2 syllables: ci, ty. Stress on ci.
SIT-ee
/ˈsɪti/
city is pronounced SIT-ee (/ˈsɪti/). It has two syllables (ci-ty), with the stress on "ci". City refers to a large, densely populated urban area that serves as a center of government, culture, and commerce. It denotes a built-up human settlement distinct from towns or villages, typically with complex infrastructure. In everyday use, it also implies a sense of metropolitan life and opportunities, and can function as a metonym for urban life in broader discourse.
City refers to a large, densely populated urban area that serves as a center of government, culture, and commerce. It denotes a built-up human settlement distinct from towns or villages, typically with complex infrastructure. In everyday use, it also implies a sense of metropolitan life and opportunities, and can function as a metonym for urban life in broader discourse.
- You often insert an extra vowel between syllables (e.g., /ˈsaɪ.ti/) or misplace the stress, making CITY sound like a longer word. Tip: hold the first syllable briefly and switch to the second with a light, brief touch on /t/. - Mispronouncing the second syllable as /ɪ/ rather than /iː/ or a lax /i/; keep it as a quick, short /i/ to match the first vowel and avoid vowel lengthening. - Over-elongating the /t/ or making it a glottal stop in all contexts; practice a clean alveolar stop with a restrained release. Practice by isolating each sound and then linking them in natural speech.
"The city council approved the new zoning plan."
"I moved to the city for work and nightlife."
"Tourists flock to the city to see its iconic skyline."
City is pronounced /ˈsɪt.i/ in US/UK/AU. The primary stress falls on the first syllable: CITY. Start with a short, lax 'i' as in 'sit', then a clear 'ee' vowel in the second syllable. The t is a light alveolar stop between the two vowels. Link the syllables smoothly for natural rhythm, as in “CITY life.” IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈsɪt.i/. Audio reference: any standard dictionary’s audio, or Pronounce for pronunciation practice.
Common errors include turning the second syllable into a schwa or a full vowel, saying /ˈsaɪ.ti/ or /ˈsɪt.ɪ/ with an extra emphasis on the second syllable, and over-elongating the first vowel. To correct, keep the first vowel short and lax (like 'sit'), then edge into a crisp, nearly equal second syllable /-i/. Practice with minimal pairs: sit–city to feel the difference, and record yourself to ensure the first syllable remains stressed and short.
In US/UK/AU, city is generally /ˈsɪt.i/ with the same two-syllable pattern, but rhoticity can influence surrounding speech (e.g., linking to following r-colored vowels in fast speech). Australians may have a more centralized vowel in some contexts, slightly crisper consonants, and less vowel length contrast in rapid speech. The main variation is in surrounding vowel quality and rhythm rather than the nucleus; the /ɪ/ in the first syllable remains a short, lax vowel across accents.
The challenge lies in producing a quick, tense-tensed transition from a short /ɪ/ to a close front vowel /i/ while maintaining a light alveolar /t/. The tongue briefly rises for the /ɪ/ and then relaxes into /i/, which can feel like two different mouth positions in rapid speech. Achieving a clean, unvoiced or lightly released /t/ in American fast talk can also be tricky. Slow practice helps anchor the two distinct positions and the natural vowel duration.
A key point is the subtle shift from the short /ɪ/ to the high front /i/ with minimal transition duration. You’ll want to avoid inserting extra vowel sounds between syllables, which often happens with non-native speech patterns. Focus on crisp articulation of the /t/ and maintaining equal stress on the first syllable. This word is a great test-case for maintaining a tight, two-syllable urban rhythm rather than letting the vowels drift.
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- US: Mild rhotic influence around /ɹ/ and a more open-fronted /ɪ/; keep first vowel short and crisp. - UK: Similar two-syllable pattern but with slightly more clipped, non-rhotic rhythm; the /t/ can be released or glottalized in rapid speech, but avoid over-lengthening. - AU: Similar to US/UK but with potential reductions in vowel length; maintain the /ɪ/ and /i/ as distinct, quick sounds and favor a light /t/ release. IPA references: /ˈsɪt.i/ in all three. - General guidance: keep the nucleus in the front of the mouth, ensure the tongue tip contacts the alveolar ridge for the /t/ without tension, and allow the second vowel to be shorter than a typical /i:/.
City derives from Old French cite, from Latin civitas, meaning the citizenry or the state, and ultimately from civis, meaning citizen. In Latin, civitas referred to the rights and duties of citizens within a community, and later to the political body itself. The term in English began to appear in the 13th century, distinguishing larger, fortified urban centers from smaller villages. Over centuries, city has broadened from the juridical sense of a corporation or municipality to denote the dense, organized urban environments we call metropolises today. The modern sense emphasizes not only governance and architecture but culture, economy, and social life concentrated within urban boundaries. First known uses in English appear in Middle English texts that borrowed from Anglo-Norman and Latin sources, with the sense expanding alongside urban growth across Europe in the late Middle Ages and into the Early Modern period.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "city" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "city" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "city"
-tty sounds
-ity sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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