Zacatecas is a proper noun referring to a Mexican state and its capital city. It is pronounced with three stressed syllables in Spanish: za-ca-TE-cas, with the middle syllable reduced to a lighter tone and the final syllable carrying primary stress, yielding a rhythm similar to that of many Spanish place names. In English contexts it’s commonly anglicized as Zah-kah-TEK-us or Zah-ka-TEH-kas, depending on speaker and emphasis. The word’s origin lies in the Nahuatl and Spanish naming traditions used during colonial and post-colonial periods.
Full pronunciation guide
