How to pronounce safely
Say it like SAY-flee. Safely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce safely. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SAY
- flee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Safely pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- fleeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of safely
American and British speakers say safely in essentially the same way: /ˈseɪfli/ in the US and /ˈseɪfli/ in the UK.
British respelling: SAY-flee.
What does safely mean?
- with safety; in a safe manner“we are safely out of there”
Where does safely come from?
From Middle English savely; equivalent to safe + -ly.
Questions about saying safely
How do you pronounce safely?
Say SAY-flee. The American pronunciation is /ˈseɪfli/. In British English it is /ˈseɪfli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in safely?
Safely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SAY). Broken into parts: SAY · flee.
Do Americans and Brits say safely the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈseɪfli/ and the British form is /ˈseɪfli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.