How to pronounce “pizza”
Pizza is pronounced /ˈpiːtsə/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the first one — piːt. 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 2 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 piːt in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern Oo — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
“pizza” sound by sound
“pizza” is built out of 5 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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pPress both lips together, build up air behind them, then release with a puff of air (aspiration) when the sound starts a stressed syllable.
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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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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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əDo almost nothing: leave the tongue in its neutral resting position, mouth slightly open, and make the shortest, weakest possible vowel.
Questions people ask about “pizza”
- How do you pronounce “pizza”?
- “pizza” is pronounced /ˈpiːtsə/, with the stress on the first syllable (piːt). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “pizza”?
- “pizza” has 2 syllables: piːt · sə. The stress pattern is Oo.
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