Chemical Elements: A Pronunciation Guide for Students
SYMBOL ELEMENT NAME PRONUNCIATION
Ac ACTINIUM……………… ack-TIN-ee-um (“um” rhymes with “gum”)
Al ALUMINUM…………….. ah-LOOM-in-um [British: aluminium = al-you-MIN-ee-um]
Am AMERICIUM……………. AM-ur-RISH-ee-um, AM-er-EE-she-um
Sb ANTIMONY…………….. ANT-uh-mo-knee
Ar ARGON………………….. ARE-gone
As ARSENIC………………… ARE-suh-nick, ARE-sin-ick
At ASTATINE………………. ASS-tuh-teen, ASS-tuh-TIN
Ba BARIUM…………………. BEAR-ee-um (“BURY ’em”)
Bk BERKELIUM…………….. burr-KEY-lee-um, BURK-lee-um
Be BERYLLIUM…………….. buh-REEL-ee-um
Bi BISMUTH……………….. BIZ-muth
Bh BOHRIUM………………. BORE-ee-um
B BORON………………….. BORE-on
Br BROMINE……………….. BRO-mean (“BRO” rhymes with “go”)
Cd CADMIUM………………. CAD-me-um
Ca CALCIUM……………….. CAL-see-um
Cf CALIFORNIUM…………. cal-uh-FOR-nee-um
C CARBON………………… CAR-bun
Ce CERIUM…………………. SEAR-ee-um
Cs CESIUM…………………. SEE-zee-um
Cl CHLORINE……………… CLOOR-een (“CLOOR” rhymes with “floor”)
Cr CHROMIUM…………….. CROW-me-um
Co COBALT…………………. CO-bault (“bault” rhymes with fault)
Cu COPPER…………………. COP-purr
Cm CURIUM………………… CURE-ee-um
Ds DARMSTADTIUM………. darm-STAAT-ee-um (“STAAT” rhymes with “thought”)
Db DUBNIUM………………. DUBE-nee-um (“DUBE” rhymes with “tube”)
Dy DYSPROSIUM………….. dis-PRO-zee-um, dis-PRO-she-um
Es EINSTEINIUM………….. eine-STY-knee-um (“eine” rhymes with “mine”)
Er ERBIUM…………………. UR-bee-um, (“UR” rhymes with “fur”)
Eu EUROPIUM……………… your-ROW-pea-um
Fm FERMIUM……………….. FUR-me-um
F FLUORINE………………. FLOOR-een
Fr FRANCIUM……………… FRAN-see-um
Gd GADOLINIUM………….. GAD-el-IN-ee-um
Ga GALLIUM……………….. GAL-ee-um
Ge GERMANIUM…………… jour-MAIN-ee-um (“jour” rhymes with “your”)
Au GOLD……………………. GOLD (rhymes with “sold”)
Hf HAFNIUM……………….. HALF-nee-um
Hs HASSIUM……………….. HAH-see-um
He HELIUM…………………. HE-lee-um
Ho HOLMIUM………………. HOLE-me-um
H HYDROGEN…………….. HIGH-druh-gin
In INDIUM…………………. IN-dee-um
I IODINE…………………. EYE-o-dine, EYE-o-den
Ir IRIDIUM………………… ih-RID-ee-um
Fe IRON……………………. EYE-urn
Kr KRYPTON……………….. CRIP-tawn (“tawn” rhymes with “yawn”)
La LANTHANUM…………… LAN-thah-num
Lr LAWRENCIUM………….. law-RIN-see-um, lore-RIN-see-um
Pb LEAD…………………….. LED
Li LITHIUM……………….. LITH-ee-um
Lu LUTETIUM……………… loo-TEE-she-um
Mg MAGNESIUM……………. mag-NEE-zee-um
Mn MANGANESE……………. MANG-guh-knees (“MANG” rhymes with “bang”)
Mt MEITNERIUM…………… mite-NUR-ee-um
Md MENDELEVIUM………… men-duh-LAY-vee-um
Hg MERCURY………………. MERK-your-ee
