How to pronounce ambulance
Say it like AM-byuh-luns. Ambulance has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ambulance. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AM
- byuh
- luns
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ambulance pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- AMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- byuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- lunsKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of ambulance
American and British speakers say ambulance in essentially the same way: /ˈæmbjələns/ in the US and /ˈæmbjʊləns/ in the UK.
British respelling: AM-byuh-luns.
What does ambulance mean?
- a vehicle that takes people to and from hospitals
Where does ambulance come from?
Borrowed from French ambulance, which replaced hôpital ambulant (“moving hospital”) via the suffix -ance, from Latin ambulō (“to walk; to go about”).
Questions about saying ambulance
How do you pronounce ambulance?
Say AM-byuh-luns. The American pronunciation is /ˈæmbjələns/. In British English it is /ˈæmbjʊləns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ambulance?
Ambulance has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AM). Broken into parts: AM · byuh · luns.
Do Americans and Brits say ambulance the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈæmbjələns/ and the British form is /ˈæmbjʊləns/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.