How to pronounce hi
Say it like HY. Hi 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 hi. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hi pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of hi
American and British speakers say hi in essentially the same way: /haɪ/ in the US and /haɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: HY.
What does hi mean?
- an expression of greeting“every morning they exchanged polite hellos”
- a state in the United States in the central Pacific on the Hawaiian Islands
Where does hi come from?
American English. First recorded reference is to speech of a Kansas Indian (1862); originally to attract attention, probably a variant of Middle English hey, hy (circa 1475).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with hi
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of hi.
Words that sound like hi
Questions about saying hi
How do you pronounce hi?
Say HY. The American pronunciation is /haɪ/. In British English it is /haɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hi?
Hi is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: HY.
Do Americans and Brits say hi the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /haɪ/ and the British form is /haɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as hi?
Hi sounds the same as hie, high in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.