How to pronounce Jamaica
Say it like juh-MAY-kuh. Jamaica has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Jamaica. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- juh
- MAY
- kuh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Jamaica pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- juhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- MAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Jamaica
American and British speakers say Jamaica in essentially the same way: /dʒəˈmeɪkə/ in the US and /dʒəˈmeɪkə/ in the UK.
British respelling: juh-MAY-kuh.
What does Jamaica mean?
- a country on the island of Jamaica; became independent of England in 1962; much poverty; the major industry is tourism
- an island in the West Indies to the south of Cuba and to the west of Haiti
Where does Jamaica come from?
Borrowed from Spanish jamaica.
Words that rhyme with Jamaica
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Jamaica.
Questions about saying Jamaica
How do you pronounce Jamaica?
Say juh-MAY-kuh. The American pronunciation is /dʒəˈmeɪkə/. In British English it is /dʒəˈmeɪkə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Jamaica?
Jamaica has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MAY). Broken into parts: juh · MAY · kuh.
Do Americans and Brits say Jamaica the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dʒəˈmeɪkə/ and the British form is /dʒəˈmeɪkə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.