One syllable: als.
alz
/ælz/
als is pronounced alz (/ælz/). It has one syllable (als), with the stress on "als". als is a plural noun in several languages and a common abbreviation in English. In some contexts it denotes the surname Als or refers to a plural form of the acronym ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). For pronunciation focus, treat als as a short, open vowel cluster or as a borrowed/abbrev form; its spoken form is typically a short, two- or one-syllable sequence depending on language context, not a fixed English lexical item with standard pronunciation. Mastery comes from understanding its usage context and phonetic realization in native speech.
als is a plural noun in several languages and a common abbreviation in English. In some contexts it denotes the surname Als or refers to a plural form of the acronym ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). For pronunciation focus, treat als as a short, open vowel cluster or as a borrowed/abbrev form; its spoken form is typically a short, two- or one-syllable sequence depending on language context, not a fixed English lexical item with standard pronunciation. Mastery comes from understanding its usage context and phonetic realization in native speech.
- Mispronouncing as a long vowel or diphthong: especially thinking /æ/ or /eɪ/ extends into /ɑːl/. Solution: segment the word as three discrete phonemes: /eɪ/ or /æ/ for the vowel, then /l/, then /s/, ensuring each is clearly produced without a trailing vowel. - Slurring /l/ and /s/: learners may merge /l/ and /s/ into a soft or fricative,” producing /æɫz/ or /als/ with a nasal. Solution: hold the alveolar contact: tip of the tongue at the alveolar ridge, blade slightly raised; release the /s/ with a small puff of air. - Vowel reduction in fast speech: both for acronym and non-English usage, vowels can weaken. Solution: maintain a crisp /eɪ/ (US) or /eɪ/ with clear lity of the /l/ and /s/; avoid replacing the vowel with a schwa in careful speech.
"The word 'als' appears in French as a plural ending, pronounced /al/ or /als/ depending on liaison."
"In German technical texts, als is a conjunction meaning 'as' or 'like', pronounced /als/."
"Researchers used the acronym ALS to refer to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pronounced letter-by-letter /ˈeɪ ɛl ɛs/ or as an initialism in speech."
In typical English usage for the acronym ALS, you spell the letters: /ˈeɪ ɛl ɛs/ (ay-EL-ess). If 'als' is used as a German conjunction, pronounce it as /als/ with a clear /a/ as in 'ah', then /l/ and /s/. In fast speech, the acronym may blur to /eɪl/ or /æls/ depending on speaker. Context will usually reveal whether it’s a standalone word or initialism. Listen for whether each letter is enunciated or the word is spoken as a unit.
Common mistakes include treating ALS as a simple English word with a long single vowel, pronouncing /æls/ as in 'als' with a nasalized vowel, or slurring the /l/ into a vowel. For German usage, learners may soften the /l/ or misarticulate the final /s/ due to English sibilant tendencies. Correct by articulating /eɪ/ or /eɪ ɛl ɛs/ clearly when it’s an acronym, and by ensuring the /l/ is light-to-mid contact with the alveolar ridge and the /s/ is a crisp hiss.
In US English, ALS as an acronym is /ˈeɪ ɛl ɛs/ with clear syllable separation. UK English often preserves the same initialism with slight vowel reductions in rapid speech, sounding /ˈeɪl ɛs/ or /ˈeɪ ɛlz/ in quick talk. Australian English may reduce the /l/ clipping and could render /eɪ ɛl ɛs/ as /eɪl ɛs/ with a lighter r/s variation depending on speaker. When als is German, the pronunciation /als/ remains stable across English accents but may vary in syllable stress.
The difficulty often comes from whether it’s spoken as an acronym or as a word from another language. When pronounced as letters, you must coordinate three distinct phonemes /eɪ/, /ɛl/, /ɛs/ quickly and evenly. When it’s a foreign conjunction or suffix, you rely on a single syllable with a crisp /l/ and /s/; confusion arises from rapid phrase linking, liaison with neighboring vowels, or regional vowel shifts. Watching mouth position and practicing letter-by-letter speech helps stabilize both forms.
Yes. Always use context to determine whether ALS is an acronym spoken as /ˈeɪ ɛl ɛs/ or a foreign word pronounced /als/. In multilingual contexts, hope to hear surrounding syntax that signals function. For accuracy, practice both forms: slow, deliberate letter pronunciation for initialisms, and a crisp, single-syllable /als/ for language-specific uses. Pay attention to the final /s/—in careful speech, it is a voiceless sibilant; in rapid speech, it may become a lighter or devoiced /s/ depending on the speaker.
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- US: IPA /ˈeɪ ɛl ɛs/. Stress on the first syllable; ensure a clean separation between the vowel, the /l/ and the /s/. The /eɪ/ should be open with tongue high-mid, lips neutral. - UK: Often /ˈeɪl ɛs/ in rapid speech; you might drop the schwa between letters, but maintain the /l/ + /s/ crispness. The /l/ is light but not velarized; keep it alveolar. - AU: Similar to US but with slightly more vowel reduction in casual speech; keep the three phonemes distinct in careful speech; in fast talk, you may reduce to /eɪlɛs/ or /eɪlems/ depending on speaker. IPA references: /ˈeɪ ɛl ɛs/ (US), /ˈeɪl ɛs/ (UK), /ˈeɪ ɛl ɛs/ (AU).
Als appears across languages with different semantic roles. In German, als is a conjunction meaning 'as' or 'than', historically tied to Proto-Germanic *alþaz, evolving through Old High German als. In French and Romance contexts, als can be a plural suffix, not a standalone word but a morphological ending tied to definite articles or nouns. In English literature or science, ALS is an initialism for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, originating in the 19th–20th centuries as a medical term, rising in public usage after the 1960s. The word’s pronunciation therefore shifts with function: as a German conjunction it is pronounced /als/ with a hard /l/ and /s/; as a French plural ending it is typically silent in some contexts or realized as an intrusive vowel in liaison; as an acronym it is pronounced letter-by-letter /ˈeɪ ɛl ɛs/ in English. In multilingual corpora, als often surfaces as a clipped or borrowed form, and its phonetic realization is highly context-dependent, reinforcing the importance of listening for surrounding syntactic cues. First known uses vary by language, with Germanic usage dating earlier, while English acronym usage emerges in the 20th century.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "als" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "als"
-als sounds
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