How to pronounce Barcelona
Say it like bar-sih-LOH-nuh. Barcelona has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (LOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Barcelona. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- bar
- sih
- LOH
- nuh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Barcelona pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- barGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- sihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- LOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- nuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Barcelona
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: bah-sih-LOH-nuh.
What does Barcelona mean?
- The capital city of Catalonia, Spain.
- A province of Catalonia, Spain.
- The capital city of the state of Anzoátegui, Venezuela.
Where does Barcelona come from?
Ultimately borrowed from Catalan Barcelona.
Words that rhyme with Barcelona
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Barcelona.
Questions about saying Barcelona
How do you pronounce Barcelona?
Say bar-sih-LOH-nuh. The American pronunciation is /ˌbɑrsɪˈloʊnə/. In British English it is /ˌbɑːsɪˈləʊnə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Barcelona?
Barcelona has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (LOH). Broken into parts: bar · sih · LOH · nuh.
Is Barcelona pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˌbɑːsɪˈləʊnə/ (bah-sih-LOH-nuh).