How to pronounce Nigerian
Say it like ny-JEER-ee-un. Nigerian has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (JEER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Nigerian. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ny
- JEER
- ee
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Nigerian pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- nyKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- JEERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep 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 Nigerian
American and British speakers say Nigerian in essentially the same way: /naɪˈdʒɪriən/ in the US and /naɪˈdʒɪəriən/ in the UK.
British respelling: ny-JEER-ee-un.
What does Nigerian mean?
- a native or inhabitant of Nigeria
- of or relating to Nigeria“the Nigerian capital used to be Lagos”
- of or relating to the people of Nigeria“a Nigerian novelist won the Nobel Prize for literature this year”
Words that rhyme with Nigerian
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Nigerian.
Questions about saying Nigerian
How do you pronounce Nigerian?
Say ny-JEER-ee-un. The American pronunciation is /naɪˈdʒɪriən/. In British English it is /naɪˈdʒɪəriən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Nigerian?
Nigerian has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (JEER). Broken into parts: ny · JEER · ee · un.
Do Americans and Brits say Nigerian the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /naɪˈdʒɪriən/ and the British form is /naɪˈdʒɪəriən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.