2 syllables: first, ly. Stress on first.
/ˈfɝstli/
Say it backFirstly is a sequence adverb used to introduce the first item in a list or argument. It functions similarly to 'first' or 'to begin with,' signaling an initial step or point. In formal writing and speech, it marks order, but in casual usage, alternatives like 'to start with' are common. The pronunciation is stressed on the first syllable, with a light, unstressed final '-ly'.
- You may insert an extra vowel between /st/ and /li*, saying /ˈfɜːs.tə.li/ or /ˈfɜːs.li.a/. Solution: practice with pause: /ˈfɜːst/ + /li/; then run together while keeping /li/ light and fast. - Overemphasizing the second syllable, producing /ˈfɜːst-LI/ and sounding robotic. Correction: maintain primary stress on the first syllable; lightly pronounce the second syllable. - Slurring the /st/ into /l/ or attaching the /l/ to the previous consonant. Practice with minimal pairs and slow tempo: /fɜːst/ vs /fɜːl/?; ensure the /t/ is released clearly before /l/. - In rapid speech, some speakers reduce to /ˈfɜːrsti/; to prevent this, hold the final /li/ for a brief moment before moving to the next word.
"Firstly, we must establish the goals before proceeding."
"I’d like to address the budget, firstly by outlining the assumptions."
"Firstly, allow me to thank everyone involved for their support."
Pronounce as /ˈfɜːst.li/ (US) or /ˈfɜːst.li/ (UK/AU). Emphasize the first syllable: FIRST, then a light -ly: -lee. The /ɜː/ vowel is a mid-central to open-mid back vowel; keep your jaw relaxed and your lips neutral. The consonant cluster /fɜːrst/ ends with /st/ before the light /li/ of the second syllable. Practise with separate syllables: /ˈfɜːst/ + /li/ and then smooth to /ˈfɜːstli/ without adding extra syllables.
Two frequent errors: (1) Under-stressing the first syllable, producing /ˈfɜːstli/ with weak emphasis; ensure clear /ɜːr/ or /ɜː/ to carry the syllable. (2) Slurring the second syllable into the first or saying /ˈfɜːst.li/ with equal weight or misplacing the stress on the second syllable. Correction: isolate the two syllables, practice /ˈfɜːst/ then /li/, then combine slowly, keeping primary stress on /ˈfɜːst/ and a quick, unstressed /li/.
Across accents, the main vowel /ɜː/ remains central in UK/US; US often shows rhotacization differences in related words but not in this. UK English: /ˈfɜːst.li/ with non-rhotic tendency in careful speech; AU mirrors UK with similar /ˈfɜːst.li/. Variation occurs in the vowel quality of /ɜː/ vs /əː/ in some American dialects; some US speakers may reduce to /ˈfɜrsti/ in rapid speech, but standard is /ˈfɜːst.li/. Overall, all main dialects keep two syllables with primary stress on the first.
The challenge is the exact placement and duration of the primary stress and the rapid transition from the /st/ cluster into the /li/ on the second syllable. Beginners often blend /t/ with /l/ or misarticulate the /ɜː/ vowel. Focus on a clean stop consonant before /s/ and a crisp /li/ after the /t/. Practice by saying the word in isolation, then in a list with short pauses to maintain rhythm and avoid truncating the second syllable.
The unique aspect is the fixed -ly suffix that creates a predictable two-syllable word with initial strong stress: /ˈfɜːst.li/. Unlike some adverbs where -ly is silent in rapid speech, here /li/ remains clearly heard, ensuring the word maintains its adverbial function and parallel structure in lists. Additionally, many non-native speakers insert additional vowels or reduce the final syllable; keeping the final -ly as a light, quick syllable helps natural pronunciation.
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- US: keep /ɜː/ or /ɝ/ in stressed syllable; ensure the /t/ is a clear stop, then a light /l/ before the /i/. - UK: non-rhotic tendency; /ˈfɜːst.li/ with precise alveolar stop. - AU: similar to UK; avoid adding extra vowel sounds; maintain crisp /t/ and light /li/. - General: keep lips neutral, jaw relaxed, tongue tip for /t/ and /l/; avoid flapping in careful speech.
Firstly derives from the adverbial phrase firstly, formed in the 16th–17th centuries as a synthetic continuation of the adjective first plus the adverbial suffix -ly to indicate order. The root word first originates from Old English forma, related to German früh and Dutch voort, all tracing back to the Proto-Germanic *farthiz/*fairstiz, denoting precedence or primacy. The -ly suffix standardizes adverbial function, creating a word that means 'in the first place' or 'as the first point.' In Middle English and Early Modern English, speakers frequently used 'firstly' in formal lists; over time, some writers shifted to simply 'first' or 'first of all' in modern usage. First occurrences appear in quasi-legal and scholarly texts as a traditional convention for enumerating arguments, with a notable rise in usage during the 17th and 18th centuries as academic prose and rhetoric matured. Although now sometimes considered redundant in casual speech (where 'first' or 'to start with' suffices), 'firstly' remains standard in formal writing and presentations to maintain parallel structure in lists with multiple items.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "firstly" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "firstly"
-rty sounds
-rdy sounds
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