How to pronounce mafia
Say it like MAH-fee-uh. Mafia has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce mafia. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MAH
- fee
- uh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Mafia pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- feeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of mafia
American and British speakers say mafia in essentially the same way: /ˈmɑfiə/ in the US and /ˈmæfiə/ in the UK.
British respelling: MAF-ee-uh.
What does mafia mean?
- a crime syndicate in the United States; organized in families; believed to have important relations to the Sicilian Mafia
- a secret terrorist group in Sicily; originally opposed tyranny but evolved into a criminal organization in the middle of the 19th century
- any tightly knit group of trusted associates
Questions about saying mafia
How do you pronounce mafia?
Say MAH-fee-uh. The American pronunciation is /ˈmɑfiə/. In British English it is /ˈmæfiə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in mafia?
Mafia has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAH). Broken into parts: MAH · fee · uh.
Do Americans and Brits say mafia the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈmɑfiə/ and the British form is /ˈmæfiə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.