How to pronounce tomato
Say it like tuh-MAY-toh. Tomato has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MAY).
- tuh
- MAY
- toh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tip: The middle vowel changes: 'tuh-MAY-toh' in the US, 'tuh-MAH-toh' in Britain.
Tomato 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.
- MAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- tohGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of tomato
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: tuh-MAH-toh.
Other ways to say tomato
Tomato also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- tuh-MAH-toh /təˈmɑˌtoʊ/
What does tomato mean?
- A widely cultivated plant, Solanum lycopersicum, having edible fruit.
- The savory fruit of this plant, most often red when ripe, treated as a vegetable in horticulture and cooking.“He was chopping a tomato to put in the salad.”
- A shade of red, the colour typical of a ripe tomato.
- Of a shade of red, the colour of a ripe tomato.
- To pelt with tomatoes.
- To add tomatoes to (a dish).
Where does tomato come from?
Variant of earlier tomate, from Spanish tomate, from Classical Nahuatl tomatl, from Proto-Nahuan *toma-tl.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- love apple
- tomato plant
- lycopersicon esculentum
Words that rhyme with tomato
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of tomato.
Questions about saying tomato
How do you pronounce tomato?
Say tuh-MAY-toh. The American pronunciation is /təˈmeɪˌtoʊ/. In British English it is /təˈmɑːˌtəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tomato?
Tomato has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MAY). Broken into parts: tuh · MAY · toh.
Is tomato pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /təˈmɑːˌtəʊ/ (tuh-MAH-toh).