How to pronounce Chennai
Say it like CHEN-eye. Chennai has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Chennai. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- CHEN
- eye
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Chennai pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- CHENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- eyeGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of Chennai
American and British speakers say Chennai in essentially the same way: /ˈtʃɛˌnaɪ/ in the US and /ˈtʃɛnaɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: CHEN-eye.
What does Chennai mean?
- The capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, India, formerly known as Madras.
Questions about saying Chennai
How do you pronounce Chennai?
Say CHEN-eye. The American pronunciation is /ˈtʃɛˌnaɪ/. In British English it is /ˈtʃɛnaɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Chennai?
Chennai has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHEN). Broken into parts: CHEN · eye.
Do Americans and Brits say Chennai the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈtʃɛˌnaɪ/ and the British form is /ˈtʃɛnaɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.