How to pronounce marijuana
Say it like mer-uh-WAH-nuh. Marijuana has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (WAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce marijuana. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- mer
- uh
- WAH
- nuh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Marijuana pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- merGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- WAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- nuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of marijuana
American and British speakers say marijuana in essentially the same way: /ˌmɛrəˈwɑnə/ in the US and /ˌmærɪhˈwɑːnə/ in the UK.
British respelling: mar-ih-WAH-nuh.
What does marijuana mean?
- a strong-smelling plant whose dried leaves can be smoked for a pleasant effect or pain reduction
- the most commonly used illicit drug; considered a soft drug, it consists of the dried leaves of the hemp plant; smoked or chewed for euphoric effect
Where does marijuana come from?
Borrowed from Mexican Spanish marihuana, from mariguana.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with marijuana
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of marijuana.
Questions about saying marijuana
How do you pronounce marijuana?
Say mer-uh-WAH-nuh. The American pronunciation is /ˌmɛrəˈwɑnə/. In British English it is /ˌmærɪhˈwɑːnə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in marijuana?
Marijuana has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (WAH). Broken into parts: mer · uh · WAH · nuh.
Do Americans and Brits say marijuana the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌmɛrəˈwɑnə/ and the British form is /ˌmærɪhˈwɑːnə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.