How to pronounce haven
Say it like HAY-vun. Haven has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce haven. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HAY
- vun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Haven pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- vunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of haven
American and British speakers say haven in essentially the same way: /ˈheɪvən/ in the US and /ˈheɪvən/ in the UK.
British respelling: HAY-vun.
What does haven mean?
- a shelter serving as a place of safety or sanctuary
- a sheltered port where ships can take on or discharge cargo
Where does haven come from?
From Middle English haven, havene, from Old English hæfen (“haven; harbor; port”), either from Proto-West Germanic *habanu or Old Norse hǫfn, from Proto-Germanic *habnō, *habanō (compare Dutch haven, German Hafen, Norwegian/Danish havn, Sw
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with haven
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of haven.
Questions about saying haven
How do you pronounce haven?
Say HAY-vun. The American pronunciation is /ˈheɪvən/. In British English it is /ˈheɪvən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in haven?
Haven has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HAY). Broken into parts: HAY · vun.
Do Americans and Brits say haven the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈheɪvən/ and the British form is /ˈheɪvən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.