English pronunciation
How to pronounce “explain”
Phonetic spelling
ik-SPLAYN
IPA /ɪksˈpɫeɪn/
Syllable stress
ik·splayn
Stress falls on the highlighted syllable.
How do you spell “explain”?
e x p l a i n
“explain” is spelled E-X-P-L-A-I-N. It is pronounced ik-SPLAYN, so the spelling and the sound do not match letter for letter. Listen to the audio above and say it aloud while you read the letters.
Hear it in a sentence
Can you explain how this machine works?
Let me explain the rules before we start.