A guide to saying it correctly
How to Pronounce Gyros
How to pronounce 'gyros', not a tourist. It's not what you think.
gyros
JAI-rohz
/ˈdʒaɪroʊz/ · JAI · rohz
Native US English · Kokoro neural TTS · 0:01
It's also a popular item on food truck menus and sometimes appears in articles about Mediterranean cuisine.
Where the word comes from
The word 'gyros' comes from the Greek word 'γύρος' (gyros), meaning 'turn' or 'circle'. This refers to the way the meat is cooked on a vertical rotisserie.
Common ways people get it wrong
- JEE-rohz This is a common mistake because the 'g' in 'gyros' is pronounced like a 'j', not a hard 'g'.
- GUY-rohz The 'y' in 'gyros' sounds like the 'i' in 'ice', not the 'uy' in 'guy'.
Frequently asked
How do you say gyros?
The most common pronunciation in American English is JAI-rohz. The 'g' sounds like a 'j' and the 'y' sounds like the 'i' in 'ice'.
Is it gyros or gyro?
'Gyros' is the plural form, referring to more than one sandwich. 'Gyro' is the singular form for one sandwich. Both are pronounced the same way.
Why do Americans say gyros like 'jai-rohz'?
While the Greek pronunciation is closer to 'yee-rohs', American English speakers have adapted it to fit common English phonetic patterns, making the 'g' a 'j' sound and the 'y' an 'eye' sound.
