How to Pronounce “Rilke”

British (UK)

/ˈɹɪlkə/

proper noun — Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926), Austrian poet and novelist.

Where the stress falls. “Rilke” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /ˈɹɪlkə/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˈɹɪlkə/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "Rilke" mean?

Rilke (proper noun): Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926), Austrian poet and novelist.

Which syllable is stressed in "Rilke"?

“Rilke” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /ˈɹɪlkə/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.