How to pronounce tamale
Say it like tuh-MAH-lee. Tamale has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce tamale. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- tuh
- MAH
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tamale pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- tuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- MAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of tamale
American and British speakers say tamale in essentially the same way: /təˈmɑli/ in the US and /təˈmɑːliː/ in the UK.
British respelling: tuh-MAH-lee.
What does tamale mean?
- A Mexican dish of cornmeal dough shell filled with various ingredients (e.g. chopped beef, pork, sweet filling) then steamed in corn husks.
Where does tamale come from?
Back-formation from the plural tamales, derived from Latin American Spanish tamales, plural of tamal, derived from Nahuatl tamalli (“wrapped”), derived from Proto-Uto-Aztecan *tïmaL-.
Words that rhyme with tamale
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of tamale.
Questions about saying tamale
How do you pronounce tamale?
Say tuh-MAH-lee. The American pronunciation is /təˈmɑli/. In British English it is /təˈmɑːliː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tamale?
Tamale has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MAH). Broken into parts: tuh · MAH · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say tamale the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /təˈmɑli/ and the British form is /təˈmɑːliː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.