English pronunciation · Words Starting with V

Vital Pronunciation

Vital is pronounced VY-tuhl, IPA /ˈvaɪtəl/.

VY-tuhl

US /ˈvaɪtəl/  ·  UK /ˈvaɪtəl/

Syllables: VY · tuhl (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)

adjective: Absolutely necessary, or connected with staying alive.

Audio for the American and British pronunciations plays on this page with JavaScript enabled.

Vital in a Sentence

  • Good drainage is vital on that slope.
  • The nurse checked his vital signs every hour.
  • It is vital that the forms arrive by Friday.

Common Mispronunciations of Vital

Not VI-tuhl

The first vowel is the long eye of mine, not the short i of sit. The short version gives something close to victual.

Not vy-TAL

The beat is at the front and the ending reduces to tuhl.

Tip: In American speech the t between vowels softens to a d-like tap: VY-duhl.

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