How to pronounce harmonica
Say it like har-MAH-nih-kuh. Harmonica has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce harmonica. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- har
- MAH
- nih
- kuh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Harmonica pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- harGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- MAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- nihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of harmonica
- 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: har-MON-ih-kuh.
What does harmonica mean?
- A musical wind instrument with a series of holes for the player to blow into, each hole producing a different note.
- A musical instrument, consisting of a series of hemispherical glasses which, by touching the edges with the dampened finger, give forth the tones.
- A toy instrument of strips of glass or metal hung on two tapes, and struck with hammers.
Where does harmonica come from?
From armonica. Coined by American polymath and statesman Benjamin Franklin to refer to his glass harmonica, an instrument that predated the small wind instrument by several decades.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with harmonica
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of harmonica.
Questions about saying harmonica
How do you pronounce harmonica?
Say har-MAH-nih-kuh. The American pronunciation is /ˌhɑrˈmɑnɪkə/. In British English it is /ˌhɑrˈmɒnɪkə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in harmonica?
Harmonica has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MAH). Broken into parts: har · MAH · nih · kuh.
Is harmonica 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 /ˌhɑrˈmɒnɪkə/ (har-MON-ih-kuh).