How to pronounce situation
Say it like sich-oo-AY-shun. Situation has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (AY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce situation. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- sich
- oo
- AY
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Situation pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- sichGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- AYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of situation
American and British speakers say situation in essentially the same way: /ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃən/ in the US and /ˌsɪtʃʊˈeɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: sich-uu-AY-shun.
What does situation mean?
- the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time“the present international situation is dangerous”“wondered how such a state of affairs had come about”
- a condition or position in which you find yourself“the unpleasant situation (or position) of having to choose between two evils”“found herself in a very fortunate situation”
- a complex or critical or unusual difficulty“the dangerous situation developed suddenly”“that's quite a situation”
Where does situation come from?
From Middle English situacioun, situacion, from Middle French situation, from Medieval Latin situatio (“position, situation”), from situare (“to locate, place”), from Latin situs (“a site”).
Words that rhyme with situation
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of situation.
- information
- education
- association
- population
- station
- administration
- operation
- organization
- nation
- application
Questions about saying situation
How do you pronounce situation?
Say sich-oo-AY-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃən/. In British English it is /ˌsɪtʃʊˈeɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in situation?
Situation has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (AY). Broken into parts: sich · oo · AY · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say situation the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃən/ and the British form is /ˌsɪtʃʊˈeɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.