How to pronounce “additionally”
Additionally is pronounced /əˈdɪʃəˌnʌliː/. It has 5 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — dɪ. Below: the syllable split, native audio in both accents, the mistake people actually make with this word, and every individual sound in it explained.
Syllables and stress
Split it into 5 beats. The highlighted syllable is the strong one: say it louder, longer and a touch higher in pitch, and let the others fall away. English is a stress-timed language, so getting dɪ in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern oOoōo — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “additionally”
✗ Often said: /ˈædɪtɪɑːnæliː/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /əˈdɪʃəˌnʌliː/
Why the two come apart: the stress lands on the second syllable (“dɪ”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes; also, the unstressed vowels flatten all the way down to /ə/ — English swallows them, so they never sound the way they are written; also, at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here; also, a consonant letter takes an unexpected sound value here, so reading it "as written" comes out wrong.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “additionally” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“additionally” sound by sound
“additionally” is built out of 9 sounds. Say each one on its own first, slowly, then run them together at speed. Every sound links to a full guide with mouth position, the mistake learners make with it, and other words that use it.
-
əDo almost nothing: leave the tongue in its neutral resting position, mouth slightly open, and make the shortest, weakest possible vowel.
-
dSame tongue position as /t/ — tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth — but voice the sound and release it without aspiration.
-
ɪRelax the tongue slightly lower and further back than for /iː/, keep the lips neutral, and make it short and lax.
-
ʃPull the tongue slightly back from the /s/ position, spread the blade wide behind the ridge, round the lips a little, and push air through with no voice.
-
əDo almost nothing: leave the tongue in its neutral resting position, mouth slightly open, and make the shortest, weakest possible vowel.
-
nTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth, lower the soft palate, and voice the air out through the nose.
-
ʌKeep the tongue central and slightly low with a relaxed, neutral mouth — like a stressed, fuller version of the schwa.
-
lTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth and let the voiced air flow around the sides of the tongue.
-
iːSpread the lips into a smile, push the front of the tongue high and forward, and hold the sound tense and long.
Questions people ask about “additionally”
- How do you pronounce “additionally”?
- “additionally” is pronounced /əˈdɪʃəˌnʌliː/, with the stress on the second syllable (dɪ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “additionally”?
- “additionally” has 5 syllables: ə · dɪ · ʃə · nʌ · liː. The stress pattern is oOoōo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “additionally”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈædɪtɪɑːnæliː/, but it is actually /əˈdɪʃəˌnʌliː/, because the stress lands on the second syllable (“dɪ”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes.
Stop looking words up one at a time
You just looked up one word. PHONO puts the IPA above every word of whatever you are reading — in your browser, in a PDF, in any app — the moment you select it. An offline pronunciation dictionary, US and UK audio, one hotkey.