Pronouncing Brunei: A Guide To Getting It Right

The country of Brunei has a variety of pronunciations depending on the language and accent. In the UK and US, it is pronounced /bruːˈnaɪ/, with the first syllable rhyming with brew. In other languages, it is pronounced differently, for example, in German it is /ˈbʁuːnaɪ̯/, and in French, it is /bʁy.nɛj/ or /bʁy.nej/.

How to say Brunei in the UK

To say Brunei in the UK, the correct pronunciation is 'bruːˈnaɪ'. This is the same in the US.

The word rhymes with 'high', 'sigh' or 'Nye' as in 'Bill Nye the science guy'.

The phonetic spelling is [b r oo n AY].

The name is ultimately derived from Sanskrit, 'वरुण' (váruṇa), which also referred to the island of Borneo.

How to say Brunei in the US

To say the name of the country Brunei in the US, the pronunciation is "bruːˈnaɪ". This can also be written in a more simplified form as "BREW-nei", where "nei" rhymes with "high", "sigh", or "Nye" as in "Bill Nye the science guy".

The country of Brunei is officially known as the "Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace". It is located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. The capital and largest city in the country is Bandar Seri Begawan.

The name "Brunei" is derived from the Malay word "Brunei", which itself probably originates from the Sanskrit word "váruṇa". The country is also known by its official name, "Negara Brunei Darussalam".

In other languages, the pronunciation of "Brunei" varies. For example, in the UK, it is pronounced as "bruːˈnaɪ", while in Portuguese, it is pronounced as "/bɾuˈnej/ [bɾuˈneɪ̯]". In Malay, the word is pronounced as "Brunei" or "Brunei Darussalam".

How to say Brunei in Canada

The pronunciation of Brunei in English is /bruːˈnaɪ/. This is the same in both the UK and the US.

In other languages, the pronunciation varies. For example, in French, it is /bʁy.nɛj/ or /bʁy.nej/, and in German, it is /ˈbʁuːnaɪ̯/. In Swedish, it is pronounced /ˈbrunei̯/, and in Portuguese, it is /bɾuˈnej/ or /bɾuˈneɪ̯/.

In Canada, which has two official languages, English and French, you would therefore say Brunei as /bruːˈnaɪ/ or /bʁy.nɛj/ or /bʁy.nej/.

How to say Brunei in the Philippines

The standard way to say Brunei in English is /'bruːnaɪ/, with the first syllable rhyming with "brew" and the second syllable rhyming with "high", "sigh", or "Nye" (as in Bill Nye the science guy). This pronunciation is used in both the UK and US.

In the Philippines, the pronunciation is slightly different: /bɾuˈnaj/ [bɾʊˈn̪aɪ̯]. This pronunciation may be influenced by the local language or accent.

• Focus on the first syllable, which should be pronounced with a long "u" sound, as in "brew."
• The second syllable should be a clear, short "i" sound, as in "high."
• If you are familiar with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), the pronunciation of Brunei in English is /bruːˈnaɪ/, and in the Philippines, it is /bɾuˈnaj/ [bɾʊˈn̪aɪ̯].
• Practice saying the word slowly at first, and then gradually increase your speed as you become more comfortable with the pronunciation.

How to say Brunei in Portuguese

The word "Brunei" in Portuguese is spelled the same way it is in English but is pronounced differently.

In Portuguese, the word "Brunei" is a proper noun and is pronounced as follows:

• (Brazil) IPA: /bɾuˈnej/ [bɾuˈneɪ̯]
• (Portugal) IPA: /bɾuˈnɐj/
• (Portugal) IPA: /bɾuˈnɐj/
• (Northern Portugal) IPA: /bɾuˈnej/
• (Central Portugal) IPA: /bɾuˈnej/
• (Southern Portugal) IPA: /bɾuˈne/

The different pronunciations in various regions of Portugal are due to the country's rich linguistic diversity, with distinct accents and dialects spoken across its northern, central, and southern regions.

In comparison, the word "Brunei" in English is pronounced as /bruːˈnaɪ/ in both the UK and the US.

Frequently asked questions