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Why "vitamin" sounds different in British English
British English says /ˈvɪtəmɪn/, with the short /ɪ/ of "sit". American English says /ˈvaɪt̬əmɪn/, with the "eye" vowel of "vine" and a tapped T.
The word was originally spelled "vitamine" and pronounced with "vye" on both sides of the Atlantic. British English later shortened the vowel. Today "VIT-uh-min" is standard in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
How to say "vitamin" like a Brit, step by step
- Say vit, rhyming with "bit", and stress it.
- Release a clear t, not a D.
- Reduce the middle syllable to uh.
- Finish with a short min: VIT-uh-min.
Practise "vitamin" in a sentence
- Oranges are full of vitamin C.
- Do you take any vitamins?
- Vitamin D comes from sunlight.
Saying it once correctly is easy. Saying it right in the middle of a fast sentence is the hard part, which is why the sentences above matter more than the single word.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce vitamin in a British accent?
In Received Pronunciation, vitamin is pronounced /ˈvɪtəmɪn/, roughly "VIT-uh-min". The first syllable rhymes with "bit", not "bite".
Is the American pronunciation of vitamin wrong?
No. /ˈvaɪt̬əmɪn/ is standard in American English. Both are correct, they simply belong to different accents. If you are learning a British accent, aim for /ˈvɪtəmɪn/.