How to Pronounce “jalapeño”

American (US)

/ˌhæləˈpeɪnjoʊ/

British (UK)

/ˌhæləˈpeɪnjəʊ/

noun — A medium-hot green chilli pepper of Mexican origin.

Example: He added sliced jalapeño to the tacos.

A loanword from Spanish. Spanish j is a throaty sound closest to English /h/, and ñ is /nj/, the ny of “canyon”. Together: “hah-lah-PEN-yoh”.

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

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˌhæləˈpeɪnjoʊ/ 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 "jalapeño" mean?

jalapeño (noun): A medium-hot green chilli pepper of Mexican origin. For example — He added sliced jalapeño to the tacos.

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

American English: /ˌhæləˈpeɪnjoʊ/. British English: /ˌhæləˈpeɪnjəʊ/. Play both on this page to hear the difference.

What is the IPA transcription of "jalapeño"?

/ˌhæləˈpeɪnjoʊ/ in American English, /ˌhæləˈpeɪnjəʊ/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "jalapeño"?

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