How to pronounce Philadelphia
Say it like fil-uh-DEL-fee-uh. Philadelphia has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (DEL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Philadelphia. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- fil
- uh
- DEL
- fee
- uh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Philadelphia pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- filGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- DELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- 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 Philadelphia
American and British speakers say Philadelphia in essentially the same way: /ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə/ in the US and /ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə/ in the UK.
British respelling: fil-uh-DEL-fee-uh.
What does Philadelphia mean?
- the largest city in Pennsylvania; located in the southeastern part of the state on the Delaware river; site of Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed; site of the University of Pennsylvania
Questions about saying Philadelphia
How do you pronounce Philadelphia?
Say fil-uh-DEL-fee-uh. The American pronunciation is /ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə/. In British English it is /ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (DEL). Broken into parts: fil · uh · DEL · fee · uh.
Do Americans and Brits say Philadelphia the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə/ and the British form is /ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.