How to pronounce Hawaiian
Say it like huh-WY-un. Hawaiian 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 Hawaiian. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- huh
- WY
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hawaiian 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.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Hawaiian
American and British speakers say Hawaiian in essentially the same way: /həˈwaɪən/ in the US and /həˈwaɪən/ in the UK.
British respelling: huh-WY-un.
What does Hawaiian mean?
- the Oceanic languages spoken on Hawaii
- a native or resident of Hawaii
- of or relating to or characteristic of the state or island of Hawaii or to the people or culture or language
Words that rhyme with Hawaiian
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Hawaiian.
Questions about saying Hawaiian
How do you pronounce Hawaiian?
Say huh-WY-un. The American pronunciation is /həˈwaɪən/. In British English it is /həˈwaɪən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Hawaiian?
Hawaiian has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WY). Broken into parts: huh · WY · un.
Do Americans and Brits say Hawaiian the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /həˈwaɪən/ and the British form is /həˈwaɪən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.