How to Pronounce “potato”
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- British (UK)
- /pəˈteɪ.təʊ/
What “potato” means
noun — The edible starchy tuber of the plant species Solanum tuberosum.
Pronunciation Notes
Where the stress falls. “potato” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /pəˈteɪ.təʊ/ 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. /pəˈteɪ.təʊ/ 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "potato" mean?
potato (noun): The edible starchy tuber of the plant species Solanum tuberosum.
Which syllable is stressed in "potato"?
“potato” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /pəˈteɪ.təʊ/ 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.
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