How to pronounce Chernobyl
Say it like cher-NOH-bul. Chernobyl has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Chernobyl. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- cher
- NOH
- bul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Chernobyl pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- cherKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- NOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- bulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Chernobyl
- 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: chuh-NOH-bul.
What does Chernobyl mean?
- a city in north central Ukraine; site of a major disaster at a nuclear power plant (26 April 1986)
Words that rhyme with Chernobyl
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Chernobyl.
Questions about saying Chernobyl
How do you pronounce Chernobyl?
Say cher-NOH-bul. The American pronunciation is /tʃɚˈnoʊbəl/. In British English it is /tʃəˈnəʊbəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Chernobyl?
Chernobyl has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NOH). Broken into parts: cher · NOH · bul.
Is Chernobyl 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 /tʃəˈnəʊbəl/ (chuh-NOH-bul).