How to pronounce pension
Say it like PEN-shun. Pension has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce pension. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PEN
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pension pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of pension
American and British speakers say pension in essentially the same way: /ˈpɛnʃən/ in the US and /ˈpɛnʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: PEN-shun.
What does pension mean?
- a regular payment to a person that is intended to allow them to subsist without working
- grant a pension to
Where does pension come from?
From Middle English pencioun, pensioun, from Anglo-Norman pencione, Old French pencion, and their source, Latin pēnsiō (“payment, weight, rent, compensation”), from the participle stem of pendō (“to weigh”).
Words that rhyme with pension
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of pension.
Questions about saying pension
How do you pronounce pension?
Say PEN-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɛnʃən/. In British English it is /ˈpɛnʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pension?
Pension has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PEN). Broken into parts: PEN · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say pension the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpɛnʃən/ and the British form is /ˈpɛnʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.