pray · prey
pray /preɪ/ vs prey /preɪ/ — homophones. Both pronounced exactly the same: the diphthong /eɪ/ with an initial /pr/ cluster.
🔊 These two words sound EXACTLY the same
/preɪ/
Different spelling. Different meaning. Identical pronunciation.
verb — to speak to God or a higher power — 'she prays every morning'
mouth shape
diphthong /eɪ/ — mouth opens then glides to a smile — like 'say', 'day', 'play'
pray
/preɪ/
vowel length
noun — an animal hunted by another — 'the eagle spotted its prey' · 'bird of prey'
mouth shape
identical to pray — /preɪ/ — these two words are perfect homophones
prey
/preɪ/
vowel length
Spelling spotlight
pray
spelled with AY
say · day · play · stay
prey
spelled with EY
they · grey · obey · convey
Both -ay and -ey represent the same diphthong /eɪ/.
Key difference
There is no pronunciation difference — both are /preɪ/.pray is the verb (to speak to God); prey is the noun (an animal that is hunted). Context always makes it clear which is meant.
Example sentences
pray:“She prays every evening before bed.”
pray:“I pray this works out.”
prey:“The lion spotted its prey across the plain.”
prey:“Eagles are birds of prey.”
Hear it in a sentence
“They stopped to pray at the small roadside chapel.”
“The eagle spotted its prey from nearly half a kilometre away.”
Hear it in the wild
Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.
pray
Hear native speakers say “pray” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
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prey
Hear native speakers say “prey” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
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How teachers explain this
Approved tips from the community, sorted by helpfulness
Word families
pray family ▸
prey family ▸
Related pairs
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