How to pronounce qawwali
Say it like kuh-WAH-lee. Qawwali has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce qawwali. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kuh
- WAH
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Qawwali pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- WAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of qawwali
American and British speakers say qawwali in essentially the same way: /kəˈwɑli/ in the US and /kəˈwɑːli/ in the UK.
British respelling: kuh-WAH-lee.
What does qawwali mean?
- A style of Muslim devotional music, especially among the South Asian Sufis, accompanied by drums and harmonium.
- A song in this style.
Words that rhyme with qawwali
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of qawwali.
Questions about saying qawwali
How do you pronounce qawwali?
Say kuh-WAH-lee. The American pronunciation is /kəˈwɑli/. In British English it is /kəˈwɑːli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in qawwali?
Qawwali has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WAH). Broken into parts: kuh · WAH · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say qawwali the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kəˈwɑli/ and the British form is /kəˈwɑːli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.