2 syllables: ham, burg. Stress on ham.
HAM-burg
/ˈhæmbɚɡ/
hamburg is pronounced HAM-burg (/ˈhæmbɚɡ/). It has two syllables (ham-burg), with the stress on "ham". Hamburg is a proper noun referring to a major port city in northern Germany. It is pronounced with two syllables, first stressed, and features a front vowels glide and a dark final /k/ component in German; in English contexts it often sounds like a two-syllable word ending in a soft, halting /k/ sound. The term is used in geography, travel, and cultural discussions. Its pronunciation varies subtly by language influence, but the core is /ˈhæmbɜːɡ/ in Anglophone usage and /ˈhambʊʁk/ in German contexts.
Hamburg is a proper noun referring to a major port city in northern Germany. It is pronounced with two syllables, first stressed, and features a front vowels glide and a dark final /k/ component in German; in English contexts it often sounds like a two-syllable word ending in a soft, halting /k/ sound. The term is used in geography, travel, and cultural discussions. Its pronunciation varies subtly by language influence, but the core is /ˈhæmbɜːɡ/ in Anglophone usage and /ˈhambʊʁk/ in German contexts.
"We spent a weekend in Hamburg, exploring the harbor and the old town."
"The Hamburg harbor is one of Europe’s busiest ports."
"She studied Hamburg’s history for her dissertation on German city planning."
Pronounce as two syllables: HAM-burg, with main stress on the first. IPA in US/UK/AU English: /ˈhæm.bɜːɡ/. The first vowel is a short æ like cat, then a light 'm' consonant, followed by a flap-like 'burg' ending with a voiced /ɡ/; ensure the /ɜː/ in the second syllable sounds like the stressed 'fur' without an r-colored vowel in non-rhotic accents. Mouth position: jaw drops slightly for æ, lips neutral for m, then a relaxed back of the tongue for ɜː before closing with a hard g.
Common mistakes: treating the second syllable as 'burg' with a short /ɜ/ followed by a hard /ɡ/ without vowel length; misplacing stress, saying ham-BURG or HAM-burg inconsistently; attempting a German /ˈhambʊrk/ without recognizing the English vowel length or the /ɡ/ ending softness. Correction: keep /ˈhæm/ clearly stressed, ensure the second syllable uses /bɜːɡ/ or /bɜːɡ/ depending on your accent, and avoid tensing the lips into a rounded vowel before /ɡ/.
In US/UK, Hamburg is /ˈhæm.bɜːɡ/ with a clear æ and a long /ɜː/; rhotic accents may realize the /ɜː/ with more r-coloring, while non-rhotic speakers may reduce the 'r' quality slightly. Australian speakers often have a more centralized or lowered /ɜː/ and may flatten diphthongs, pronouncing the second syllable as /ɜːɡ/ with less rounding. German pronunciation is /ˈham.bʊʁk/ with a short, open front vowel in the first syllable and a uvular /ʁ/; final consonant is a clear /k/.
Because of the two-syllable structure with a stressed first syllable and a sonorant-final ending, you must balance short æ /hæ/ with a voiced back vowel in the second syllable. The final /ɡ/ involves a strong velar stop; many learners incorrectly post-voice the /ɡ/ or devoice it. The German variant adds a different vowel in the second syllable and a uvular /ʁ/ or /k/, which can be a temptation to over- or under-articulate. Focus on crisp /hæm/ onset and a clean /bɜːɡ/ or /bɜːɡ/ ending.
Hamburg features a classic two-syllable English city name with stress on the first syllable and a final velar stop. The 'burg' portion should not be pronounced as a soft 'burge' or 'burgue'; native speakers say 'burg' with a hard g. In the German context, note the /ʁ/ or /k/ ending and the shorter, rounded vowel in the second syllable. The word is a stable toponym with international recognition, so pronunciation often carries regional expectations in media.
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Hamburg derives from Old High German Hamaburg, from ham- meaning ‘home, protection, village’ and burg meaning ‘fortress, fortified settlement’; the name references a historic fortress or castle at the site. The modern city’s name evolved through Middle Low German influences and Latin-era cartography, with variations such as Hammaburg in early medieval Latin texts, reflecting its status as a trade hub from the 9th–12th centuries. In Dutch and Scandinavian usage, variants like Hamburg and Hamborg appear in historical documents, mirroring shifting linguistic integration with the Hanseatic League. The city’s English adoption maintained the core /ˈhæmbəˌɜːɡ/ pattern, while German pronunciation preserves a front rounded /ɔʏ/ to /ʊ/ rounded vowel in unstressed positions and a final /k/ or /ɡ/ depending on phonological context. First attested in 9th century Latin maps as Hamaburg or Hamaburc, the name crystallized as Hamburg, reflecting its enduring role as a fortress and major port. Over centuries, the German form settled despite regional dialectal variations, while English usage adopted a more anglicized vowel transition and syllable structure, though with occasional final devoicing of the /ɡ/ in careful speech.
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Words that rhyme with "hamburg"
-ung sounds
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