A guide to saying it correctly
How to Pronounce San Sebastián
Learn how to pronounce San Sebastián, the famous coastal city in Spain's Basque Country, with this simple phonetic guide.
san sebastián
san-suh-BASH-uhn
/ˌsæn səˈbæʃən/ · san · se · bas · tián
Native US English · Kokoro neural TTS · 0:01
It also appears in international news when referencing the San Sebastián International Film Festival.
Where the word comes from
The name combines the Spanish 'San' (Saint) with 'Sebastián', derived from the Latin 'Sebastianus', which ultimately comes from the Greek 'Sebastianos' meaning 'from Sebastia'.
Common ways people get it wrong
- san-see-BAS-tee-an English speakers often over-pronounce the 'ti' as 'tee', but in Spanish it is a diphthong that glides into the 'an' sound.
- san-seb-as-tee-AHN While the Spanish 'n' is nasal, avoid over-emphasizing the 'ahn' ending as if it were a French nasal vowel.
Frequently asked
Do I need to roll the r in San Sebastián?
There is no 'r' in the name, so you do not need to worry about rolling any consonants. Focus instead on the soft 's' sounds throughout the word.
Is the accent on the a important?
Yes, the acute accent on the 'a' indicates that the stress falls on the final syllable of the name Sebastián. In English, we naturally shift that stress to the 'bash' syllable.
How do locals in the Basque Country say it?
Locals often refer to the city by its Basque name, Donostia. If you are speaking English, the Spanish pronunciation provided here is the standard expectation.
