A guide to saying it correctly
How to Pronounce Tijuana
Learn to pronounce Tijuana, the major Mexican city just south of San Diego, with confidence.
tijuana
tee-HWAH-nuh
/tiˈhwɑːnə/ · ti · HWAH · nuh
Native US English · Kokoro neural TTS · 0:01
Tijuana is frequently mentioned in news reports, especially concerning border issues, travel, and cross-border commerce. It's also a common destination for day trips and shopping for many in Southern California.
Where the word comes from
The name 'Tijuana' is believed to derive from a ranch owned by the Compañía Industrial de Tijuana, which in turn may have been named after a woman named 'Tía Juana' (Aunt Jane).
Common ways people get it wrong
- ti-JU-ah-nuh Some might pronounce the 'j' like in 'judge', but in Spanish, 'j' is typically a guttural sound, and here it's part of a 'hu' sound.
- ti-WAH-na The 'n' sound is usually pronounced, not dropped, though it can be very light in casual speech.
Frequently asked
How do you say Tijuana?
The most common pronunciation in American English is tee-HWAH-nuh. The stress is on the second syllable, 'HWAH'.
Is Tijuana pronounced with a J sound?
No, the 'j' in Tijuana is not pronounced like the 'j' in 'jump'. It's part of a 'hu' sound, similar to the 'wh' in 'what'.
What's the correct Spanish pronunciation of Tijuana?
In Spanish, it's closer to tee-HWAH-nah, with a slightly softer 'a' sound at the end and a subtle guttural 'j' sound that often gets smoothed out in English.
