Learn How to Pronounce potato
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How to pronounce:
potato
Definition:
(nou) an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland (nou) annual native to South America having underground stolons bearing edible starchy tubers; widely cultivated as a garden vegetable; vines are poisonous
Phonetic Transcription:
pəˈteɪtəʊ
Examples:
In the Highlands, in 1846, potato crops were blighted.
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Common mistakes of potato pronunciation
- Stress misplacement: Many learners place stress incorrectly on the second syllable, saying "po-ˈta-to" instead of "pə-ˈteɪ-toʊ" (US) or "pə-ˈteɪ-təʊ" (UK). Tip: Focus on stressing the second syllable to sound natural.
- Vowel confusion: Some people pronounce "potato" with a short "a" sound, saying "pə-ˈtæ-toʊ." This is incorrect as the correct sound is "eɪ." Tip: Practice the long "a" sound in "pə-ˈteɪ-toʊ."
- Missing the schwa: A common mistake is omitting the schwa sound in the first syllable, leading to "ˈpota-to" instead of "pə-ˈteɪ-toʊ." Tip: Remember that the first syllable is unstressed and should sound like "pə."
- Incorrect ending sound: Some speakers pronounce "potato" with a hard "t" at the end, saying "pə-ˈteɪ-tah." The correct ending is a softer "toʊ" (US) or "təʊ" (UK). Tip: Focus on producing a clear "to" sound at the end.
- Overemphasis on syllables: Learners sometimes stress each syllable equally, saying "po-ta-to" instead of "pə-ˈteɪ-toʊ." This can make pronunciation sound unnatural. Tip: Practice saying the word smoothly, emphasizing only the second syllable.