How to pronounce mayday
Say it like MAY-day. Mayday has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce mayday. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MAY
- day
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Mayday 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.
- dayKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of mayday
American and British speakers say mayday in essentially the same way: /ˈmeɪdeɪ/ in the US and /ˈmeɪdeɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: MAY-day.
What does mayday mean?
- An international distress signal used by shipping and aircraft.
Where does mayday come from?
From the distress signal mayday, from French m'aider, short for Venez m'aider!
Words that rhyme with mayday
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of mayday.
Questions about saying mayday
How do you pronounce mayday?
Say MAY-day. The American pronunciation is /ˈmeɪdeɪ/. In British English it is /ˈmeɪdeɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in mayday?
Mayday has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MAY). Broken into parts: MAY · day.
Do Americans and Brits say mayday the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈmeɪdeɪ/ and the British form is /ˈmeɪdeɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.