How to pronounce Colombia
Say it like kuh-LUHM-bee-uh. Colombia has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LUHM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Colombia. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kuh
- LUHM
- bee
- uh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Colombia pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- LUHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
- beeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Colombia
American and British speakers say Colombia in essentially the same way: /kəˈlʌmbiə/ in the US and /kəˈlɒmbiə/ in the UK.
British respelling: kuh-LOM-bee-uh.
What does Colombia mean?
- A country in South America. Official name: Republic of Colombia. Capital: Bogotá.
Where does Colombia come from?
Borrowed from Spanish Colombia, from Italian Colombo (“Cristoforo Colombo”); named after Genoese explorer Christopher Columbus (1451–1506).
Questions about saying Colombia
How do you pronounce Colombia?
Say kuh-LUHM-bee-uh. The American pronunciation is /kəˈlʌmbiə/. In British English it is /kəˈlɒmbiə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Colombia?
Colombia has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LUHM). Broken into parts: kuh · LUHM · bee · uh.
Do Americans and Brits say Colombia the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kəˈlʌmbiə/ and the British form is /kəˈlɒmbiə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.