3 syllables: con, di, tion. Stress on di.
kuhn-DISH-uhn
/kəˈndɪʃən/
condition is pronounced kuhn-DISH-uhn (/kəˈndɪʃən/). It has three syllables (con-di-tion), with the stress on "di". Condition refers to a state or circumstance affecting how something exists or behaves, or a prerequisite, requirement, or health issue. It also functions as a verb meaning to train or shape someone or something to behave in a desired way. In medicine, it denotes a diagnosed health status; in general use, it can describe how something is organized or controlled, or the act of improving fitness or readiness.
Condition refers to a state or circumstance affecting how something exists or behaves, or a prerequisite, requirement, or health issue. It also functions as a verb meaning to train or shape someone or something to behave in a desired way. In medicine, it denotes a diagnosed health status; in general use, it can describe how something is organized or controlled, or the act of improving fitness or readiness.
- Misplacing the stress or flattening the middle syllable; ensure the main stress sits on the second syllable: con-DI-tion. - Slurring /dɪ/ into adjacent sounds, producing /kənˈdɪʃən/ with weak /d/; practice a clean /d/ release before /ɪ/. - Weak final /ən/ leading to /n/ or /ən/ blending; practice the ending as clear /ən/ with a light nasal release.
"The patient is in poor condition after the accident."
"The engine is in good condition and runs smoothly."
"You need to condition your hair with a moisturizing treatment."
Pronounce it as /kənˈdɪʃən/ (US/UK). The word has three phonemes in the stressed syllable: /dɪ/ as in “dip” and /ʃən/ as in “shun.” Start with a light schwa /ə/ in the first syllable, then stress lands on the second syllable: con-DI-tion. Mouth positions: keep the tongue relaxed for /k/ and /n/, then lift the tongue for /dɪ/ and glide into the palato-alveolar /ʃ/ before ending with /ən/. Audio reference: listen to native speakers for subtle vowel length and rhoticity cues.
Common errors include pronouncing it as con-dit-ion with equal stress on all syllables or over-pronouncing the second syllable as /dɪˈʃən/. A more frequent slip is misplacing the /n/ or linking the /d/ and /ɪ/ too tightly, producing /ˈkɒndɪʃən/ in non-rhotic accents. Correction: keep the primary stress on the second syllable and ensure a clean /d/ followed by /ɪ/; finally, glide into /ʃən/ without inserting a vowel between /dɪ/ and /ʃən/. Practice with minimal pairs like con-DI-tion vs con-DISH-ən to feel the shift.
In US English, /kənˈdɪʃən/ with a pronounced /ɪ/ in the stressed syllable and a rhotic schwa in the first syllable. UK English similar but slightly non-rhotic tendencies may soften the rhotics; /ˈkɒndɪʃən/ in some dialects can occur with a broader /ɒ/ in the first syllable, depending on regional vowels. Australian English generally aligns with non-rhotic tendencies but maintains the same /dɪʃ/ cluster; vowel length is subtle, and /ən/ at the end often sounds relaxed. Accent differences are modest but perceptible in vowel quality and rhotic realization.
Two main challenges stand out: the middle /dɪ/ cluster can blur into a lighter /dɪ/ when spoken quickly, and the transition into /ʃən/ requires a precise timing to avoid an extraneous vowel (like /dɪʃən/ vs /dɪʃən/). The sequence /dɪʃ/ can be mis-articulated as /dəʃ/ or merge with a following /t/ in rapid speech, producing /kənˈdɪˈʃən/. Emphasize clear /d/ release before the /ɪ/ and ensure the /ʃ/ is a distinct palato-alveolar fricative rather than a softened /ʃ/ or /ʃn/ blend.
A distinctive feature is the syllable boundary between /dɪ/ and /ʃən/, where English speakers often shorten the /ɪ/ in fast speech, risking reduction to /dɪʃən/. Keeping a crisp /d/ release and slightly longer /ɪ/ in the stressed syllable helps maintain the correct rhythm. The word’s root uses a palatal /ʃ/ that anchors the final syllable; ensuring it’s not devoiced or merged with the following consonant is key for authenticity in careful speech.
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- US: Rhotic, subtle /ɜr/ in the first syllable absent; focus on /kən/ with a relaxed schwa; stress the /dɪ/ and ensure /ʃən/ is crisp. IPA: /kənˈdɪʃən/. - UK: Often non-rhotic; first syllable may have a shorter /ə/; keep /dɪ/ stronger than the first syllable but avoid rolling the /r/; IPA: /kɒndɪˈʃən/ or /kənˈdɪʃən/ depending on region. - AU: Similar to UK, with flatter vowels; maintain /dɪ/ and /ʃən/ clarity; IPA: /kənˈdɪʃən/. - General tip: anchor the syllable boundary with a small pause or native-like intonation to keep rhythm steady; auxiliary vowels in fast speech should not collapse into a single schwa.
Condition derives from the Latin condicio, meaning a stipulation or agreement, from con- (together) + facere (to make, do). The term traveled into Old French as condition, then into English in the 14th century with meanings tied to terms of agreement or stipulation in legal contexts. Over time, its semantic range broadened: by the 15th–16th centuries it referred to state or quality of something, not just an agreement. In medicine, condition evolved to denote a state of health or a disease state; in physical conditioning, it described the process of shaping or training the body. By the 19th and 20th centuries, its use expanded into everyday language to describe qualitative states (e.g., “in good condition”) and to function as a verb in training or preparing (to condition). The word’s core meaning centers on making or shaping a state through action, whether inherent or externally induced, with usage that spans technical, medical, legal, and colloquial domains.
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Words that rhyme with "condition"
-ion sounds
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