How to pronounce ghetto
Say it like GHET-oh. Ghetto has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GHET).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ghetto. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GHET
- oh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ghetto pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GHETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of ghetto
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: GHET-oh.
What does ghetto mean?
- formerly the restricted quarter of many European cities in which Jews were required to live“the Warsaw ghetto”
- any segregated mode of living or working that results from bias or stereotyping“the relative security of the gay ghetto”“no escape from the ghetto of the typing pool”
- a poor densely populated city district occupied by a minority ethnic group linked together by economic hardship and social restrictions
Where does ghetto come from?
Borrowed from the name of the Venetian Ghetto, whose etymology and original source language is uncertain.
Words that rhyme with ghetto
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of ghetto.
Questions about saying ghetto
How do you pronounce ghetto?
Say GHET-oh. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡɛtoʊ/. In British English it is /ˈɡɛtəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ghetto?
Ghetto has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GHET). Broken into parts: GHET · oh.
Is ghetto pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈɡɛtəʊ/ (GHET-oh).