How to pronounce “imitation”
Imitation is pronounced /ˌɪməˈteɪʃən/. It has 4 syllables, and the beat falls on the third one — teɪ. 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 teɪ 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 “imitation”
✗ Often said: /ˈɪmɪtætɪɑːn/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˌɪməˈteɪʃən/
Why the two come apart: the stress lands on the third syllable (“teɪ”), 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 “imitation” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“imitation” sound by sound
“imitation” 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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ɪRelax the tongue slightly lower and further back than for /iː/, keep the lips neutral, and make it short and lax.
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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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eɪStart at the /e/ position and glide upward and forward toward /ɪ/ — the jaw closes as you say it.
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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.
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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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nTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth, lower the soft palate, and voice the air out through the nose.
Words that rhyme with “imitation”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Questions people ask about “imitation”
- How do you pronounce “imitation”?
- “imitation” is pronounced /ˌɪməˈteɪʃən/, with the stress on the third syllable (teɪ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “imitation”?
- “imitation” has 4 syllables: ɪ · mə · teɪ · ʃən. The stress pattern is ōoOo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “imitation”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈɪmɪtætɪɑːn/, but it is actually /ˌɪməˈteɪʃən/, because the stress lands on the third syllable (“teɪ”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes.
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