How to pronounce ballerina
Say it like bal-uh-REE-nuh. Ballerina has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (REE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ballerina. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- bal
- uh
- REE
- nuh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ballerina pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- balGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- REESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- nuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of ballerina
American and British speakers say ballerina in essentially the same way: /ˌbæləˈrinə/ in the US and /ˌbæləˈriːnə/ in the UK.
British respelling: bal-uh-REE-nuh.
What does ballerina mean?
- A ballet flat shoe.
Where does ballerina come from?
Borrowed from Italian ballerina.
Words that rhyme with ballerina
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of ballerina.
Questions about saying ballerina
How do you pronounce ballerina?
Say bal-uh-REE-nuh. The American pronunciation is /ˌbæləˈrinə/. In British English it is /ˌbæləˈriːnə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ballerina?
Ballerina has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (REE). Broken into parts: bal · uh · REE · nuh.
Do Americans and Brits say ballerina the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌbæləˈrinə/ and the British form is /ˌbæləˈriːnə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.