How to pronounce nicely
Say it like NY-slee. Nicely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce nicely. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NY
- slee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Nicely pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- sleeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of nicely
American and British speakers say nicely in essentially the same way: /ˈnaɪsli/ in the US and /ˈnaɪsli/ in the UK.
British respelling: NY-slee.
What does nicely mean?
- in a nice way“a nicely painted house”
Where does nicely come from?
From Middle English nycely; equivalent to nice + -ly.
Words that rhyme with nicely
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of nicely.
Questions about saying nicely
How do you pronounce nicely?
Say NY-slee. The American pronunciation is /ˈnaɪsli/. In British English it is /ˈnaɪsli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in nicely?
Nicely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (NY). Broken into parts: NY · slee.
Do Americans and Brits say nicely the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈnaɪsli/ and the British form is /ˈnaɪsli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.