How to pronounce ska
Say it like SKAH. Ska is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
VoiceSpeed
Click the play button next to American to hear how to pronounce ska. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/skɑ/SKAH
UK BritishNo British transcription yet. The audio still plays in this accent.
- SKAH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ska pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SKAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
What does ska mean?
noun
- A style of Jamaican dance music originating in the late 1950s, combining elements of Caribbean calypso and mento with American jazz and rhythm and blues; it was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae.
Where does ska come from?
Origin uncertain. Probably imitative of the crisp guitar sound; other suggestions include a contraction of “skavoovie” (a word invented and used by musician Cluett Johnson), or of “speed polka”.
Words that rhyme with ska
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of ska.
Questions about saying ska
How do you pronounce ska?
Say SKAH. The American pronunciation is /skɑ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ska?
Ska is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SKAH.