4 syllables: Mo, zza, rel, la. Stress on rel.
mah-tsuh-REL-uh
/ˌmɑtsəˈɹɛlə/
Mozzarella is pronounced mah-tsuh-REL-uh (/ˌmɑtsəˈɹɛlə/). It has four syllables (Mo-zza-rel-la), with the stress on "rel". Mozzarella is a soft, white Italian cheese made from the milk of water buffalo or cows and aged for a short period. It is known for its mild flavor, springy texture, and meltability, widely used on pizzas and in fresh salads. The term also denotes the cheese’s typical organization into supple, curd-like strands when sliced or torn.
nounMozzarella is a soft, white Italian cheese made from the milk of water buffalo or cows and aged for a short period. It is known for its mild flavor, springy texture, and meltability, widely used on pizzas and in fresh salads. The term also denotes the cheese’s typical organization into supple, curd-like strands when sliced or torn.
"I topped my Margherita with fresh mozzarella and basil."
"The chef melted mozzarella until it stretched into silky strands."
"We favor buffalo mozzarella for its creamier texture."
Break it as mohx-uh-REHL-uh. IPA: US /moʊdˈzɛr(ə)lə/ or /moʊtsˈzɛrələ/? Translating to careful: Mozzarella typically rhymes with “goz-zer-uh-luh” for many, but the canonical Italian is /motsˈsɛrra/; in English, stress falls on the second syllable: Moz-za-REL-la. Use the /dz/ blend in the second syllable, followed by a schwa in the final syllable. You can listen to native pronunciation: Forvo and Pronounce offer native samples.
Common errors include: 1) Misplacing stress on the first syllable (MOZ-za-rel-la) instead of on the second (moz-za-REL-la). 2) Slurring the /dz/ into a plain /z/ or /d/ sound, producing mogzarella or mozarella. 3) Failing to pronounce the final /ə/ or /ə/ as a reduced vowel; people say mozzarella as mozarella with an extra syllable. Correction: practice the /dz/ cluster clearly, and finish with a light, unstressed /ə/ rather than a full vowel.
In US English you’ll hear /moʊdˈzɛrələ/ with a clear /d͡z/ and a mid-to-high final schwa. UK speakers often reduce the final syllable slightly, giving /məʊˈzɛrələ/ with less of a hard /d͡z/ release and a more rounded /ə/; Australian accents similarly feature a more centralized final syllable and may lengthen the second syllable slightly. The word preserves the Italian rhythm in careful speech but becomes more Anglicized in rapid speech.
Mozzarella presents two main challenges: a tricky /dz/ consonant cluster immediately after the first syllable and a final unstressed syllable with a reduced vowel. The Italian root places stress on the penultimate syllable, but English speakers often shift stress, leading to mispronunciations. Practicing the /dz/ blend in isolation and finishing with a relaxed, centralized /ə/ helps stabilize pronunciation across accents.
A language-learner-focused query: Mozzarella’s multisyllabic Italian origin means a non-English speaker might carry over a hard Italian 'zz' sound, and the ‘la’ suffix can become ‘lla’ in English. The most distinctive aspect is the /dz/ cluster immediately after the first vowel and the final, unstressed /ə/. Understanding where the stress lands (on the second syllable) and practicing the final relaxed schwa will help you sound natural.
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US: emphasize /moʊdˈzɛrələ/ with a strong second syllable; keep final /ə/ light. UK: /məʊˈzɛrələ/ with less/dz release; AU: /mɒdˈzɛrələ/; note rhoticity differences: US is rhotic; UK typically non-rhotic, but mozzarella’s /r/ is still present in many UK speakers due to English spelling-to-sound connections. Vowel quality: /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ in the first vowel; /zɛ/ is reliable; final /ə/ is unstressed; maintain a steady pace and avoid overshoot.
Mozzarella derives from the Italian mozzare, which means to cut or to cut off, related to mozzare via mozzata ‘cut’. The term originated in southern Italy as a descriptor for the action of yielding cheese strands from the curd, a process central to the cheese’s production. Historically, mozzarella was made from the milk of water buffalo (mozzarella di bufala) in regions such as Campania, Lazio, and Apulia, with buffalo milk imparting a richer, more elastic texture. The word entered Italian culinary vocabulary in the early modern period and spread to other languages as the cheese gained worldwide popularity in the 20th century. In English, mozzarella is borrowed directly, retaining its original Italian pronunciation and diacritic-like emphasis on the second syllable. First known English attestations appear in culinary writing and Italian cookbooks from the 19th century, reflecting the cheese’s rise from regional staple to global ingredient. It remains a quintessential pizza cheese, celebrated for its stretch, creaminess, and adaptability in warm dishes and cold antipasti alike.
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Words that rhyme with "Mozzarella"
-lla sounds
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