How to pronounce samba
Say it like SAHM-buh. Samba has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SAHM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce samba. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SAHM
- buh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Samba pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SAHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- buhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of samba
American and British speakers say samba in essentially the same way: /ˈsɑmbə/ in the US and /ˈsæmbə/ in the UK.
British respelling: SAM-buh.
What does samba mean?
- A Brazilian ballroom dance or dance style.
- A Brazilian musical genre, to which the aforementioned dance is danced, which has its roots in West Africa via the slave trade.
- To dance the samba.
Where does samba come from?
Borrowed from Brazilian Portuguese samba, from a Bantu language.
Words that rhyme with samba
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of samba.
Questions about saying samba
How do you pronounce samba?
Say SAHM-buh. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɑmbə/. In British English it is /ˈsæmbə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in samba?
Samba has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SAHM). Broken into parts: SAHM · buh.
Do Americans and Brits say samba the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɑmbə/ and the British form is /ˈsæmbə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.