Mo MOLYBDENUM…………. muh-LIB-den-um
Nd NEODYMIUM………………… nee-o-DIM-ee-um
Ne NEON………………………….. KNEE-on
Np NEPTUNIUM…………………. nep-TUNE-ee-um
Ni NICKEL………………………… NICK-ull (“ull” rhymes with “dull”)
Nb NIOBIUM……………………… nee-O-bee-um
N NITROGEN………………………… NIGH-trah-gin, nigh-TRO-gin
No NOBELIUM…………………… no-BELL-ee-um
Os OSMIUM………………………. OZ-me-um
O OXYGEN………………………. OX-eh-gin
Pd PALLADIUM………………….. puh-LAY-dee-um
P PHOSPHORUS………………. FOSS-fur-us
Pt PLATINUM……………………. PLAT-in-um (“PLAT” rhymes with “flat”)
Pu PLUTONIUM…………………. plue-TONE-ee-um (“plue” rhymes with “blue”)
Po POLONIUM…………………… puh-LO-nee-um
K POTASSIUM…………………. poh-TASS-ee-um
Pr PRASEODYMIUM…………… PRAY-zee-o-DIM-ee-um
Pm PROMETHIUM………………. pro-MEETH-ee-um (“MEETH” rhymes with “teeth”)
Pa PROTACTINIUM…………….. PRO-tack-TIN-ee-um
Ra RADIUM………………………. RAY-dee-um
Rn RADON………………………… RAY-don (“don” rhymes with “on”)
Re RHENIUM…………………….. REE-nee-um
Rh RHODIUM……………………. ROW-dee-um
Rg ROENTGENIUM…………….. rent-GUIN-ee-um (“guin” rhymes with “win”; “guin” as in again)
Rb RUBIDIUM……………………. roo-BID-ee-um
Ru RUTHENIUM…………………. roo-THEE-nee-um
Rf RUTHERFORDIUM…………. ruh-thur-FORD-ee-um (“ruh-thur” rhymes with “other”)
Sm SAMARIUM…………………… suh-MARE-ee-um (“MARE” rhymes with “care”)
Sc SCANDIUM…………………… SCAN-dee-um
Sg SEABORGIUM……………….. see-BORG-ee-um
Se SELENIUM……………………. suh-LEE-nee-um
Si SILICON………………………. SILL-eh-CON, SILL-eh-ken
Ag SILVER………………………… SILL-vurr (“vurr” rhymes with “purr”)
Na SODIUM………………………. SO-dee-um
Sr STRONTIUM…………………. STRON-tee-um, STRON-chee-um
S SULFUR……………………….. SULL-fur (“sull” rhymes with “gull”)
Ta TANTALUM…………………… TAN-tuh-lum
Tc TECHNETIUM……………….. teck-NEE-she-um, teck-NEE-shim
Te TELLURIUM………………….. tuh-LURE-ee-um (“LURE” rhymes with “cure”)
Tb TERBIUM……………………… TUR-bee-um (“TUR” rhymes with “fur”)
Tl THALLIUM……………………. THAL-ee-um (“THAL” rhymes with “pal”)
Th THORIUM…………………….. THOR-ee-um (“THOR” rhymes with “sore”)
Tm THULIUM……………………… THOOL-ee-um (“THOOL” rhymes with “pool”)
Sn TIN……………………………… TIN (rhymes with “pin”)
Ti TITANIUM……………………. tie-TAY-nee-um
W TUNGSTEN…………………… TONGUE-stin (“stin” rhymes with “win”)
U URANIUM…………………….. your-RAY-nee-um
V VANADIUM…………………… vuh-NAY-dee-um
Xe XENON………………………… ZEE-non
Yb YTTERBIUM………………….. it-TOUR-bee-um
Y YTTRIUM……………………… IT-tree-um
Zn ZINC……………………………. zink (rhymes with “think!”)
Zr ZIRCONIUM zir-CONE-ee-um (“zir” rhymes with “sir”)