How to pronounce ai
Say it like EYE. Ai is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce ai. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- EYE
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Ai pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- EYESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of ai
American and British speakers say ai in essentially the same way: /aɪ/ in the US and /aɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: EYE.
What does ai mean?
- an agency of the United States Army responsible for providing timely and relevant and accurate and synchronized intelligence to tactical and operational and strategic level commanders
- the branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively“workers in AI hope to imitate or duplicate intelligence in computers and robots”
- a sloth that has three long claws on each forefoot and each hindfoot
Where does ai come from?
Originated 1685–95, from Brazilian Portuguese aí, from Old Tupi a'y.
Words that rhyme with ai
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of ai.
Words that sound like ai
Questions about saying ai
How do you pronounce ai?
Say EYE. The American pronunciation is /aɪ/. In British English it is /aɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in ai?
Ai is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: EYE.
Do Americans and Brits say ai the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /aɪ/ and the British form is /aɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as ai?
Ai sounds the same as eye, i in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.