English pronunciation

How to pronounce “less

Phonetic spelling

LES

IPA /ˈɫɛs/

Syllable stress

les

Stress falls on the highlighted syllable.

How do you spell “less”?

l e s s

less” is spelled L-E-S-S. It is pronounced LES, 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

  • I need to spend less money this month.

  • She felt less tired after the nap.

Related words to practice