How to pronounce umbrella
Say it like um-BREL-uh. Umbrella has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BREL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce umbrella. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- um
- BREL
- uh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Umbrella pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- umKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- BRELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of umbrella
American and British speakers say umbrella in essentially the same way: /əmˈbrɛlə/ in the US and /ʌmˈbrɛlə/ in the UK.
British respelling: um-BREL-uh.
Other ways to say umbrella
Umbrella also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- UHM-brel-uh /ˈʌmˌbrɛlə/
What does umbrella mean?
- a lightweight handheld collapsible canopy
- a formation of military planes maintained over ground operations or targets“an air umbrella over England”
- having the function of uniting a group of similar things“the Democratic Party is an umbrella for many liberal groups”“under the umbrella of capitalism”
- covering or applying simultaneously to a number of similar items or elements or groups“an umbrella organization”“umbrella insurance coverage”
Where does umbrella come from?
Borrowed from Italian ombrella (“parasol, sunshade”), from Late Latin umbrella (influenced by umbra (“shadow, shade”)), from Latin umbella, from umbra + -la (diminutive suffix).
Words that rhyme with umbrella
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of umbrella.
Questions about saying umbrella
How do you pronounce umbrella?
Say um-BREL-uh. The American pronunciation is /əmˈbrɛlə/. In British English it is /ʌmˈbrɛlə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in umbrella?
Umbrella has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BREL). Broken into parts: um · BREL · uh.
Do Americans and Brits say umbrella the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əmˈbrɛlə/ and the British form is /ʌmˈbrɛlə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.