How to pronounce may
Say it like MAY. May 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 may. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MAY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
May pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of may
American and British speakers say may in essentially the same way: /meɪ/ in the US and /meɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: MAY.
What does may mean?
- the month following April and preceding June
- thorny Eurasian shrub of small tree having dense clusters of white to scarlet flowers followed by deep red berries; established as an escape in eastern North America
Where does may come from?
Cognate with Scots mey (“may”), Yola ma, maa, mai, mey, mye (“may”), North Frisian mai, mei, mooge (“like to, would”), West Frisian meie (“may; to like”), Alemannic German möge (“may; can”), Bavarian megn (“to like; to want to”), Central Fr
Words that rhyme with may
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of may.
Words that sound like may
Questions about saying may
How do you pronounce may?
Say MAY. The American pronunciation is /meɪ/. In British English it is /meɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in may?
May is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: MAY.
Do Americans and Brits say may the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /meɪ/ and the British form is /meɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as may?
May sounds the same as mei in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.