How to pronounce ham
Say it like HAM. Ham is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ham. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HAM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ham pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HAMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of ham
American and British speakers say ham in essentially the same way: /hæm/ in the US and /hæm/ in the UK.
British respelling: HAM.
What does ham mean?
- meat cut from the thigh of a hog (usually smoked)
- (Old Testament) son of Noah
- a licensed amateur radio operator
- exaggerate one's acting
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with ham
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of ham.
Questions about saying ham
How do you pronounce ham?
Say HAM. The American pronunciation is /hæm/. In British English it is /hæm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ham?
Ham is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HAM.
Do Americans and Brits say ham the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /hæm/ and the British form is /hæm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.