3 syllables: sul, ta, na. Stress on ta.
suhl-TAH-nuh
/səlˈtɑːnə/
sultana is pronounced suhl-TAH-nuh (/səlˈtɑːnə/). It has three syllables (sul-ta-na), with the stress on "ta". Sultana refers to a seedless, dried grape (often produced from Thompson seedless). It also denotes a female sultan or a sultan’s wife in historical contexts. In modern usage, it most commonly means the sweet dried fruit used in pastries and cereals, about the size of a raisin but lighter in flavor and texture.
Sultana refers to a seedless, dried grape (often produced from Thompson seedless). It also denotes a female sultan or a sultan’s wife in historical contexts. In modern usage, it most commonly means the sweet dried fruit used in pastries and cereals, about the size of a raisin but lighter in flavor and texture.
"I sprinkled sultanas over my morning yogurt for a touch of sweetness."
"The cake called for a handful of sultanas to plump up the batter."
"In some recipes, sultanas are soaked in warm water or rum to rehydrate."
US: /ˈsəlˌtɑː.nə/ or /ˈsəlˌteɪ.nə/ can appear depending on brand; UK/others: /ˈsʌl.tæn.ə/. Key: stress on the first syllable, then a light mid vowel in the second, with a soft ‘t’ and the final schwa-like ‘ə’. Think: SUL-tah-nuh, with a clear t sound between the two multisyllabic parts. IPA references: US typical /ˈsəlˌtɑː.nə/; UK /ˈsʌl.tæn.ə/; AU similar to UK but with slight vowel height variation. Audio example: listen to a grocery product listing or Forvo entry for “sultana.”
Common errors: 1) Stressing the second syllable: say SUL-TA-na instead of SU-LTA-na; 2) Pronouncing the second vowel as a full “a” as in cat rather than a schwa or reduced vowel; 3) Overpronouncing the final -a; aim for a light, unstressed -ə. Corrections: keep primary stress on the first syllable, use a short, lax second syllable vowel, and end with a soft, almost inaudible -ə. In US practice, avoid a tense “ɑ” in the first vowel. Listen to native product labels and mimic the unstressed endings.
US often produces a slightly heavier first vowel and can vary the second vowel toward an ‘ɑ’ or ‘a’ as in father, with a pronounced -na. UK tends toward /ˈsʌl.tæn.ə/ with a shorter, sharper second syllable and a lighter final vowel. AU mirrors UK but may have more rounded vowels in the first syllable. Across all, the key variants are first-vowel height and rhotic vs nonrhotic tendencies; the final -ə is typically a reduced vowel in all varieties. Listen for subtle shifts in /æ/ vs /ɑː/ and the exact placement of the soft t.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic rhythm and the light, neutral final vowel. Specific challenges: 1) The reduced, unstressed final -a (schwa) can be hard to hear; 2) The middle syllable often includes a tense or lax vowel that doesn’t match spelling; 3) The initial vowel in some accents shifts between /ʌ/ and /ɜː/ or /ə/, affecting the overall cadence. Mastery requires deliberate timing of syllable stress and a relaxed jaw for the final -ə. Practicing with minimal pairs and listening to native speech helps solidify the correct sequence.
In many varieties, the /t/ is pronounced as a clear, light alveolar stop in careful speech, but in fast or connected speech you may hear the /t/ become a tap [ɾ] or even head toward a glottal stop [ʔ] in some British dialects. For most standard pronunciations, you’ll articulate a clear /t/ between the second and third syllables, producing /ˈsəlˌtɑː.nə/ or /ˈsʌl.tæn.ə/. If you are working in fast conversation, practice both the crisp /t/ and the lighter flap to match context.
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The word sultana comes from the Ottoman Turkish sultân, meaning ruler or sultan, and was adopted into English to describe a seedless raisin believed to originate from grapes grown in the region once under Ottoman influence. The term later broadened to refer to a particular type of dried grape used in baking, especially the sweeter, lighter-colored variety. The earliest English attestations appear in cookery contexts from the 18th or 19th century, reflecting colonial trade routes and European interest in Eastern terminology for foods and confections. Over time, “sultana” became a standard label in many English-speaking markets for a dried grape that is usually paler and less chewy than true raisins, distinguishing the product in both grocery labeling and culinary usage. The semantic range also touches on historical references to royal or sultanic associations, which further influenced its adoption into common language beyond strictly culinary contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "sultana"
-ana sounds
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