Pronunciation Guide • English (from Greek)
How to Pronounce pneumonia
Difficulty: medium
IPA Transcription
/njuːˈmoʊniə/
Why is it so hard to pronounce?
nyoo-MOH-nee-uh. Four syllables. The "p" at the beginning is completely silent — this is a Greek silent letter rule. When "pn-" starts a word (pneumatic, pneumonia, pneumatology), the p is always silent.
💡 Pro Tip for pneumonia
nyoo-MOH-nee-uh. Ignore the P completely. Starts with "nyoo" sound.
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The term pneumonia originates from Greek "pneumōn" (lung). Understanding its etymology helps explain why it breaks standard pronunciation rules.