The question of how to pronounce Ski Doo is one that comes up quite frequently in our Discord chat rooms. While there may be a few correct ways to say it, there are various other spellings and pronunciations that are often used. So, let’s get into it. Be aware that this will be a bit of a pronunciation lesson, as we will teach you how to say it right!
Table of Contents
The Correct Way To Say It
We’ll begin with the proper way to say it. This is what you should say if you want to sound like a true American:
“Ski-doo.”
As you may have guessed, this is how it’s spelled. But, if you’re in France, you’ll say:
“Si-di.”
And in Germany, it’s:
“See-di.”
These are all correct ways to say it. However, there is one more common way to say it, and that’s what most people in Canada say:
“Squeez-eye.”
Yes, in Canada, they say it like: “squeez-eye.”
People in Canada also tend to say ‘Ski Doo’ with a long ‘O’ sound, like’squeez-eye.’ You’ll often hear people say ‘Squeez-eye, I hear Canada is beautiful this year!’ In fact, some people in Canada have even changed their name to sound more like “American.”
Now that you know the right way to say it, you can start moving around and exercising while keeping your voice lower. Try saying it like this: “Ski-doo.”
Other Variations
While ‘Ski Doo’ may have only one correct pronunciation, it has dozens of different spellings and pronunciations. Here are some of the more common variations:
Ski-Duk
This is an alternate spelling and pronunciation that is often used in the UK. To most English speakers, it will sound like a French bulldog yapping. However, it’s not that difficult to learn how to say it correctly. It begins with a long ‘O’ sound, like this:
“Ski-duk.”
Then, the ‘D’ should be pronounced like the ‘T’ in ‘think’:
“Ski-duk.”
You can even make the ‘K’ sound like ‘S’ in’suitcase’:
“Ski-duk.”
If you want to master this pronunciation, try saying ‘kennel’ and ‘carnival’ as you would ‘Ski-duk.’
Skeedoo
This is another spelling and pronunciation variant that began as a mistake back in the 1800s. It was originally spelled ‘Ski-dew’ and was meant to be said like a’skeeing’ sound:
“Skeedoo.”
Since then, it’s been shortened to ‘Skeedoo’ and many people in North America say it that way now. They say it with a short ‘O’ sound, like this:
“Skedoo.”
Try saying ‘Skeedoo’ with an Indian accent and you’ll see what we mean. It really does sound like a combination of the words’skeeing’ and ‘tew’!
Ski-Di
This is another common variation that occurs when a ‘Yoo’ is added to the end of the word. It’s often used in Australia and New Zealand. Some people say it like this:
“Ski-di.”
While others, like this man from New Zealand, say it like this:
“Ski-di.”
Regardless of how you say it, it tends to be pronounced like’sski,’ but with a ‘D’ in the middle: “Ski-di.”
If you don’t live in North America, you’ll probably never need to learn how to say this one. But, for those that do, here’s a quick lesson:
Ski-di means ‘two ski passes.’ It’s used like this: ‘Ski-di, let’s go for a tandem ride!’ ‘Ski-di, you mean we have to bring our own skis?’ ‘Ski-di, what happens if it’s raining?’ Or, ‘Ski-di, can we upgrade to a larger vehicle?
In the above example, you can also see why it’s pronounced like’sski’ with a ‘D’ in the middle. The first two letters in ‘Ski-di’ are the same as the first two letters in’skeeing,’ so it has a similar sound. But the last three letters, especially the ‘D,’ make it distinct from’skeeing.’ Try saying it loud, you’ll see what we mean.
Si-Duk
This is a similar spelling and pronunciation variant, but it’s used in Switzerland. To most English speakers, it will sound like a cross between a French bulldog and Samoyed. But it’s not that difficult to learn:
“Si-duk.”
First, the ‘D’ is said like the ‘T’:
“Si-duk.”
Then, the ‘U’ and ‘K’ are both like the ‘S’ in’suitcase’:
“Si-duk.”
You can also make the ‘I’ sound like the ‘E’ in ‘bet’:
“Si-duk.”
However, that would make this part of the word a little too long, so instead, the ‘I’ and ‘K’ are both said like the ‘C’ in ‘cat’:
“Si-duk.”
This is how you say it: “Si-duk.”
If you don’t live in Switzerland, you might never need to learn this one. But, for those that do, here’s a quick lesson:
“Si-duk is short for ‘Sierra Nevada,’ the name of one of the biggest mountain ranges in California. It’s named after Joseph Sawyer, the first mayor of Reno. But, since it’s one of the biggest mountain ranges in the whole country, everyone calls it ‘Si-Duk.’”
Sii-Di
This is a similar spelling and pronunciation variant, but it comes from the Italian Alps. To most English speakers, it will sound like a slightly higher-pitched ‘Flanders’ (as in the region in northern Belgium where dogs are known for their loyalty).
“Sii-di.”
Like the German spelling and pronunciation variant above, the ‘D’ in this one is like the ‘T’, but the ‘I’ and ‘K’ are both like the ‘S’ in’suitcase’:
“Sii-di.”
To make the ‘Sii’ part of the word shorter, the ‘I’ and ‘K’ are typically both said like the ‘C’ in ‘cat,’ like this:
“Sii-di.”
If you don’t live in the Italian Alps, you might never need to learn this one. But, for those that do, here’s a quick lesson:
“Sii-di is the Italian spelling for ‘Sierra Nevada,’ the American state in California and Nevada. Most people there have changed their names to sound more like native speakers. Thus, you’ll often hear people there say ‘Sii-di, I love your accent!’ or ‘Sii-di, where are you from?’”
Now that you know the correct way to say it, you can start moving around and exercising while keeping your voice lower. Try saying it like this: “Sii-di.”