3 syllables: ci, ti, zens. Stress on ci.
SIT-uh-zuhnz
/ˈsɪtəzənz/
citizens is pronounced SIT-uh-zuhnz (/ˈsɪtəzənz/). It has three syllables (ci-ti-zens), with the stress on "ci". Citizens refers to people who are legally recognized as members of a state or community, with accompanying rights and duties. In everyday use, it denotes residents who owe allegiance to a country and enjoy civic participation. The term emphasizes collective belonging and formal status, often contrasting with non-citizens in legal or political discussions.
Citizens refers to people who are legally recognized as members of a state or community, with accompanying rights and duties. In everyday use, it denotes residents who owe allegiance to a country and enjoy civic participation. The term emphasizes collective belonging and formal status, often contrasting with non-citizens in legal or political discussions.
- You might pronounce it as /ˈsɪtəzən/ by dropping the /ɪ/ in the second syllable. Fix: maintain /ɪ/ in the second syllable: /ˈsɪ.tɪ.zənz/ with clear /t/ and /z/ sounds. - Final /z/ might devoice to /s/ in fast speech; ensure voicing by keeping vocal fold vibration for the final /z/. - In connected speech, you may merge /tɪz/ into a single syllable; practice slow, then rehearse natural pace while keeping the /t/ audible. - Some learners insert extra vowel sound between /t/ and /z/; avoid an intrusive vowel: stay with /tɪz/. - The first syllable carries most of the weight, so avoid moving stress to the third syllable. Practice with emphasis on /ˈsɪ/.
"The city honored its new citizens at a naturalization ceremony."
"Citizens voted in the local election, exercising their right to participate in governance."
"The issue divides citizens across different neighborhoods and perspectives."
Pronounced /ˈsɪtɪzənz/. The primary stress is on the first syllable. Start with /ˈsɪ/ as in “sit,” then /tɪ/ as in “tin,” followed by /zən/ with a voiced z before a schwa, and end with a final /z/. IPA: US/UK/AU: ˈsɪtɪzənz. Mouth positions: lips neutral to light rounded for vowel /ɪ/ and /ə/; tongue high for the initial /ɪ/ and alveolar for /t/ and /z/. Listen for the clear /t/ plus a voiced /z/ cluster before the final syllable. Audio reference: you can hear this in native speech on Forvo or YouGlish for natural sentences like “Citizens vote in local elections.”
Two common errors: (1) Understressing or misplacing stress on later syllables, leading to /ˈsɪtɪzən/ or weak first syllable. (2) De-voicing the final /z/ as /s/ or dropping the z sound in rapid speech. Correction: keep primary stress on /ˈsɪ/ and articulate the /z/ as a voiced z before the schwa, then glide into the final /z/. Practice with slow tempo: /ˈsɪ.tɪ.zənz/ and gradually speed up while maintaining the z-voice. Use minimal pairs like “citizen” vs “citizens” in context to feel the final voicing.
In US/UK/AU, the initial vowel quality for /ɪ/ is similar, but rhotics vary: US rhotic /r/ is not present in this word; nonetheless, r-colored considerations arise in connected speech. The final /zənz/ tends to be crisp in US and UK, with slight vowel reduction in casual AU speech where final syllables may be less reduced. The main differences come from connected speech: US tends to keep a clear /t/ before /ɪ/; UK speakers may elide loosely in fast speech, and AU tends to be more nasal with vowel length differences. IPA remains /ˈsɪtɪzənz/ across standards, but timing and vowel quality can shift slightly.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /tɪz/ followed by the Schwa /ə/ before /nz/. Distinguishing the /t/ from a quick /d/ in fast speech and maintaining the voiced /z/ before a schwa can be challenging. Additionally, the /ənz/ final reduces quickly in casual pronunciation. Focus on clearly releasing the /t/ and vocalizing the /z/ before the schwa, then lightly vocalize the final /z/ to avoid a hissy end. Use slow practice and then add rhythm to sound natural.
A notable aspect is the strong initial stress and the presence of a pronounced /t/ followed by a /z/ cluster before schwa. There are no silent letters in this word, but the vowels reduce in natural speech: /ɪ/ often sounds like a lax short vowel, and the final /ənz/ can sound like /ənz/ with a light, almost reduced schwa. In connected speech, you’ll link /tɪ/ to /zənz/ smoothly, avoiding a hard pause between syllables. IPA: /ˈsɪtɪzənz/.
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- US: maintain r-less or rhotic features in this word; the /ɪ/ vowel is lax; keep final /z/ voiced. - UK: slight vowel quality; keep /ɪ/ clear; crisp /t/ release; final /z/ voicing remains. - AU: often faster and more connected; reduce vowel space slightly; keep /t/ crisp and final /z/ voiced. - IPA anchors: /ˈsɪ.tɪ.zənz/ across accents; focus on the /t/ release and /z/ voice.
Citizens comes from the Old French word citeanz (from Latin civis, meaning city or citizen) and the suffix -zen (reflecting a person associated with a role). The modern form emerged in Middle English as citisen or citizen, influenced by Anglo-Norman and regional spellings. Civis itself traces to Latin civis, from which we also get civic, civilization, and civil. In medieval Europe, citizenship was tied to membership in a city or town, granting specific rights like trading privileges and protection. Over centuries, the concept broadened from municipal affiliation to national citizenship, entailing legal status and civil duties. In the 15th–18th centuries, nation-states consolidated citizenship as a political category, distinguishing subjects of the realm from aliens. The word entered modern legal vocabularies with phrases like “citizenship by birth” and “naturalized citizen,” reflecting evolving law and immigration concepts. By the 19th and 20th centuries, citizenship became a universal political identity in many nations, associated with civic duties (paying taxes, jury service) and rights (voting, social benefits). Today, citizens often participate in democratic processes, claim constitutional protections, and are defined by a combination of legal status and social belonging.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "citizens" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "citizens"
-ens sounds
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