How to pronounce concertina
Say it like kon-ser-TEE-nuh. Concertina has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (TEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce concertina. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kon
- ser
- TEE
- nuh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Concertina pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- konGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- serKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- TEESay 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 concertina
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: kon-suh-TEE-nuh.
What does concertina mean?
- A musical instrument, like the various accordions, that is a member of the free-reed family of musical instruments, typically having buttons on both ends.
- Something multiply folded like a concertina, such as a folded book, a bus door or a set of picture frames that are folded together.
- Coiled barbed wire for use as an obstacle.
- To become compressed into a shape reminiscent of a concertina.“The car concertinaed into the wall.”
- To be drawn closer and farther apart repeatedly, or up and down, as if situated on a working concertina's folds.
Where does concertina come from?
From concert + -ina.
Words that rhyme with concertina
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of concertina.
Questions about saying concertina
How do you pronounce concertina?
Say kon-ser-TEE-nuh. The American pronunciation is /ˌkɑnsɚˈtinə/. In British English it is /ˌkɒnsəˈtiːnə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in concertina?
Concertina has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (TEE). Broken into parts: kon · ser · TEE · nuh.
Is concertina 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 /ˌkɒnsəˈtiːnə/ (kon-suh-TEE-nuh).