How do you pronounce the Mazda brand?

How Do You Pronounce Mazda

Often times, we don’t give our pronunciation of words much thought. We just get used to saying words one way, until one day, we hear someone say that word differently than expected. It can tug at your ears a little bit and make you wonder why that person has come up with such a different pronunciation than you. Well, the same can be said for Mazda. So, how do you pronounce Mazda anyway?

Perhaps the most common pronunciation you will come across is “Mahz-duh,” where “Maz-” rhymes with “Oz,” and “-da” sounds the same as the expression “duh.” But there are other pronunciations as well, and you may have heard them. For example, some pronounce Mazda in a way where the “a” in “Maz-” is pronounced the same as it would be for the American English pronunciation of the word “task.”

How Do You Pronounce Mazda in Japanese

But Mazda is a Japanese company, right? So what we really want to know is how Mazda is pronounced in the Japanese language. You might be surprised to learn that Mazda pronounced in Japanese comes out to “matsuda.” If you know your Mazda history, however, it really isn’t too surprising.

Though that pronunciation doesn’t make as much sense to those who speak English, it makes perfect sense if you understand Mazda’s beginnings. See, a long time ago in 1920, Mazda was founded by Jujiro Matsuda. Notice that the spelling of his name is the same as the Japanese pronunciation for Mazda, so it should be no surprise to hear it pronounced “Matsuda” instead of “Mahz-duh” or some other variation. The Mazda name also derives from Ahura Mazda, which is a god from early civilizations in western Asia.

[Read more: Why do car engines need oil?]

So although you now know how to pronounce Mazda in its original Japanese language, don’t feel pressured to say it that way when you visit Mazda of Lodi. Feel free to pronounce Mazda in whatever way is most comfortable for you, and we will still help you get behind the wheel of fantastic Mazda models.