How to pronounce Jamaican
Say it like juh-MAY-kun. Jamaican 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 Jamaican. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- juh
- MAY
- kun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Jamaican 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.
- kunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Jamaican
American and British speakers say Jamaican in essentially the same way: /dʒəˈmeɪkən/ in the US and /dʒəˈmeɪkən/ in the UK.
British respelling: juh-MAY-kun.
What does Jamaican mean?
- a native or inhabitant of Jamaica
- of or relating to Jamaica (the island or the country) or to its inhabitants“Jamaican rum”“the Jamaican Prime Minister”
Words that rhyme with Jamaican
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Jamaican.
Questions about saying Jamaican
How do you pronounce Jamaican?
Say juh-MAY-kun. The American pronunciation is /dʒəˈmeɪkən/. In British English it is /dʒəˈmeɪkən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Jamaican?
Jamaican has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MAY). Broken into parts: juh · MAY · kun.
Do Americans and Brits say Jamaican the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dʒəˈmeɪkən/ and the British form is /dʒəˈmeɪkən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.