4 syllables: En, chi, la, das. Stress on la.
en-chil-AH-duhz
/ɛn tʃɪˈlɑː dəz/
Enchiladas is pronounced en-chil-AH-duhz (/ɛn tʃɪˈlɑː dəz/). It has four syllables (En-chi-la-das), with the stress on "la". Enchiladas is a plural noun referring to corn tortillas rolled around a filling (such as meat, cheese, or beans) and covered in a chili sauce and often cheese. In Mexican cuisine, they are typically baked and served as a main dish. The word signals a familiar, comfort-food item, commonly found on menus and in home-cooked meals.
nounEnchiladas is a plural noun referring to corn tortillas rolled around a filling (such as meat, cheese, or beans) and covered in a chili sauce and often cheese. In Mexican cuisine, they are typically baked and served as a main dish. The word signals a familiar, comfort-food item, commonly found on menus and in home-cooked meals.
- Pronunciation pitfalls to avoid: • Stress misplacement: Put primary stress on the third syllable (LA). Practice with finger taps to feel the beat: en-chi-LA-das. • Mispronouncing /tʃ/: Ensure the /tʃ/ is a single affricate, not a /t/ followed by /ʃ/. Drill with minimal pairs like chin vs shin to feel the difference, then apply to en-chi-. • Final -das vs -daz: The final s is voiced; don’t fully voiceless it. Keep the ending light and quick: -dəz. - Corrections: slow pronunciation, exaggerated third syllable, then speed. Record yourself against a native sample and compare IPA. You will progress with consistent practice.
"I ordered enchiladas verdes with chicken and a side of rice."
"The enchiladas were smothered in a rich tomato-chile sauce."
"She learned to make enchiladas from her grandmother."
Pronounce en-chi-LA-das with the primary stress on LA (the third syllable). IPA US: /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/ or /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/; UK: /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/; AU: /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/. Start with a soft ‘n’, then the ‘ch’ as in chair, the ‘i’ as a short i, and the ‘la’ as a broad ah vowel. Finish with a light, voiced 'dahz' or 'dəs' depending on pace. For natural speech, keep the final -das reduced slightly: /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/.
Mistakes include: 1) Misplacing stress on the first syllable (en-CHi-la-das) instead of LA as the primary stress. 2) Slurring the ‘ch’ into a soft ‘t’ or ‘sh’ sound; keep the clear /tʃ/ as in church. 3) Dropping the final -das or turning it into -dahs; aim for a quick, light -dəz ending. To correct, practice with a slow pace, exaggerate the third-syllable stress, and record to verify IPA spacing /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/.
US English tends to keep the final /-dəz/ and a strong /ˈlɑː/ vowel in LA/US Midwest. UK English often preserves /-dəz/ with slightly crisper T-to-D flapping and less rhoticity; though many speakers keep /ˈlɑː/ as in American. Australian speakers often mirror US pronunciation but may reduce the final vowel slightly and blend /ˈlɑː.dəz/ toward /ˈlɑː.dəz/. Emphasis remains on the third syllable. IPA: US /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/, UK /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/, AU /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/.
The difficulty lies in 1) maintaining the correct stress on the syllable LA, 2) pronouncing the /tʃ/ sound clearly as a single affricate, 3) ending with a light, non-emphasized -dəz rather than a hard -daz. Additionally, non-native speakers often mispronounce the /ɪ/ as a schwa and misplace the 'n' and 'tʃ' sequence. Practice by isolating /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/ and training mouth positions around the /tʃ/ and the post-stress vowel.
Focus on the post-stress vowel and the final syllable: the /ˈlɑː/ vowel and the /dəz/ ending. Keeping the ‘l’ clear before the long a, and lightly voicing the final /z/ to /dəz/ transition helps match native rhythm. The combination of a strong syllable nucleus and a light coda is what makes it sound natural. Use the IPA guide and practice with a slow-to-fast progression.
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- US: rhotic, vowels often held longer in stressed syllables; /ɪ/ as a short i, /ɑː/ as a broad a. Emphasize the /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/. - UK: less rhotic influence, crisper T and D, but still preserve /ˈlɑː/ vowel; many keep /ˈlɑː.dəz/, similar to US. - AU: tends toward US vowel quality, may reduce final vowel slightly; aim for /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/. - General: keep /tʃ/ precise, avoid merging with /t/ or /dʒ/. IPA references: /ˌɛn.tʃɪˈlɑː.dəz/.
Enchiladas derives from Spanish enchilar, meaning to add chili or to baste with chili sauce. The noun form enchilada likely originated in Mexico in the 19th century, built on the diminutive suffix -ada, implying a dish or portion. The base enchilar (to season with chili) traces to enchilado, an adjective describing something bathed in chili. Early references appear in Mexican culinary dictionaries as the dish gained popularity in regional cookbooks. As Mexican cuisine spread in the 20th century, enchiladas entered English-language menus, maintaining its Spanish plural form. The term captures a method (rolling tortillas around a filling) and a sauce-laden serving style that characterizes many regional variations, including green (salsa verde) and red (salsa roja) enchiladas. Over time, “enchiladas” has become a generic term in English for this category of filled tortillas, while the singular form enchilada remains common in casual speech and recipe writing. First known English-language usage appeared in culinary references around the early 1900s, with growing standardization in cookbooks and restaurant menus thereafter.
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Words that rhyme with "Enchiladas"
-das sounds
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