4 syllables: ma, ri, hua, na. Stress on hua.
/ˌmærɪˈhwɑːnə/
Say it backMarihuana is an informal or older spelling of cannabis, typically referring to the dried flowers and leaves used for recreational or medicinal purposes. In common usage it denotes the plant product rather than the plant as a living organism. The term is often encountered in legal, cultural, or historical contexts and can carry regional tonal differences in connotation.
- You may merge the second and third syllables into a rapid /riwa/ sequence, losing the primary stress on the WA-nah segment. Ensure a clean break before the stressed syllable for clarity. - The final -na often becomes a quick /nə/ with a weak vowel; train to sustain a crisp, light /nə/ rather than a silent ending. - Some speakers default to a non-rhotic UK variant by dropping the trailing 'r' sound that appears in US forms; maintain the rhoticity or non-rhotic quality depending on your target accent.
"The police report referenced marihuana possession."
"He spoke about the economic impact of marihuana legalization."
"She collected old newspaper clippings about marihuana prohibition."
US: /ˌmærɪˈwɑːnə/ or /ˌmærɪˈwɔːnə/ depending on speaker. UK: /ˌmærɪˈwɔːnə/. AU: /ˌmærɪˈwɔːnə/. Primary stress falls on the third syllable (wā- or wə- depending on accent), with a secondary stress on the first syllable in many pronunciations. Start with ‘MAIR’ (as in marry) then ‘ih’ for the second syllable, followed by ‘WAH’ (open back vowel) and end with ‘nuh’.
Common errors include misplacing stress (often stressing the second syllable), altering the second vowel to a lax short ‘i’ or 'eh’ sound, and finishing with an indistinct or silent final ‘a’. Correct by emphasizing the final unstressed -na with a clear schwa-like final or a light ‘uh’ sound. Practice the sequence MA-ri-WA-nah with primary stress on WA-nah.
US tends to have a broader, second-syllable vowel and a strong final -na; UK may show a slightly rounded second vowel and a longer -ɔːnə; Australian tends toward a more centralized final vowel and a flatter overall rhythm. The middle vowel often reduces to a schwa in casual speech. Pay attention to rhotics in US and non-rhotic variants in UK/AU.
The difficulty arises from the multi-syllabic, borrowed structure with a stressed third syllable and a final unstressed -na. Vowel quality shifts (ɑː, ɔː, ə) across dialects, and the medial /w/ cluster before the final syllable can blur. Memorize the sequence MA-ri-WA-nah with clear vowel lengths and a crisp end consonant.
Focus on the onset of the third syllable: the 'wa' in WA-nah carries the primary vowel quality and stress. Glide from /ɪ/ or /ɪə/ toward /ɔː/ smoothly, and ensure the final -na is lightly pronounced, not swallowed. Visualize the syllables as MA- ri - WAH - nah and clamp the primary stress on WAH.
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US: emphasize rhoticity and a fuller /ɑː/ or /ɔː/ in WA. Keep the second syllable short, but avoid reducing it to a mere /ɪ/; UK/AU: often non-rhotic; the middle vowel may be shorter and the final -na is lightly voiced. Use IPA references to guide precise jaw movement and lip rounding: US /ˌmærɪˈwɑːnə/, UK /ˌmærɪˈwɔːnə/, AU /ˌmærɪˈwɔːnə/.
The word marihuana (also marijuana) has a complex etymology with roots in multiple languages. It entered English from Mexican Spanish, where 'marihuana' or 'mariguana' referred to a type of cannabis resin or the plant in general. The earliest known English attestations appear in the late 19th to early 20th centuries, often in the context of U.S. anti-drug legislation and sensational press coverage. Its spelling reflects a misrendering of the Spanish form, possibly influenced by Mesoamerican languages and the scale of illegal drug trade at the time. The term gained widespread recognition during Prohibition-era debates, and its popularity surged amid political campaigns that framed cannabis as a social threat. In contemporary usage, 'marijuana' has become the standard spelling in many English-speaking regions, though 'marihuana' persists in older documents, some legal texts, and in certain dialects. The word’s phonology in English typically yields /ˌmærɨˈwɑːnə/ (American) or /ˌmærɪˈwɑːnə/ (British), with variations in stress and vowel quality reflecting the word’s borrowed, hybrid nature.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "marihuana" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "marihuana" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "marihuana"
-ana sounds
-una sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
