# Feb-roo-ary or Feb-you-ary- What do you say? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 22, 2006, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198 "2006-12-22T08:02:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/1 "2006-12-22T08:02:37Z")
A California-born, Idaho-dwelling friend made fun of me for saying “Feb-you-ary”. I told you I’ve never heard anyone actually pronounce it the way it’s spelled. What about you & the people in your area? ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/2 "2006-12-22T08:03:20Z")
Canadian, so I may not be the best referrent for you, but Feb-you-ary. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/3 "2006-12-22T08:18:21Z")
2nded. Feb-you-ary. ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/4 "2006-12-22T08:21:05Z")
Feb-ry. Two syllables here. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/5 "2006-12-22T08:23:35Z")
Feb-you-ary. I say it that way on the radio, too. I’m hard pressed to think of when I’ve actually heard anyone pronounce it the way it’s spelled. I’m sure I must have, but none come to mind. Ask me in six weeks! ---
**Author:** ![AThingWithFeathers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@AThingWithFeathers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AThingWithFeathers)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/6 "2006-12-22T08:26:59Z")
Feb-rary. There’s a u in it, but only if you listen v. carefully. I had it drilled into my head by a nun that one must pronounce all of its letters, and I cringe every time it’s said otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/7 "2006-12-22T08:31:19Z")
Feb’ry in casual conversation, Feb-ru-ary in more formal contexts. ---
**Author:** ![aclubs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@aclubs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aclubs)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/8 "2006-12-22T09:00:50Z")
Feb-yoo-ree. The Brits pronounce it easier. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrattiAtti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@BrattiAtti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrattiAtti)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/9 "2006-12-22T09:28:08Z")
Feb-yu-ary. Feb-roo-ary slurs together and makes me feel like I have a speech impediment. Another California-born Idaho-dwelling friend… erm, stranger. ---
**Author:** ![Dinaroozie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Dinaroozie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinaroozie)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/10 "2006-12-22T09:37:59Z")
I’m a feb-roo-ary sayer. Not sure how that came about, but it’s been that was for as long as I can remember. I don’t think there’s a single accepted pronounciation here - I’ve heard it both ways, but I can’t guess as to which is the majority. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/11 "2006-12-22T09:53:43Z")
Just out of interest, for the folks who have said they pronounce it feb-you-ree or feb-you-ary… does the common mispronunciation of _nuclear_ (noo-cue-lar) bother you? ---
**Author:** ![aclubs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@aclubs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aclubs)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/12 "2006-12-22T10:03:23Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Just out of interest, for the folks who have said they pronounce it feb-you-ree or feb-you-ary… does the common mispronunciation of nuclear (noo-cue-lar) bother you? Not really. It’s a pronunciation in wide usage and there’s little chance of misunderstanding. Besides, I used to pronounce nuclear as the President does, so I’m not in a good position to complain. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/13 "2006-12-22T10:04:01Z")
Feb-yoo-ree or Feb-yoo-air-ree. Depends on how lazy I am at the time of sayin’ it. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/14 "2006-12-22T11:57:08Z")
Feb-ru-ary. 'Cause I’m a PITA that way. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/15 "2006-12-22T11:59:47Z")
Feb-y’-ry ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/16 "2006-12-22T12:03:49Z")
I worked for a man who pronounced it _febby-airy_ - I quit that job after 8 months. OK, it was because I found a better job, but I was looking because he was just so, so… well, that pronounciation was just one of his many charms. :rolleyes: As for me, I keep the first \*r \* in there, but somewhat slurred - not sure how to convey it phonetically here. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/17 "2006-12-22T12:12:11Z")
Feb-ree. Which follows Jan-ree. Or, in formal conversation, possibly Feb-yoo-ree. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/18 "2006-12-22T12:42:52Z")
feb bue arry ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/19 "2006-12-22T15:32:45Z")
“Feb-u-ary.” Just as if the first “r” were silent. I don’t pronounce the first “n” in “government,” either. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198/20 "2006-12-22T15:36:44Z")
You people scare me. 😉 Feb roo erry [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feb-roo-ary-or-feb-you-ary-what-do-you-say/385198.md?page=2)