How To Pronounce Swahili
Swahili
In British English, Swahili is pronounced /swɑːˈhiː.li/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [sʷwɑːˈhiː.li]. In American English, it is pronounced /swɑːˈhiː.li/.
Swahili has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second syllable. British and American speakers say it the same way.
Slashes / / show the phonemic transcription, the sounds that change meaning. Square brackets [ ] show the phonetic transcription, with the finer detail of how the sounds are actually made.
Syllables, Stress And Endings
Syllables And Stress
Swahili has three syllables in British English, and the main stress is on the second syllable, shown in colour above. Its stress pattern is oOo, where O is the stressed syllable.
Questions About Swahili
How do you pronounce Swahili in British English?
In British English, Swahili is pronounced /swɑːˈhiː.li/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [sʷwɑːˈhiː.li].
How do you pronounce Swahili in American English?
In American English, Swahili is pronounced /swɑːˈhiː.li/.
How many syllables are in Swahili?
Swahili has three syllables, /swɑː/ + /hiː/ + /li/.
Where is the stress in Swahili?
The main stress is on the second syllable, /hiː/.
Do British and American English pronounce Swahili the same way?
Yes. Both are /swɑːˈhiː.li/.
Other Words With The Stress Pattern oOo
Nearby Words
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