How to pronounce Hawaii
Say it like huh-WY-ee. Hawaii has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Hawaii. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- huh
- WY
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hawaii pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- huhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- WYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- eeGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of Hawaii
American and British speakers say Hawaii in essentially the same way: /həˈwaɪˌi/ in the US and /həˈwaɪi/ in the UK.
British respelling: huh-WY-ee.
What does Hawaii mean?
- An insular state of the United States, formerly a territory. Capital: Honolulu.
- An archipelago of the Pacific Ocean, between North America and Oceania.
- An island of Hawaii archipelago, Pacific Ocean, of Hawaii County, State of Hawaii, United States. The largest of the Hawaiian Islands.
Where does Hawaii come from?
Borrowed from Hawaiian Hawaiʻi, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *Sawaiki (“traditional homeland”).
Questions about saying Hawaii
How do you pronounce Hawaii?
Say huh-WY-ee. The American pronunciation is /həˈwaɪˌi/. In British English it is /həˈwaɪi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Hawaii?
Hawaii has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WY). Broken into parts: huh · WY · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say Hawaii the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /həˈwaɪˌi/ and the British form is /həˈwaɪi/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.