How to pronounce "holiday"

holiday

Noun
American
/ˈhɑː.lə.deɪ/

Syllable Breakdown

hol i day

How natives say holiday

British
/ˈhɒl.ɪ.deɪ/

Syllable Breakdown

hol i day

How natives say holiday

Pronunciation Guide In American

Pronunciation Steps

  • Start with 'hol', like in 'hollow' with stress.

  • Next, 'i' is pronounced like 'uh', as in 'sofa'.

  • End with 'day', rhyming with 'say'.

Common Mistakes

  • hall-i-day (hol-i-day)

  • ha-li-day (hol-i-day)

  • hoo-li-day (hol-i-day)

Pronunciation Guide In British

Pronunciation Steps

  • Start with 'hol', like in 'hollow', but with an open 'o'.

  • Next, 'i' is pronounced like 'ih', as in 'sit'.

  • End with 'day', same as in 'play'.

common mistakes

  • hall-i-day (hol-i-day)

  • ha-li-day (hol-i-day)

  • hoo-li-day (hol-i-day)

FAQ

Is the 'h' in 'holiday' silent?

No, pronounce the 'h' clearly.

Which syllable is stressed?

The first syllable 'hol' is stressed.

How to say the 'i' in 'holiday'?

In AmE, say it like 'uh'. In BrE, say it like 'ih'.

Definition

holiday

A special day of rest or celebration.

Word Family

holidays

/ˈhɑː.lə.deɪz/

noun

Multiple holidays

Example: We enjoy family holidays.

holy

/ˈhoʊ.li/

adjective

Sacred or religious

Example: It is a holy place.

holidaymaker

/ˈhɒl.ɪ.deɪmeɪ.kər/

noun

Someone on holiday

Example: The holidaymakers arrived.

Key Pronunciation Differences

Stress on different syllables

- 'hol-i-day' vs 'hol-i-days'.

Different vowel sounds

- 'hol-i-day' vs 'ho-ly'.

Compound word difference

- 'hol-i-day' vs 'hol-i-day-ma-ker'.

Pro Tips

Practice with Stress

Repeat 'holiday' emphasizing the first syllable to master stress.

Listen and Imitate

Use online dictionaries with audio to hear correct pronunciation.

Nearby Words

Test Your Pronunciation On Words That Have Sound Similarities With Holiday

abroad

/əˈbrɔd/

accelerate

/əkˈsɛləˌreɪt/

accident

/ˈæksɪdənt/

accommodate

/əˈkɑːməˌdeɪt/

accompany

/əˈkʌmpəni/

accomplish

/əˈkɑːm.plɪʃ/

afford

/əˈfɔrd/

airline

/ˈɛrˌlaɪn/

Other Categories

Test Your Pronunciation On Words Within Other Categories

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ability

agenda