How to pronounce “diabetes”
Diabetes is pronounced /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz/. It has 4 syllables, and the beat falls on the third one — biː. 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 biː in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern ōoOo — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “diabetes”
✗ Often said: /ˈdɪæbetes/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz/
Why the two come apart: the stress lands on the third syllable (“biː”), 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 “diabetes” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“diabetes” sound by sound
“diabetes” 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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dSame tongue position as /t/ — tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth — but voice the sound and release it without aspiration.
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aɪStart with the mouth open at an /a/-like position and glide up toward /ɪ/, closing the jaw as you go.
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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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bPress both lips together and release them while the vocal folds are already vibrating, with no puff of air.
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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.
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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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iːSpread the lips into a smile, push the front of the tongue high and forward, and hold the sound tense and long.
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zExactly the /s/ tongue position with voicing added, so the airflow buzzes.
Questions people ask about “diabetes”
- How do you pronounce “diabetes”?
- “diabetes” is pronounced /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz/, with the stress on the third syllable (biː). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “diabetes”?
- “diabetes” has 4 syllables: daɪ · ə · biː · tiːz. The stress pattern is ōoOo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “diabetes”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈdɪæbetes/, but it is actually /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz/, because the stress lands on the third syllable (“biː”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes.
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