How to pronounce hey
Say it like HAY. Hey is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce hey. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HAY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hey 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.
American vs British pronunciation of hey
American and British speakers say hey in essentially the same way: /heɪ/ in the US and /heɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: HAY.
What does hey mean?
- An exclamation to get attention.“Hey, look at this!”
- A protest or reprimand.“Hey! Stop that!”
- An expression of surprise.“Hey! This is new!”
- To greet with a "hey"
- A choreographic figure in which three or more dancers weave between one another, passing by left and right shoulder alternately.
Where does hey come from?
From Middle English hey, hei, also without h- in ey, from Old English *hē, ēa (interjection), attested as first element in hēlā, ēalā (“O!, alas!, oh!, lo!”).
Words that rhyme with hey
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of hey.
Words that sound like hey
Questions about saying hey
How do you pronounce hey?
Say HAY. The American pronunciation is /heɪ/. In British English it is /heɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hey?
Hey is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HAY.
Do Americans and Brits say hey the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /heɪ/ and the British form is /heɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as hey?
Hey sounds the same as hay in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.