How to pronounce banana
Say it like buh-NAN-uh. Banana has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NAN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce banana. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- buh
- NAN
- uh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Banana pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- buhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- NANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of banana
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: buh-NAH-nuh.
What does banana mean?
- any of several tropical and subtropical treelike herbs of the genus Musa having a terminal crown of large entire leaves and usually bearing hanging clusters of elongated fruits
- elongated crescent-shaped yellow fruit with soft sweet flesh
Where does banana come from?
The racial slur derives from the notion that they are “Yellow (East-Asian) on the outside, but White (Westernized) on the inside”.
Words that rhyme with banana
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of banana.
Questions about saying banana
How do you pronounce banana?
Say buh-NAN-uh. The American pronunciation is /bəˈnænə/. In British English it is /bəˈnɑːnə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in banana?
Banana has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NAN). Broken into parts: buh · NAN · uh.
Is banana pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat. The British form is /bəˈnɑːnə/ (buh-NAH-nuh).