How to pronounce "self ish" in English
ˈsɛl.fɪʃ
SEL·fish
Primary stress: SEL
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No video clips indexed yet for “self ish”
We haven’t indexed spoken video clips for this word in our library yet. You can listen to its audio pronunciation, review phonetic IPA, and check definitions below.
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “self ish”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
SEL
Elevated pitch, sustained vowel length, and full acoustic clarity.
fish
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
Primary emphasis falls on the first syllable ("SEL"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels.
How Native Speakers Say It: Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When "self ish" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "self ish is" sounds like "self ish-iz").
In natural sentences, avoid over-stressing "self ish" unless it conveys the core contrast or focal point of your message.
Practice Speaking “self ish”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
“We all have both a selfish separate self, and an Inner Being that is One with the Universal Spirit. In this sense, every human has a sort of ‘split personality’. We are all kind of what you call ‘schitzy’ with these two sides, these two people living within us. And they are in total opposition. The free will dictates which of these two sides will have its way in our life, at every given moment.”
Hear it in context: “self ish”
The English word “self ish” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as ˈsɛl.fɪʃ (phonetic respelling: SEL-fish). Phonologically, it consists of 2 syllables (SEL · fish), with primary lexical stress placed on the 1st (initial) syllable (SEL). Grammatically, “self ish” functions as a adjective. Hear native speakers say self ish in context across real video clips
Definition & Meaning: “self ish”
- Holding one's own self-interest as the standard for decision making.
- Having excessive or exclusive regard and concern for one's own well-being, profit or pleasure, with little or no consideration for others.
Example Sentences (2)
- ““We all have both a selfish separate self, and an Inner Being that is One with the Universal Spirit. In this sense, every human has a sort of ‘split personality’. We are all kind of what you call ‘schitzy’ with these two sides, these two people living within us. And they are in total opposition. The free will dictates which of these two sides will have its way in our life, at every given moment.””
- “Take warning by my fate, and shun that flowery and bewitching path; for in its labyrinths the good, the gentle, the kind-hearted, and the benevolent, are too often lost; while the sordid and the selfish scarcely so much as run a hazard.”
Pronounce: “self ish”
- Pronunciation:
- SEL-fish
- Syllables:
- SEL · fish
- Primary stress:
- SEL
- IPA:
- ˈsɛl.fɪʃ
- Hear it in context
- self ish
Words that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"self ish" (⁄ˈsɛl.fɪʃ⁄) has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "self ish" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about self ish
How do you pronounce “self ish”?
“self ish” is pronounced ⁄ˈsɛl.fɪʃ⁄ (SEL-fish). Listen to the audio pronunciation above to hear it spoken clearly.
How many syllables are in “self ish”?
“self ish” has 2 syllables: SEL · fish.
Where is the stress in “self ish”?
The primary stress in “self ish” is on “SEL”.
What does “self ish” mean?
Holding one's own self-interest as the standard for decision making.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “self ish”?
Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels. Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).