How to pronounce imagine
Say it like im-AJ-un. Imagine has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AJ).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce imagine. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- im
- AJ
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Imagine pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- imGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- AJSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of imagine
American and British speakers say imagine in essentially the same way: /ˌɪˈmædʒən/ in the US and /ɪˈmædʒɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: ih-MAJ-in.
What does imagine mean?
- form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case“Can you conceive of him as the president?”
- expect, believe, or suppose“I imagine she earned a lot of money with her new novel”“I thought to find her in a bad state”
Where does imagine come from?
From Middle English ymagynen, from Middle French imaginer, from Latin imāginor, from imāginem, the accusative singular of imāgō (“a copy, likeness, image”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying imagine
How do you pronounce imagine?
Say im-AJ-un. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪˈmædʒən/. In British English it is /ɪˈmædʒɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in imagine?
Imagine has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AJ). Broken into parts: im · AJ · un.
Do Americans and Brits say imagine the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪˈmædʒən/ and the British form is /ɪˈmædʒɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.