How to pronounce suburbia
Say it like suh-BUR-bee-uh. Suburbia has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce suburbia. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- suh
- BUR
- bee
- uh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Suburbia pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- suhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- BURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- beeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of suburbia
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: suh-BUR-bee-uh.
What does suburbia mean?
- The suburbs as a whole and all that characterizes or pertains to them; (sometimes derogatory) the suburbs as encapsulated or represented by the typical characteristics or qualities of the people living there, especially complacency, conformity, conservativeness, dullness, etc.
Where does suburbia come from?
From suburb + -ia (suffix forming abstract nouns, the names of collections of things, etc.), perhaps modeled after Latin suburbia (“suburbs”), the plural of suburbium.
Questions about saying suburbia
How do you pronounce suburbia?
Say suh-BUR-bee-uh. The American pronunciation is /səˈbɝbiə/. In British English it is /səˈbɜːbiə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in suburbia?
Suburbia has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BUR). Broken into parts: suh · BUR · bee · uh.
Is suburbia pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /səˈbɜːbiə/ (suh-BUR-bee-uh).