English pronunciation · Words Starting with T
Tsar Pronunciation
Tsar is pronounced ZAHR, IPA /ˈtsɑr/.
ZAHR
US /ˈtsɑr/ · UK /tˈsɑː/
Syllables: ZAHR (1 syllable)
noun: An emperor of Russia before 1917, or in modern use an official given sweeping powers over one problem.
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Tsar in a Sentence
- The last tsar abdicated in March 1917.
- The government appointed a drugs tsar.
- A portrait of the tsar hung in the hall.
Common Mispronunciations of Tsar
Not TSAHR with a hard t
English speakers reduce the ts cluster at the start to a plain z, giving ZAHR. Russian does sound both letters, so a light t is not wrong, just unusual in English.
Not TSAR rhyming with car and a clear s
The consonant buzzes rather than hisses. Think of the word czar, which is the same word under a different spelling.
Tip: Tsar, czar, and tzar are three spellings of one word, all said ZAHR.
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