How to Pronounce “sake”

American (US)

/ˈsɑːki/

British (UK)

/ˈsɑːki/

noun — Cause, interest or account.

Example: For the sake of argument.

A loanword from Japanese. The Japanese drink has two syllables, “SAH-keh”; the final e is a full vowel. The unrelated English word “sake” (for someone’s sake) is one syllable with a silent e.

Where the stress falls. “sake” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /ˈsɑːki/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

What does "sake" mean?

sake (noun): Cause, interest or account. For example — For the sake of argument.

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

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "sake", /ˈsɑːki/, 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 "sake"?

/ˈsɑːki/ in American English, /ˈsɑːki/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "sake"?

“sake” has 2 syllables, and the transcription /ˈsɑːki/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.