How to pronounce “fatigue”
Fatigue is pronounced /fəˈtiːɡ/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — tiːɡ. Below: the syllable split, native audio in both accents, the mistake people actually make with this word, and every individual sound in it explained.
Syllables and stress
Split it into 2 beats. The highlighted syllable is the strong one: say it louder, longer and a touch higher in pitch, and let the others fall away. English is a stress-timed language, so getting tiːɡ in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern oO — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
“fatigue” sound by sound
“fatigue” is built out of 5 sounds. Say each one on its own first, slowly, then run them together at speed. Every sound links to a full guide with mouth position, the mistake learners make with it, and other words that use it.
-
fRest the upper teeth lightly on the lower lip and push air through the gap without voicing.
-
əDo almost nothing: leave the tongue in its neutral resting position, mouth slightly open, and make the shortest, weakest possible vowel.
-
tTouch the tongue tip to the bumpy ridge just behind the upper teeth, block the air, then release it with a puff.
-
iːSpread the lips into a smile, push the front of the tongue high and forward, and hold the sound tense and long.
-
ɡBack of the tongue seals against the soft palate and releases while the voice is already on — no puff of air.
Silent letters in “fatigue”
Letters you write but never say — this is the single biggest reason the word trips people up:
- uThe letter “u”Silent “u” after “g”/“q” — write it, but do not let it reach your mouth.
Words that rhyme with “fatigue”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Questions people ask about “fatigue”
- How do you pronounce “fatigue”?
- “fatigue” is pronounced /fəˈtiːɡ/, with the stress on the second syllable (tiːɡ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “fatigue”?
- “fatigue” has 2 syllables: fə · tiːɡ. The stress pattern is oO.
- Does “fatigue” have any silent letters?
- Yes — silent “u” after “g”/“q”.
Stop looking words up one at a time
You just looked up one word. PHONO puts the IPA above every word of whatever you are reading — in your browser, in a PDF, in any app — the moment you select it. An offline pronunciation dictionary, US and UK audio, one hotkey.