How to pronounce subtle

The trap

The b is silent. Saying “sub-tle” with a b is one of the most common spelling pronunciations.

Tip. Start like “sun” without the n, then a light “tl”. In American speech the t often turns into a quick flap, like the t in “butter”.

Say it in a sentence

1. There is a subtle difference. Practice
2. The change was subtle but important. Practice

Tono scores English against the US model and colors every word, so you can see whether subtle landed.

More words like this: silent letters

• salmon /ˈsæmən/
• knowledge /ˈnɑːlɪdʒ/
• often /ˈɔːfən/
• Worcestershire /ˈwʊstɚʃɚ/
• listen /ˈlɪsən/
• castle /ˈkæsəl/