How to pronounce nephew
Say it like NEF-yoo. Nephew has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NEF).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce nephew. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NEF
- yoo
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Nephew pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NEFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- yooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of nephew
American and British speakers say nephew in essentially the same way: /ˈnɛfju/ in the US and /ˈnɛfjuː/ in the UK.
British respelling: NEF-yoo.
What does nephew mean?
- a son of your brother or sister
Where does nephew come from?
Spelt with -ph- by readaptation to Latin nepos since the 15th century, which later triggered the spelling pronunciation with /f/.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying nephew
How do you pronounce nephew?
Say NEF-yoo. The American pronunciation is /ˈnɛfju/. In British English it is /ˈnɛfjuː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in nephew?
Nephew has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NEF). Broken into parts: NEF · yoo.
Do Americans and Brits say nephew the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈnɛfju/ and the British form is /ˈnɛfjuː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.