How to pronounce spaghetti
Say it like spuh-GHET-ee. Spaghetti has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (GHET).
- spuh
- GHET
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Spaghetti pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- spuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- GHETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of spaghetti
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: spuh-GHET-ee.
What does spaghetti mean?
- A type of pasta made in the shape of long thin strings.“Her mother was cooking spaghetti for dinner.”
- A dish that has spaghetti (noun 1 sense 1) as a main part of it, such as spaghetti bolognese.
- Something physically resembling spaghetti (noun 1 sense 1) in appearance or consistency, or in being tangled.“spaghetti grid spaghetti junction spaghetti limbs spaghetti strap spaghetti stripes”
- plural of spaghetto
- To serve (someone) spaghetti (noun noun 1 sense 1).
- To cause (someone or something) to become, or appear to become, longer and thinner; to stretch.“He spaghettied the referee when he landed on him.”
- To cause (something) to become tangled.
Where does spaghetti come from?
The noun is borrowed from Italian spaghetti, the plural of spaghetto (“strand of spaghetti”), from spago (“cord, string, twine; thread”) + -etto (diminutive suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- pasghetti
- sketti
- spag
Words that rhyme with spaghetti
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of spaghetti.
Questions about saying spaghetti
How do you pronounce spaghetti?
Say spuh-GHET-ee. The American pronunciation is /spəˈɡɛti/. In British English it is /spəˈɡɛti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in spaghetti?
Spaghetti has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (GHET). Broken into parts: spuh · GHET · ee.
Is spaghetti pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t. The British form is /spəˈɡɛti/ (spuh-GHET-ee).