To pronounce "nave", say NAV-e — 2 syllables, IPA /neɪv/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.
nave
Tap to hear · American accent
Accent
If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.
Speed
Syllable by syllable — tap each one
Record yourself saying nave, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.
2
Syllables
4
Letters
/neɪv/
IPA
"nave" has 2 syllables: nav-e. It rhymes with enclave and waive, if that helps it stick.
Sounds exactly like: knave — easy to mix up when writing.
noun
Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.
Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.
"Nave" has 2 syllables: nav · e.
The IPA transcription of "nave" is /neɪv/.
Nave: The middle or body of a church, extending from the transepts to the principal entrances.
Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?
Open “nave” in the full dictionary →