How to pronounce pizza
Say it like PEET-suh. Pizza has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PEET).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce pizza. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PEET
- suh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pizza pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PEETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- suhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of pizza
American and British speakers say pizza in essentially the same way: /ˈpitsə/ in the US and /ˈpiːtsə/ in the UK.
British respelling: PEET-suh.
What does pizza mean?
- Italian open pie made of thin bread dough spread with a spiced mixture of e.g. tomato sauce and cheese
Questions about saying pizza
How do you pronounce pizza?
Say PEET-suh. The American pronunciation is /ˈpitsə/. In British English it is /ˈpiːtsə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pizza?
Pizza has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PEET). Broken into parts: PEET · suh.
Do Americans and Brits say pizza the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpitsə/ and the British form is /ˈpiːtsə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.