How to pronounce American
Say it like uh-MER-uh-kun. American 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 American. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- MER
- uh
- kun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
American 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.
- kunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of American
American and British speakers say American in essentially the same way: /əˈmɛrəkən/ in the US and /əˈmɛrɪkən/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-MER-ih-kun.
What does American mean?
- of or relating to the United States of America or its people or language or culture“American citizens”“American English”
- of or relating to or characteristic of the continents and islands of the Americas“the American hemisphere”“American flora and fauna”
- a native or inhabitant of the United States
- the English language as used in the United States
- a native or inhabitant of a North American or Central American or South American country
Questions about saying American
How do you pronounce American?
Say uh-MER-uh-kun. The American pronunciation is /əˈmɛrəkən/. In British English it is /əˈmɛrɪkən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in American?
American has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MER). Broken into parts: uh · MER · uh · kun.
Do Americans and Brits say American the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈmɛrəkən/ and the British form is /əˈmɛrɪkən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.