How to pronounce behaves
Say it like bih-HAYVZ. Behaves has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (HAYVZ).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce behaves. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- bih
- HAYVZ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Behaves pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- bihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- HAYVZSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of behaves
American and British speakers say behaves in essentially the same way: /bɪˈheɪvz/ in the US and /bɪˈheɪvz/ in the UK.
British respelling: bih-HAYVZ.
What does behaves mean?
- third-person singular simple present indicative of behave How to pronounce behave
Questions about saying behaves
How do you pronounce behaves?
Say bih-HAYVZ. The American pronunciation is /bɪˈheɪvz/. In British English it is /bɪˈheɪvz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in behaves?
Behaves has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (HAYVZ). Broken into parts: bih · HAYVZ.
Do Americans and Brits say behaves the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɪˈheɪvz/ and the British form is /bɪˈheɪvz/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.