How to pronounce “cemetery”
Cemetery is pronounced /ˈseməˌteriː/. It has 4 syllables, and the beat falls on the first one — se. 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 4 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 se in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern Ooōo — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “cemetery”
✗ Often said: /ˈkemetəriː/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈseməˌteriː/
Why the two come apart: 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 “cemetery” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“cemetery” sound by sound
“cemetery” is built out of 8 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.
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sHold the tongue tip near (not touching) the ridge behind the upper teeth and force a narrow stream of air down the groove of the tongue.
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eHold the tongue mid-high and forward with the jaw slightly open and lips relaxed and unrounded.
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mClose the lips, lower the soft palate and let the voiced air come out through the nose.
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əDo almost nothing: leave the tongue in its neutral resting position, mouth slightly open, and make the shortest, weakest possible vowel.
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tTouch the tongue tip to the bumpy ridge just behind the upper teeth, block the air, then release it with a puff.
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eHold the tongue mid-high and forward with the jaw slightly open and lips relaxed and unrounded.
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rCurl the tongue tip back (or bunch the tongue body up) without touching anything, round the lips slightly, and voice — the tongue must never tap the roof of the mouth.
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iːSpread the lips into a smile, push the front of the tongue high and forward, and hold the sound tense and long.
Minimal pairs — words one sound away from “cemetery”
Each of these differs from “cemetery” by exactly one sound. If you can say both of a pair and hear the difference, that sound is under control:
Questions people ask about “cemetery”
- How do you pronounce “cemetery”?
- “cemetery” is pronounced /ˈseməˌteriː/, with the stress on the first syllable (se). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “cemetery”?
- “cemetery” has 4 syllables: se · mə · te · riː. The stress pattern is Ooōo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “cemetery”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈkemetəriː/, but it is actually /ˈseməˌteriː/, because at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here.
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