FRANCE · FORWARD
How to pronounce
Kylian Mbappé
kee·lee·AHNuhm·BAH·pay
Native [ki.ljɑ̃ mba.pe] → American /ˌkiː.liˈɑːn (ə)mˈbɑː.peɪ/
Sound by sound
6 little beats. BIG = the stressed part.
- kee the ‘ee’ in see
- lee the ‘ee’ in see
- AHN the ‘ah’ in father — say this beat loudest
- uhm the relaxed ‘uh’ in sofa
- BAH the ‘ah’ in father — say this beat loudest
- pay the ‘ay’ in day
Like a local vs like an American
Don’t say…
- em-BAP
- MBAP-ay
- muh-BAP-ee
- kee·lee·AHN uhm·BAH·pay — stress on AHN and BAH
Where the name comes from
Mbappé is a Cameroonian surname — his father is from the island of Djébalè, home to the Sawa people, where names beginning with “Mb-” are common. (His mother is of Algerian Kabyle heritage.) That West-African origin is why the name opens with the un-English “Mb”; Kylian is a modern French given name.
- Nation
- France
- Position
- Forward
- Club
- Real Madrid
- Born
- 20 Dec 1998
Why French names trip up English speakers
- Nasal vowels. -an, -on, -in, -en are said through the nose in French; American English just uses the plain vowel + n.
- Silent endings. Final consonants are often silent, and -é is ‘ay’ (Dembélé → dahm-beh-LAY).
- The French R is made in the back of the throat; Americans simply use a normal ‘r’.
- Stress falls late — usually toward the last syllable, not the first.
Hear it for real
Say it out loud — and check it.
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Practice in the appMore France names
FAQ
How do you pronounce Kylian Mbappé?
Kylian Mbappé is pronounced kee·lee·AHN uhm·BAH·pay in American English — 6 beats, stressing AHN and BAH.
What position does Kylian Mbappé play?
Kylian Mbappé is a forward and captain of the France national team; he plays his club football for Real Madrid.
Where does the name Mbappé come from?
Mbappé is a Cameroonian surname — his father is from the island of Djébalè, home to the Sawa people, where names beginning with “Mb-” are common. (His mother is of Algerian Kabyle heritage.) That West-African origin is why the name opens with the un-English “Mb”; Kylian is a modern French given name.