How Do You Pronounce Kratom?

The term “kratom” comes from the Thai language. Thai and most people in Southeast Asia pronounce it, “kruh-TOM”.

The first syllable is pronounced “kruh”, rhyming with “duh” or “bruh”. The 2nd syllable is accented and pronounced with a rounded O, a cross between the sound of “tom” (as in tom cat) and “tome” (rhymes with “home”). 

There are two pronunciations used commonly in the United States. 

One is “KRAT-um”. The first syllable is accented, and rhymes with “cat”. The second syllable rhymes with the last syllable in “opposum”. Does the possum like the cat’s kratom?

The other, perhaps more popular pronunciation in the US is “KRAY-tum”. The first syllable rhymes with “ray” and is accented. The second syllable is the same word as the calcium pills taken for acid reflux. Kray-tum tum tum!

It’s simply a matter of dialect, good people. Let’s not fight about it. In the English speaking world, we pronounce the “S” in “Paris”, but the French do not. The British famously added a third syllable to the Japanese capital of Tokyo when rock linguists Deep Purple released their hit single, “My Woman from Tok-y-o” in 1973.

Language dispute resolution professionals suggest resolving arguments on how to pronounce “kratom” by singing “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” together in harmony while doing a synchronized tap dance.