How to Pronounce “ramen”

British (UK)

/ˈɹɑːmən/

noun — Soup noodles of wheat, with various ingredients (Japanese-Chinese style).

Where the stress falls. “ramen” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /ˈɹɑːmən/ 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. /ˈɹɑːmən/ 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 "ramen" mean?

ramen (noun): Soup noodles of wheat, with various ingredients (Japanese-Chinese style).

Which syllable is stressed in "ramen"?

“ramen” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /ˈɹɑːmən/ 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.