How do you pronounce the word "naïve"?

English doesn't use accent marks often, but every now and then, you'll see a word like naïve that keeps one. Those two dots over the "i" aren't just for style, though — they actually change how the word is pronounced. Let's take a look at what they do and why they matter.

Why does "naïve" have two dots?

Those two dots over the "i" in naïve are called a diaeresis (¨).

They signal that the "a" and "i" should be pronounced separately, rather than blending into one sound. While you don't see it often in English, the diaeresis still pops up in a few words, especially ones borrowed from other languages. The word naïve comes from French, where pronunciation markers like this are more common.

For example:

Noël: Makes it clear it's pronounced noh-EL, not NOL.

Coöperate: An older spelling that prevented it from looking like KOOP-er-ate instead of koh-OP-er-ate.

Most English words have dropped the diaeresis over time, but naïve has kept it. The word comes from French, where marks like this are more common and help make pronunciation clearer.

The correct way to say "naïve"

The correct pronunciation of "naïve" is nah-EEV. It has two syllables, and the vowels are pronounced separately.

Here's how it breaks down:

"Na" → Sounds like "nah" (rhymes with spa).

"ïve" → Sounds like "eev" (rhymes with leave).

Put it together, and you get nah-EEV.

Here are some examples to help you get familiar with how it sounds in context.

"She was naïve to think that she could trust everyone she met."

"As a naïve teenager, he thought he knew everything."

"Wendy had a naïve belief that everything would work out perfectly."

"It was naïve of me to think life would always be fair." 

The diaeresis might not be common in English, and you'll already see "naïve" written without the dots in some places, so maybe it won't stick around forever. But dots or no dots, we still pronounce it the same way.

"Naïve" isn't the only word with unexpected pronunciation. Want to learn more? Check out Daily Dose of Denglisch Docs!