How to pronounce "relays" in EnglishNoun
rɪˈleɪz
rih·LAYZ
Primary stress: LAYZ
Hear native speakers say relays in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “relays”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
rih
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
LAYZ
Gliding diphthong with sustained vocal resonance.
Primary emphasis falls on the second syllable ("LAYZ"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels.
How Native Speakers Say It: Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When "relays" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "relays is" sounds like "relays-iz").
In natural sentences, avoid over-stressing "relays" unless it conveys the core contrast or focal point of your message.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“He ran with 41 pacers that were organized perfectly in relays in order to give him support every step.”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“It didn't have all the strings in it, didn't have all of the relays and all the stuff there, but if we gave it a command to change that we knew how much it would change and how long”— MIT OpenCourseWareWatch clip
“they were built using magnetic relays or vacuum tubes.”— WIREDWatch clip
“least three random detours called relays so your request could go from New York to South Africa from South Africa to Hong Kong and then from Hong Kong to New”— CNBCWatch clip
“Storm commenced with a devastating US air strike targeting Iraqi air defenses, communication relays, weapon factories, and oil refineries.”— Simple HistoryWatch clip
“But they got bronze in the Olympics because relays are about teamwork, particularly in an event like the 4x100.”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
Practice Speaking “relays”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
He ran with 41 pacers that were organized perfectly in relays in order to give him support every step.
Hear it in context: “relays”
25 clipsThe English word “relays” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as rɪˈleɪz (phonetic respelling: rih-LAYZ). Phonologically, it consists of 2 syllables (rih · LAYZ), with primary lexical stress placed on the 2nd syllable (LAYZ). Grammatically, “relays” functions as a noun, verb and acts as an English heteronym where syllable stress shifts between noun (initial-syllable stress) and verb (second-syllable stress) usage. SayItVid indexes 25 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “relays” in natural connected speech across American (US: 8 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from TEDx Talks, MIT OpenCourseWare, WIRED.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (5 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #1 · @6:55
“the when finally the day of the race arrived, he was neither alone. He ran with 41 pacers that were organized perfectly in relays in order to give him support every step. Actually, him support every step. Actually,”
- 🇺🇸 USMIT OpenCourseWareClip #2 · @69:44
“He gave us a functional GN&C system. It didn't have all the strings in it, didn't have all of the relays and all the stuff there, but if we gave it a command to change that we knew how much it would change and how long but if we gave it a command to change that we knew how much it would change and how long”
- 🇺🇸 USWIREDClip #3 · @12:17
“If you go back to computers from the 1930s and 40s, they were built using magnetic relays or vacuum tubes. Then in the 50s and 60s,”
- 🇺🇸 USCNBCClip #4 · @2:22
“Jersey instead of connecting you directly the tor browser takes you on at least three random detours called relays so your request could go from New York to South Africa from South Africa to Hong Kong and then from Hong Kong to New to South Africa from South Africa to Hong Kong and then from Hong Kong to New”
- 🇺🇸 USSimple HistoryClip #5 · @1:32
“around 650,000 personnel. On the morning of January 17th, 1991, Operation Desert Storm commenced with a devastating US air strike targeting Iraqi air defenses, communication relays, weapon factories, and oil refineries. Following a 5-week communication relays, weapon factories, and oil refineries. Following a 5-week”
Definition & Meaning: “relays”
- A new set of hounds.
- A new set of horses kept along a specific route so that they can replace animals that are tired.
- To pass on or transfer (information).
- To release a new set of hounds.
Example Sentences (3)
- “The CCTV cameras relay what's going on to the headquarters.”
- “He ran with 41 pacers that were organized perfectly in relays in order to give him support every step. Actually,”
- “It didn't have all the strings in it, didn't have all of the relays and all the stuff there, but if we gave it a command to change that we knew how much it woul”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “relays”
- Pronunciation:
- rih-LAYZ
- Syllables:
- rih · LAYZ
- Written Hyphenation:
- re · lays
- Primary stress:
- LAYZ
- IPA:
- rɪˈleɪz
- Hear it in context
- relays
Words that Rhyme with “relays”
-eɪzWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"relays" (⁄rɪˈleɪz⁄) has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "relays" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about relays
How do you pronounce “relays”?
“relays” is pronounced ⁄rɪˈleɪz⁄ (rih-LAYZ). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
How many syllables are in “relays”?
“relays” has 2 syllables: rih · LAYZ.
Where is the stress in “relays”?
The primary stress in “relays” is on “LAYZ”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “relays” mean?
A new set of hounds.
How can I hear “relays” used in real sentences?
This page has 25 real-world video examples of “relays” with synchronized subtitles. Use Previous / Next (or ← / → keys) to hear each one at the exact moment it is spoken.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “relays”?
Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels. Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).