2 syllables: Kau, ai. Stress on Kau.
KOW-eye
/ˈkaʊˌaɪ/
Kauai is pronounced KOW-eye (/ˈkaʊˌaɪ/). It has two syllables (Kau-ai), with the stress on "Kau". Kauai is a Hawaiian proper noun referring to the northeasternmost of the main Hawaiian Islands. In English, it is typically pronounced with three syllables and stress on the first or second syllable depending on speaker, often approximated as Kuh-EYE-ee or KA-oo-EYE, reflecting the island’s Hawaiian pronunciation and English adaptation.
nounKauai is a Hawaiian proper noun referring to the northeasternmost of the main Hawaiian Islands. In English, it is typically pronounced with three syllables and stress on the first or second syllable depending on speaker, often approximated as Kuh-EYE-ee or KA-oo-EYE, reflecting the island’s Hawaiian pronunciation and English adaptation.
"We spent our vacation exploring Kauai's Na Pali Coast."
"Kauai is famous for its lush scenery and the Waimea Canyon."
"The flight to Kauai took about six hours, with a short layover."
In American English, the common pronunciation is kuh-WAI-ee or KA-wai-ee, with three syllables and a primary stress on the second syllable: /kəˈwaɪ.i/ or /ˈkaʊ.aɪ.i/. For a more Hawaiian flavor, aim for /ˈka.u.ʔai.i/ where the ʻokina (glottal stop) after Kaua leads to a slight pause between ka- and wai, and the final i is light. Think “kah-wahy-ee” with a gentle glide. Reference audio: Pronounce and native Hawaiian resources can provide the authentic glottal stop and vowel length.
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying KA-wai-ee instead of kuh-WAI-ee) and compressing three syllables into two (KWAH-ee or KAU-ee). Another pitfall is treating the final -ai as a simple long I rather than a final quick -ee sound; practice the final short -i after a clear mid-to-high vowel. A practical correction: start with ku-WY-EE, then adjust to a lighter, quicker end. Use slow repetition with a slight pause after kau to reflect the natural Hawaiian break.
US: common kuh-WAI-ee with secondary 'uh' before the W sound; UK: similar but with less rhotic emphasis and more precise vowel quality, sometimes /ˈkɔːwaɪ.i/; AU: often merges vowels, producing /kəˈwaɪ.i/ with a flatter intonation. The Hawaiian ʻokina is rarely pronounced in everyday English, though in careful speech you may hear a brief glottal stop between ka- and wai. Overall, US tends to give stronger stress on the second syllable, UK is steadier, and AU tends to compress vowels slightly.
The challenge lies in balancing three syllables with a potential glottal stop and the Hawaiian vowel quality in -ai-. The main phonetic hurdles are the mid-to-high vowels and the diphthong in -wai-, which can blur into a single vowel for non-native speakers. Also, accurate stress placement on the second syllable is essential to avoid mispronunciations that could sound like KA-wai-ee. Practicing clear articulation of wai (W-Y) and the final -i helps. IPA guidance: /kəˈwaɪ.i/ or /ˈkaʊ.aɪ.i/ depending on variant.
Kauai is often mistaken for two-syllable island names, while authentic Hawaiian form includes a subtle glide and potential glottal stop between ka- and wai. The combination of a non-stress-tied first consonant cluster and the -ai ending can confuse learners about whether to vocalize the i as a separate syllable. The most useful cues are the three distinct segments: KA- (or KU-), WAI, and -I, with the middle diphthong requiring attention to mouth shape and lip rounding.
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Kauai derives from the Hawaiian language, in which the island is called Kauaʻi, with a glottalized vowel and a long i at the end. The name forms part of the archipelago’s native toponymy and is believed to be linked to ancestral chiefs and Hawaiian cosmology, though exact origins are debated. In Western usage, the name was transliterated by early explorers and missionaries, appearing in English texts from the 18th century onward. The diacritic ʻān (the į with a macron-like mark) indicates a long or stressed vowel in Hawaiian orthography, and with modernization, ʻī often becomes a high-front vowel followed by a small glide, leading English speakers to approximate the three-syllable pronunciation. Over time, English adoption has stabilized as Kauai, with a stress pattern that varies among speakers, but the most common modern pronunciation in American English is KA-wah-ee or kuh-WAI-ee, retaining the Hawaiian vowel qualities while smoothing consonants for ease of speech.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Kauai" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Kauai"
-lly sounds
-eye sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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