How to pronounce friendly
Say it like FREND-lee. Friendly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FREND).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce friendly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FREND
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Friendly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FRENDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of friendly
American and British speakers say friendly in essentially the same way: /ˈfrɛndli/ in the US and /ˈfrɛndli/ in the UK.
British respelling: FREND-lee.
What does friendly mean?
- characteristic of or befitting a friend“friendly advice”“a friendly neighborhood”
- inclined to help or support; not antagonistic or hostile“a government friendly to our interests”“well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States”
- easy to understand or use“user-friendly computers”“a consumer-friendly policy”
- troops belonging to or allied with your own military forces“friendlies came to their rescue”
Where does friendly come from?
From Middle English frendly, freendly, frendely, frendlich, from Old English frēondlīċ, from Proto-Germanic *frijōndlīkaz, equivalent to friend + -ly.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying friendly
How do you pronounce friendly?
Say FREND-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈfrɛndli/. In British English it is /ˈfrɛndli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in friendly?
Friendly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FREND). Broken into parts: FREND · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say friendly the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈfrɛndli/ and the British form is /ˈfrɛndli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.