How to pronounce whenever
Say it like weh-NEV-er. Whenever has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NEV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce whenever. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- weh
- NEV
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Whenever pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- wehKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- NEVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of whenever
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: weh-NEV-uh.
What does whenever mean?
- At any time that.“Visit whenever you want to.”
- At the (single) time that, no matter when.“Tomorrow I'll get up whenever the sun rises.”
- Every time that.“Whenever he has a pair of aces, his eyelids twitch.”
- When ever: emphatic form of when.“Whenever will I find time to finish that jigsaw?”
- At any time.“Feel free to visit whenever.”
Where does whenever come from?
From Middle English whan evere, whanne ever, whanne evere, whener, when ever; equivalent to when + -ever.
Words that rhyme with whenever
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of whenever.
Questions about saying whenever
How do you pronounce whenever?
Say weh-NEV-er. The American pronunciation is /wɛˈnɛvɚ/. In British English it is /wɛˈnɛvə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in whenever?
Whenever has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NEV). Broken into parts: weh · NEV · er.
Is whenever pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /wɛˈnɛvə/ (weh-NEV-uh).