English pronunciation · Words Starting with R

Riyadh Pronunciation

Riyadh is pronounced ree-AD, IPA /riˈæd/.

ree-AD

US /riˈæd/

Syllables: ree · AD (2 syllables, stress on syllable 2)

proper noun: The capital city of Saudi Arabia, on the central plateau of the Arabian Peninsula.

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Riyadh in a Sentence

  • The conference moved to Riyadh in February.
  • Riyadh sits about six hundred metres above sea level.
  • Flights to Riyadh take around six hours from London.

Common Mispronunciations of Riyadh

Not RY-ad

The first vowel is a short ri, not the eye of ride. English speakers read the iy as a single long sound when it is really two quick ones.

Not ree-YAHD

The stressed vowel in the usual English version is the flat a of bad. The Arabic original is closer to ri-YAAD with a long ah, and that is fine too.

Tip: The dh at the end is a plain d in English. Arabic gives it a soft th, as in the word this.

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