Pronounce Nevada

Do you think that you know how to pronounce the state of Nevada’s name? Chances are that you might be pronouncing it wrong! There are two ways that are sometimes used to say the word "Nevada", but there is only one pronunciation that won’t get you corrected (or even booed) by locals.

Steps

1. Say "Ne-VA-duh". That is the correct way to pronounce the state name. Put emphasis on the second syllable. Pronounce it so that the middle part rhymes with the “AD” sound in the words sad or mad. Look to the word Nebraska as an "all vowels sound similar to" example.
   • Break the state name into syllables. There are three distinct syllables in the word Nevada. Thinking of the word as having three parts will help you pronounce it correctly.
   • The “e” in the “ne” should be pronounced as you would the “e” in the words pet or met. The “a” at the end of the state’s name is pronounced the same as the “u” in the word up.
2. Don't say “Ne-VAH-duh.” Some people pronounce the second syllable with an "AH" sound like the "a" sound in the colloquial words ma or pa. However, this is not the correct pronunciation and not how locals say it.
   • When one politician in Plan a Trip to Las Vegas wanted to use legislation to allow the name to be pronounced both ways, most locals didn’t like it and it was rejected. That ex-legislator argued that “Ne-VAH-da” is a Spanish pronunciation and should be allowed since so many non-locals use it. The Spanish word Nevada means “snowfall” or “covered in snow” and refers to the Sierra Madre mountains.
   • However, the fact remains that people who are actually from Nevada do not use the “AH” middle syllable pronunciation. For 150 years, the "AD" pronunciation has been widely regarded as the authentic one. The common, mostly Eastern and Southern, mispronunciation of Nevada in English also happens to be incorrect in Spanish.
   • Note that there are seven American states with names derived from Spanish and yet none of them are pronounced the same way in English.
3. Learn to say the name right, especially if you go into politics. Politicians can run into trouble with locals if they don’t pronounce the name with the “AD” middle sound.
   • The state’s governor sent one politician a text advising him to say Ne-VADD-ah. Other politicians have been booed for saying the name incorrectly.
   • Everyone else can expect to be simply corrected if they use the wrong pronunciation in front of someone who actually lives in "Ne-VA-da."

Sources and Citations

See also

• Pronounce Meme
• Talk Minnesotan
• Speak With an Irish Accent
• Pronounce Yves Saint Laurent
• Pronounce Oregon
• Pronounce R's
• Pronounce Words Clearly With a Lisp
• Pronounce Hermione