How to pronounce Iranian
Say it like ir-AH-nee-un. Iranian has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Iranian. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ir
- AH
- nee
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Iranian pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- irGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- AHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- neeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Iranian
American and British speakers say Iranian in essentially the same way: /ˌɪˈrɑniən/ in the US and /ɪˈrɑːniən/ in the UK.
British respelling: ih-RAH-nee-un.
Other ways to say Iranian
Iranian also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- eye-RAY-nee-un /aɪˈreɪniən/
What does Iranian mean?
- a native or inhabitant of Iran“the majority of Irani are Persian Shiite Muslims”
- the modern Persian language spoken in Iran
- of or relating to Iran or its people or language or culture“Iranian mountains”“Iranian security police”
Questions about saying Iranian
How do you pronounce Iranian?
Say ir-AH-nee-un. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪˈrɑniən/. In British English it is /ɪˈrɑːniən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Iranian?
Iranian has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AH). Broken into parts: ir · AH · nee · un.
Do Americans and Brits say Iranian the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪˈrɑniən/ and the British form is /ɪˈrɑːniən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.