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Why "comfortable" sounds different in British English
The common British pronunciation is /ˈkʌmftəbl/, "KUMF-tuh-buhl". The "or" disappears, and the first syllable has the /ʌ/ vowel of "come" and "cup", not the O of "comb". A slightly fuller /ˈkʌmfətəbl/ is also standard.
American English compresses the word too, but usually keeps an R in the middle: /ˈkʌmftərbl/, "KUMF-ter-bul", where the R has moved after the T. British English, being non-rhotic, has no R at all. The stress always stays on the first syllable: "com-FOR-table" is a typical learner error. The opposite, "uncomfortable", follows exactly the same pattern, with the stress on the second syllable: un-KUMF-tuh-buhl.
How to say "comfortable" like a Brit, step by step
- Begin with kum, as in "come", not "com" as in "comb".
- Go straight into f and t: kumft. No "or" sound.
- Add two weak syllables: uh and bl.
- Keep the stress on the front: KUMF-tuh-buhl.
Practise "comfortable" in a sentence
- Make yourself comfortable, I'll put the kettle on.
- These shoes are surprisingly comfortable.
- I'm not comfortable driving on the motorway at night.
Saying it once correctly is easy. Saying it right in the middle of a fast sentence is the hard part, which is why the sentences above matter more than the single word.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce comfortable in a British accent?
In Received Pronunciation, comfortable is pronounced /ˈkʌmftəbl/ or /ˈkʌmfətəbl/, roughly "KUMF-tuh-buhl". Say three syllables with no R: KUMF-tuh-buhl, stress on the first.
Is the American pronunciation of comfortable wrong?
No. /ˈkʌmftərbl/ or /ˈkʌmfərt̬əbl/ is standard in American English. Both are correct, they simply belong to different accents. If you are learning a British accent, aim for /ˈkʌmftəbl/ or /ˈkʌmfətəbl/.