How do you say ketamine? (Pronunciation Series Episode 51)

We continue working our way through the alphabet in my drug pronunciation series. We’re on the letter “K,” and today’s drug is ketamine. 

 

In this episode, I divide ketamine into syllables, tell you which syllable to emphasize, and share my sources. Written pronunciations are helpful, so look below for the written pronunciation. Once you’ve listened to this episode, practice saying ketamine. Repetition is the key to mastery.

 

Ketamine = KEH-tuh-meen

 

• Keh, like keg
• Tuh, like tug
• And meen, as in, “Bullies are mean!”

 

• Emphasize KEH. 
• Sources: My clinical experience as a pharmacist, Google, and m-w.com. I like how Google and M-W divide the syllables and pronounce the drug name. 

 

Thank you for listening to episode 322 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast. The FULL show notes (including all links) are on https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast.  Select episode 322. 

 

If you know someone who would like to learn how to say ketamine, please share this episode with them. Subscribe for all future episodes. This podcast is on all major podcast players and YouTube. Popular links are below. ⬇️

 

Apple Podcasts   https://apple.co/42yqXOG 

Spotify  https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY 

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YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt

 

Why do few generic drug names start with “K?"

Did you know that the United States Adopted Names (USAN) Council advises against using the letter "K" in generic drug names? Some languages struggle with pronouncing “K.” In fact, four letters are generally avoided in naming drugs: H, J, K, and W. While the USAN guideline applies to generic drug names, brand-name drugs also tend to avoid these letters.

 

A Fun Thought Experiment

If you’ve ever been told not to do something and immediately wanted to do it, you’re not alone! Just for fun, I combined all four of the "forbidden letters" into a made-up drug name: Jawkherol Sounds like a treatment for TMJ, doesn’t it?

 

Common Mispronunciations to Avoid

Some sources—including YouTube videos with thousands of views—incorrectly pronounce ketamine. Here are three examples of how NOT to say it:

1. KET-a-MIN
2. ket-a-MEEN
3. KEET-a-meen

Mispronunciations can lead to confusion, especially for non-native English speakers or healthcare professionals giving presentations. That’s why I create these episodes—to combat misinformation and make learning drug names easier. Thanks for listening!

 

Recommend a drug name for this series via email: [e-mail]

 

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