3 syllables: Tze, da, kah. Stress on da.
tsuh-DAK-uh
/t͡səˈdækə/
Tzedakah is pronounced tsuh-DAK-uh (/t͡səˈdækə/). It has three syllables (Tze-da-kah), with the stress on "da". Tzedakah is a Hebrew noun meaning charitable giving or the act of charity toward those in need. It denotes not just generosity but a moral obligation to assist others, often practiced through organized acts of giving. In Jewish tradition, it represents both the deed and the ethical stance of helping the vulnerable, with emphasis on justice and communal responsibility.
nounTzedakah is a Hebrew noun meaning charitable giving or the act of charity toward those in need. It denotes not just generosity but a moral obligation to assist others, often practiced through organized acts of giving. In Jewish tradition, it represents both the deed and the ethical stance of helping the vulnerable, with emphasis on justice and communal responsibility.
- Common phonetic challenges include: (1) Incorrect handling of the initial ts cluster, producing a simple t or s instead of a crisp affricate; practice with /t͡s/ onsets and a brief release. (2) Stress misplacement; keep the strong stress on the second syllable DA. (3) Vowel quality and length in the middle syllable; avoid a reduced or overly long middle vowel. Corrections: isolate the syllables ts-e-DAH-kah and practice each with IPA cues, then combine. - Use minimal pairs and focused mouth positioning to prevent slippage between syllables and to anchor the rhythm. - Relax the jaw slightly to avoid over-enunciating final vowels; finish with a light, clipped -kah. - Record yourself and compare to a native model, adjusting the vowel length and the consonant release until the word has a natural cadence.
"She donated with tzedakah every week to support the local food pantry."
"The rabbi spoke about tzedakah as a daily obligation, not just a once-a-year tradition."
"Children learn to give tzedakah and to consider how their contributions help others."
Pronounce it as tze-DAH-kah, with the emphasis on the second syllable. IPA US: /t͡səˈdaːkə/; UK: /t͡səˈdɑːkə/; AU: /t͡səˈdɑːkə/. The first syllable uses a voiceless affricate followed by a reduced schwa, then a stressed open syllable ‘da’ with a long 'a' and a final soft 'kah'. The initial cluster ts is produced by bringing the tongue to the alveolar ridge and releasing into a sharp, crisp sound.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the initial ts into a simple 't' or 'z' sound; you should release a crisp ts, not a t or s. 2) Underemphasizing the second syllable; ensure the DA is stressed with a clear ‘da’ rather than a weak schwa. 3) Mispronouncing the final syllable as a hard ‘kah’ instead of a softly enunciated ‘kə’ or ‘ka’; keep it short and light. Correct by practicing the sequence ts-eh-DAH-kah with a firm middle-stress. IPA cues: tsəˈdaːkə; hold the second vowel longer than the first.
In US English you’ll hear /t͡səˈdaːkə/ with a slightly reduced first vowel and a prominent stress on DA. UK English tends toward /t͡səˈdɑːkə/, with a fuller AH in the middle and less vowel reduction. Australian English is similar to UK but can show more vowel flattening in the final syllable, often /t͡səˈdɑːkə/ or /t͡səˈdækə/. Across all accents, the key is crisp initial ts, a stressed middle syllable, and a light final -kah; avoid turning it into a long final vowel. IPA references help anchor the consonant cluster and stress pattern.
Difficulties center on the initial ts cluster, which is unfamiliar to many English speakers, and the mid syllable stress that places pressure on the vowel quality of DA. The final -kah can be softened in casual speech, leading to an unintelligible ending. Also, combining the Hebrew-root vowel patterns into English phonology causes mismatches in duration and pitch. Focus on crisp ts release, a clear DA with a steady long a, and a gentle but audible final syllable to stabilize the word.
A distinctive feature is the combination of an affricate onset (ts) with a long stressed second syllable, followed by a lighter final syllable. Learners often over-pronounce the initial sound or tilt the stress onto the first syllable. Practice with exact syllable segmentation: ts-e-DAH-kah; use a slow tempo and then scale up to natural speed while maintaining the middle-stressed rhythm. IPA: /t͡səˈdaːkə/ (US) or /t͡səˈdɑːkə/ (UK/AU).
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- US: /t͡səˈdaːkə/ with a slightly shorter 'ə' in the first syllable; mid vowel in DA is lengthened; rhoticity is not relevant here. - UK: /t͡səˈdɑːkə/ with a more open 'a' in the DA; keep final -ka light and unstressed. - AU: /t͡səˈdɑːkə/ similar to UK but with a tendency for vowel merging in casual speech; maintain the stressed DA and a crisp TS onset. - Vowel details: first vowel is usually schwa or close-mid 'ə', middle vowel full 'aː' or 'ɑː' depending on accent, final is a short 'ə' or 'ə' depending on speed. - Articulation tips: keep the mouth relaxed at the start, then snap the ts release, then raise the tongue to produce the long DA vowel without adding extra vowels before/after.
Tzedakah comes from the Hebrew root צדק (tza-dak) meaning justice or righteousness. The noun form tzedakah is the deverbal noun of tzedek, yielding the sense of acts performed in righteousness. Historically, the concept predates the Talmudic era and appears in Biblical Hebrew as a social-ethical obligation to support the needy, not merely as voluntary charity. Over centuries, tzedakah evolved from a general duty of stewarding communal wealth to a structured practice, including set sums, fundos, and organized allocations within Jewish communities. In Rabbinic literature, it is treated as a form of justice—the righteous person does tzedakah to repair the world (tikkun olam). First known English usage dates to early modern translations of Hebrew scriptures and later Jewish scholarly works; modern usage spans everyday speech and formal religious life. The term is ubiquitous in Jewish liturgy, education, and community philanthropy, signifying a core ethical obligation rather than a mere philanthropic gesture.
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Words that rhyme with "Tzedakah"
-kah sounds
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