How to pronounce America
Say it like uh-MER-uh-kuh. America has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce America. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- MER
- uh
- kuh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
America pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- MERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of America
American and British speakers say America in essentially the same way: /əˈmɛrəkə/ in the US and /əˈmɛrɪkə/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-MER-ih-kuh.
What does America mean?
- A country in North America; in full, United States of America.
Where does America come from?
Although this is the most widely accepted derivation, it has also been suggested that it could originate from the name of the Amerrisque mountains in Nicaragua (from Mayan), and another disputed theory is that it derives from the surname of
Questions about saying America
How do you pronounce America?
Say uh-MER-uh-kuh. The American pronunciation is /əˈmɛrəkə/. In British English it is /əˈmɛrɪkə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in America?
America has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MER). Broken into parts: uh · MER · uh · kuh.
Do Americans and Brits say America the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈmɛrəkə/ and the British form is /əˈmɛrɪkə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.