English pronunciation · Words Starting with C

City Pronunciation

City is pronounced SI-tee, IPA /ˈsɪti/.

SI-tee

US /ˈsɪti/  ·  UK /ˈsɪti/

Syllables: SI · tee (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)

noun: A large town, or in Britain a town with a cathedral or a royal charter.

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City in a Sentence

  • The city centre is closed to traffic on Sundays.
  • She moved to the city for work.
  • Which city has the oldest university in Europe?

Common Mispronunciations of City

Not KI-tee

The c before i is an s sound. Reading it as a k produces kitty, a word people genuinely mishear on the phone.

Not SEE-tee

Keep the opening vowel clipped, the way it is in sit and pity. A long ee gives you the letter C repeated.

Tip: Sit plus tea, run together with the beat on the first: SI-tee.

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