How to pronounce "first of all" in English — Connected Speech Guide (IPA /ˈfɝsəˈvɑl/)

How native English speakers pronounce "first of all" (IPA /ˈfɝsəˈvɑl/) — connected speech rule, example sentences, and audio for GA and RP. Free. of→/əv/ weak, links into all

first of all pronunciation (IPA /ˈfɝsəˈvɑl/) — Linking

What happens in this phrase

of→/əv/ weak, links into all

Example sentences

first of all, let me say thanks.
first of all, we need a plan.
first of all, check the date.
first of all, sit down.

Common mistakes by native language

Japanese speakers

Mistake: Pronouncing "of" with its full dictionary vowel [ɑv] and inserting a tiny pause before "all", producing "first — ov — all" as three separate chunks.

Why: Japanese phonology favors clear, evenly-timed mora, so learners often give every English word equal weight and a full vowel, resisting the reduction that native speech applies to function words like "of".

Fix: Treat "of" as a bridge, not a word: it shrinks to [əv] and its [v] immediately links onto the vowel of "all", giving [ˈfɝsəˈvɑl]. Practice saying "first-uh-vall" as one breath group before slowing back down to normal speed.

Korean speakers

Mistake: Devoicing the final [v] of "of" into something closer to [f], and adding a glottal stop between "of" and "all" to keep the words distinct.

Why: Korean does not have a phoneme like English [v], and syllable-final obstruents in Korean are typically unreleased, which encourages a clipped, disconnected transition instead of a smooth link.

Fix: Keep your bottom lip touching your top teeth and let voicing continue through the [v] as it flows into "all" — there should be no gap. The whole sequence "of all" becomes a single smooth syllable-like unit [əˈvɑl].

Chinese speakers

Mistake: Reading "first" with a released, aspirated final [t] before pausing, then starting "of all" as a fresh breath group.

Why: Mandarin syllables are closed and self-contained with clear final stops, so learners often insert a boundary at every English word edge rather than letting consonants and vowels flow across word boundaries.

Fix: Let the [st] cluster in "first" stay tight and unreleased, then move directly into the reduced "of" [əv] with no stop in between. Think of "first of all" as one rhythmic phrase, not three separate words: [ˈfɝsəˈvɑl].

Similar phrase patterns

get out of — reduced of + double flap linking: Shares the same weak "of" [əv] reduction, but adds a General American flapped [ɾ] on both t's: [ˌɡɛˈɾaʊɾəv]. Mastering the "of" reduction here transfers directly.
a piece of cake — of reduces before a consonant: Here "of" reduces even further to a bare [ə] because the next sound is the consonant [k], not a vowel — contrast with "first of all" where "of" keeps its [v] because "all" starts with a vowel.
most people — opening filler / discourse marker rhythm: Like "first of all", this phrase often opens a sentence and is spoken as a single fast rhythmic unit before the main clause slows down for the new information.

Practice sentences

First of all, thank you for coming today. (formal presentation opener)
First of all, let's check the schedule. (meeting agenda setup)
First of all, we need a clear plan. (project planning)
First of all, sit down and relax. (casual reassurance)
First of all, I want to apologize. (sincere apology opener)

Notes

"First of all" is one of the most common discourse markers in spoken English, used to signal the start of a list, an argument, or a response. Its pronunciation hinges on two connected-speech features: the reduction of "of" to a weak [əv], and the linking of that [v] straight into the vowel of "all", producing [ˈfɝsəˈvɑl]. Learners who pronounce "of" with its full, stressed vowel sound noticeably foreign and stilted, even though the grammar is perfectly correct — connected speech carries as much information about fluency as vocabulary does. Because this phrase almost always appears at A1 level in textbook dialogues yet is rarely drilled for pronunciation, it is an ideal early target: mastering the of-reduction here builds a template learners can reuse in dozens of other "of"-phrases, from "a lot of" to "kind of" to "most of them".