How to pronounce pirates
Say it like PY-ruts. Pirates has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce pirates. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PY
- ruts
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pirates pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- rutsKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of pirates
American and British speakers say pirates in essentially the same way: /ˈpaɪrəts/ in the US and /ˈpaɪrɪts/ in the UK.
British respelling: PY-rits.
What does pirates mean?
- plural of pirate How to pronounce pirate
- third-person singular simple present indicative of pirate How to pronounce pirate
Questions about saying pirates
How do you pronounce pirates?
Say PY-ruts. The American pronunciation is /ˈpaɪrəts/. In British English it is /ˈpaɪrɪts/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pirates?
Pirates has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PY). Broken into parts: PY · ruts.
Do Americans and Brits say pirates the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpaɪrəts/ and the British form is /ˈpaɪrɪts/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.