How to pronounce Turkmenistan
Say it like terk-MEN-ih-stan. Turkmenistan has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Turkmenistan. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- terk
- MEN
- ih
- stan
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Turkmenistan pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- terkKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- MENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- stanKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of Turkmenistan
- The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 2, while British speakers stress syllable 4.
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- British speakers use the long "ah" vowel of father where Americans use the "a" of cat.
British respelling: turk-men-ih-STAHN.
What does Turkmenistan mean?
- A country in Central Asia. Capital: Ashgabat.
Questions about saying Turkmenistan
How do you pronounce Turkmenistan?
Say terk-MEN-ih-stan. The American pronunciation is /tɚkˈmɛnɪstæn/. In British English it is /ˌtɜːkmɛnɪˈstɑːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Turkmenistan?
Turkmenistan has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MEN). Broken into parts: terk · MEN · ih · stan.
Is Turkmenistan pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 2, while British speakers stress syllable 4. The British form is /ˌtɜːkmɛnɪˈstɑːn/ (turk-men-ih-STAHN).