How to Pronounce “communicate”

American (US)

/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/

British (UK)

/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/

verb — To impart.

Example: It is vital that I communicate this information to you.

The final e is silent. The transcription /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ ends on a consonant sound, so the written e at the end of “communicate” is not pronounced.

Where the stress falls. “communicate” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "communicate" mean?

communicate (verb): To impart. For example — It is vital that I communicate this information to you.

How do you pronounce "communicate" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "communicate", /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "communicate"?

/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ in American English, /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "communicate"?

“communicate” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.