English pronunciation · Words Starting with W
Wait Pronunciation
Wait is pronounced WAYT, IPA /ˈweɪt/.
WAYT
US /ˈweɪt/ · UK /ˈweɪt/
Syllables: WAYT (1 syllable)
verb and noun: To stay where you are until something happens, or a period spent doing so.
Audio for the American and British pronunciations plays on this page with JavaScript enabled.
Wait in a Sentence
- Wait here while I fetch the car.
- We had a long wait at the border.
- She waited two years for a reply.
Common Mispronunciations of Wait
Not VAYT
The w needs rounded lips and no contact between the teeth and the lower lip. Speakers of German, Russian and Hindi often reach for a v instead.
Not WET
The vowel is the long ay of eight. A short e turns the word into wet.
Tip: Wait and weight are said identically. Wait is the verb; weight is what the scales show.
More words starting with w · Every word in the pronunciation guide