How to pronounce piano
Say it like pee-AN-oh. Piano has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce piano. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- pee
- AN
- oh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Piano pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- peeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- ANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of piano
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: pih-AN-oh.
What does piano mean?
- a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds
- (music) low loudness
- (used chiefly as a direction or description in music) soft; in a quiet, subdued tone“the piano passages in the composition”
- used as a direction in music; to be played relatively softly
Where does piano come from?
Clipping of pianoforte, from Italian pianoforte, from piano (“soft”) + forte (“strong”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying piano
How do you pronounce piano?
Say pee-AN-oh. The American pronunciation is /piˈænoʊ/. In British English it is /pɪˈænəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in piano?
Piano has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AN). Broken into parts: pee · AN · oh.
Is piano pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /pɪˈænəʊ/ (pih-AN-oh).