How to Pronounce “safari”

American (US)

/səˈfɑːɹ.i/

British (UK)

/səˈfɑːɹ.i/

noun — An expedition to observe or hunt animals, especially in East Africa.

Example: They went on safari for a week in Tanzania.

Where the stress falls. “safari” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /səˈfɑːɹ.i/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /səˈfɑːɹ.i/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "safari" mean?

safari (noun): An expedition to observe or hunt animals, especially in East Africa. For example — They went on safari for a week in Tanzania.

How do you pronounce "safari" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "safari", /səˈfɑːɹ.i/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "safari"?

/səˈfɑːɹ.i/ in American English, /səˈfɑːɹ.i/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "safari"?

“safari” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /səˈfɑːɹ.i/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the second one — so the second syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.