How to pronounce yam
Say it like YAM. Yam is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce yam. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- YAM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Yam pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- YAMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
American vs British pronunciation of yam
American and British speakers say yam in essentially the same way: /jæm/ in the US and /jæm/ in the UK.
British respelling: YAM.
What does yam mean?
- Any climbing vine of the genus Dioscorea in the Eastern and Western hemispheres, usually cultivated.
- The edible, starchy, tuberous root of that plant, a tropical staple food.
- A sweet potato; a tuber from the species Ipomoea batatas.
- Home.
- Pronunciation spelling of am.
Where does yam come from?
Borrowed from Portuguese inhame and Spanish ñame, likely from Wolof ñàmbi (“cassava”) or a related word.
Words that rhyme with yam
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of yam.
Questions about saying yam
How do you pronounce yam?
Say YAM. The American pronunciation is /jæm/. In British English it is /jæm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in yam?
Yam is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: YAM.
Do Americans and Brits say yam the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /jæm/ and the British form is /jæm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.