How to Pronounce Acai
How do you say acai?
ah-sah-EE
- IPA (US)
- /ˌɑːsɑːˈiː/
- IPA (UK)
- /ˌɑːsɑːˈiː/
ah·sah·ee
3 syllables, stress on the third.
Is it uh-KAI or ah-sah-EE?
- ✗ Not standard uh-KAI: The original spelling is açaí. The cedilla under the ç makes it an S sound, not a K.
- ✗ Not standard ah-SIGH: Acai has three syllables. The accented í at the end is its own stressed 'ee': ah-sah-EE.
Acai pronunciation in British vs American English
American English: ah-sah-EE, three syllables with the stress on the last.
British English: Also ah-sah-EE, though a blended ah-sigh-EE is often heard.
What does acai mean?
A small, dark purple berry from the açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea) of the Amazon, usually sold as frozen pulp for smoothies and smoothie bowls.
Where does acai come from?
From Brazilian Portuguese açaí, which comes from the Tupi word ïwasa'i, often translated as 'fruit that cries' or 'fruit that expels water'. Two marks are lost when English drops the accents: the cedilla on ç makes the C an S, and the accent on í puts the stress on the final syllable. In Portuguese it is a-sa-EE.
Acai in a sentence
- I'll have an acai bowl with granola and banana.
- Acai is usually sold as frozen pulp because the fresh berries spoil quickly.
- The smoothie gets its deep purple colour from acai.