Hear "Coffee"in a Southern Accent
Us Southerners don’t always say coffee the same way the unhillbillies do. You’ll often hear it come out as caw-fee or cawf-ee, with a rounded "aw" sound in the first syllable. Play the clip to hear how it sounds in real Southern speech, then - if you're up for a challenge - practice it yourself with our tips and sentences.
Say It Like a Southerner
Listen to our audio clip a few times, focusing on the "caw" sound, then repeat until it feels natural or matches our audio clip.
Regional Note
Southern accents vary widely from state to state and even holler to holler. The examples here reflect speech patterns common to rural Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, western North Carolina, north Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas, and aren't meant to represent lowland or coastal "Deep South" varieties. Nor are the examples perfect - accents can be hyper-regional. They're provided for curious learners, actors and content creators, and ESL speakers who want a friendly introduction to authentic pronunciation. Learn more on the Southern Accent hub page.