How to Pronounce “Nietzsche”

American (US)

/ˈniːtʃə/

British (UK)

/ˈniːtʃə/

Australian (AU)

/ˈniː.t͡ʃə/

proper noun — A surname from German, most famously borne by Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900), German philosopher.

Where the stress falls. “Nietzsche” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /ˈniːtʃə/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˈniːtʃə/ 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 "Nietzsche" mean?

Nietzsche (proper noun): A surname from German, most famously borne by Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900), German philosopher.

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

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "Nietzsche", /ˈniːtʃə/, 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 "Nietzsche"?

/ˈniːtʃə/ in American English, /ˈniːtʃə/ in British English, /ˈniː.t͡ʃə/ in Australian English.

Which syllable is stressed in "Nietzsche"?

“Nietzsche” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /ˈniːtʃə/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.