How to Pronounce Why

To pronounce "why", say WHY — one syllable, IPA /waɪ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

why

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

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1

Syllable

3

Letters

/waɪ/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “why”

"why" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with wry and exemplify, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: wai, wye, y — easy to mix up when writing.

What does why mean?

noun

  1. Reason

    “A good article will cover the who, the what, the when, the where, the why and the how.”

adverb

  1. For what cause, reason, or purpose (interrogative adverb).
  2. For which cause, reason, or purpose (relative adverb).

    “That's the reason why I did that.”

interjection

  1. An exclamation used to express indignation, mild surprise, or impatience.

Synonyms

whereforehow cometo what end

Hear “why” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with why

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

wryexemplifyrectifyhighlieapplyfortifyawrymollifyamplifynullifycry

Related words

whereforeexplainingexplanationresultrationalecausereasonconsequence

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "why"?▾

"Why" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "why"?▾

The IPA transcription of "why" is /waɪ/.

What does "why" mean?▾

Why: Reason

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