROO-suhlz

Say the opening vowel as the uh of bus, never as the oo of boot. The double s does nothing to the vowel in front of it.

Not bruh-SELZ

Weight stays at the front of the name in English. The ending is a quick suhlz that carries no punch of its own.

Tip: The French name is Bruxelles, roughly bru-SEL, and the x there is said as ss. English kept the ss spelling and moved the beat forward.

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