Spanish · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "débil" in Spanish?

Q: How do you pronounce débil in Spanish?

débil is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /ˈde.βil/. It means “weak.” DEH-beel, with the accent pulling the stress onto the first syllable.

DEH-beel, with the accent pulling the stress onto the first syllable.

débil /ˈde.βil/

Two syllables, DÉ-bil, and the accent is load-bearing. The word ends in l, so the default rule would put the beat on the final syllable and give "de-BIL". The mark overrides that. In the plural "débiles" the s ending would already suggest a second-to-last beat, but the accent stays because the stress has to sit one syllable further back than that.

Listen: débil

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Sound it out

dé A dental d with the tongue against the upper front teeth, then a short "eh" as in "bed" carrying the accent and the stress.

bil A soft b between vowels — lips approaching without meeting — plus a tight "ee" and a bright forward l. Keep that l light rather than darkening it at the end of the word.

Hear it in a sentence

Me siento un poco débil.

I feel a little weak.

Listen: Me siento un poco débil.

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"Me siento un poco débil" uses the reflexive "me siento", which is how Spanish says I feel — without the pronoun, "siento" alone means I am sorry or I sense. "Siento" packs ie into one beat, SYEN-to, and "poco" is stressed PO-co with both o vowels fully rounded.

Where English speakers slip

Ignoring the accent gives "deh-BEEL", which is what the default rule would produce and is exactly what the mark exists to prevent. The English word "debilitate" also pulls the vowel toward "ih" — Spanish keeps a clean "eh" in the first syllable and a tight "ee" in the second. The b needs softening too, since it sits between vowels.