3 syllables: Mar, bel, la. Stress on bel.
mahr-BEL-uh
/ˌmɑˈɹbɛlə/
Marbella is pronounced mahr-BEL-uh (/ˌmɑˈɹbɛlə/). It has three syllables (Mar-bel-la), with the stress on "bel". Marbella is a proper noun referring to a resort city in southern Spain. It denotes a location name rather than a common noun, and you’ll often hear it used in travel or real estate contexts. The pronunciation should sound natural to Spanish-influenced English speakers and English listeners alike, with stress on the second syllable.
nounMarbella is a proper noun referring to a resort city in southern Spain. It denotes a location name rather than a common noun, and you’ll often hear it used in travel or real estate contexts. The pronunciation should sound natural to Spanish-influenced English speakers and English listeners alike, with stress on the second syllable.
- You may put stress on the first syllable (MAR-be-ya). Fix by practicing the second-syllable stress: mar-BE-lla, pronouncing /beɪ/ clearly and keeping the final syllable light. - Overpronounce the final vowel, turning Marbella into mar-be-TAH; instead aim for a light, reduced final /ə/ or /ə/ (or /lə/). Practice with coda clarity and a soft mouth relax at the end. - Mispronounce the /beɪ/ as /beɪl/ or /beɪn/; maintain the neat diphthong /beɪ/ and then a quick but restrained final segment. - Ignore stress and speak with a flat tone; you’ll sound less natural. Listen to native English or Spanish-accented speakers and mimic their rhythm to keep stress on /BEɪ/.
"We spent our summer holiday in Marbella and enjoyed the beaches."
"He mentioned Marbella in his travel itinerary during the conference."
"Marbella’s old town has narrow streets and whitewashed houses."
Pronunciation: mar-BE-ya (US/UK), IPA US: /mɑrˈbeɪ.jə/; UK: /mɑːˈbeɪ.lə/; AU: /ˈmɑː.bɛ.lə/. The primary stress is on the second syllable. Start with /m/ + /ɑ/ (low back vowel), move to /r/ with a light American rhotic touch if unstressed, then /beɪ/ (diphthong) and finish with /jə/ or /lə/ depending on accent. Visualize the Spanish-root sound /ˈmar.βe.ʎa/ approximated in English as mar-BE-ya or mar-BE-ya; keep the final /a/ soft.
Common errors include misplacing the stress on the first syllable (MAR-be-ya) and mispronouncing the final syllable as an open /a/ instead of a schwa-like /ə/ or /ə/ in American and British varieties. Also, speakers might blend /ˈbeɪ/ too short or confuse the final /lə/ as /la/ rather than the reduced /lə/ or /jə/. Correct by isolating the stressed syllable, ensuring the /beɪ/ diphthong is clear, and finishing with a light, lax /lə/ or /jə/ depending on accent.
US: r-colored /ɹ/ in the initial syllable, stress on /BEI/ with a strong diphthong, final /ə/ tends to be a schwa. UK: non-rhotic; /mɑːˈbeɪ.lə/ with a clear /ˈbeɪ/ and a lighter final /lə/. AU: similar to UK but with more centralized vowels and a slightly sharper /ˈbeɪ/; final vowel often reduced to /lə/ or /lɐ/ depending on speaker. In all, the key is second-syllable stress and accurate realization of /beɪ/ and final schwa-like or light /ə/ sound.
The difficulty stems from Spanish-derived stress placement on the second syllable and the /beɪ/ diphthong in English interlanguage. Native speakers may over-pronounce the final /a/ or substitute an /l/ for the final vowel. The letter sequence -bella can trigger a pause or misplacement of syllable emphasis. Focus on the stable second-syllable energy, the /beɪ/ diphthong, and the lightly pronounced final /lə/ or /jə/ to maintain natural flow.
In English, Marbella ends with an -ella that is not pronounced as a Spanish palatal lateral /ʎ/; instead you typically end with /lə/ or /jə/ depending on accent. The closest is a light /lə/ or /lə/ with a touch of a /j/ onset in some speakers. If you’re aiming for a Spanish-influenced pronunciation in an English setting, you can approximate the final segment with a soft /ʝ/ or /j/ before a schwa, but most listeners expect /lə/.
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- US: pronounce Marbella as /mɑːrˈbeɪlə/ with rhotic /r/ and a prominent /beɪ/; final schwa. - UK: /mɑːˈbeɪ.lə/ with non-rhotic /r/ and a clear /ˈbeɪ/; final /lə/. - AU: /ˈmɑːˈbeɪlə/ or /ˈmɑːˈbeɪlə/ with less rigidity on rhoticity and slightly brighter vowels; keep /beɪ/ clear and final /lə/ light. - Across all, keep the second syllable stressed, and ensure the diphthong /beɪ/ is accurate, not simplified to /be/. Use IPA as reference: US /mɑrˈbeɪ.jə/ or /mɑrˈbeɪlə/, UK /mɑːˈbeɪlə/.
Marbella originated as a Phoenician/Roman coastal settlement name that evolved through the Moorish period and the Reconquista into a modern Spanish municipality. The earliest known references date back to antiquity when the area was part of the settlement networks along the Costa del Sol. The name’s evolution reflects typical Iberian toponymy: it likely derives from older Iberian or Phoenician elements describing coastal landmarks or natural features. During the Moorish era, many coastal towns acquired Arabic-influenced spellings; after the Christian reconquest, the current toponym ‘Marbella’ crystallized, paired with the modern municipal status. In the 20th century, Marbella rose to prominence as a luxury destination, transforming infrastructure, tourism, and global branding. First known written uses in medieval cartography and legal documents hint at a location name rather than a personal name, but modern usage is almost exclusively tied to the city on the Mediterranean. In contemporary English, Marbella is recognized globally as a proper noun for this specific resort city, with pronunciation adapted to English phonology while retaining its Spanish roots.
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Words that rhyme with "Marbella"
-lla sounds
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