# How do you pronounce Havanese?



## AnneSoCal (Sep 4, 2011)

I'm wondering how everybody pronounces Havanese. I ask because I've been saying it one way and have heard it pronounced another way. 

I pronounce it: Hah Vah Knees

I've heard it as: Have Ah Knees

Just wondering....


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

I don't know who is right but I have also heard Hava knees.


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## TwoHappyHavs! (Jul 8, 2007)

Hmmmm ... I've always called them HahVahKnees. But now you have me wondering - which is closer sounding to Havana (where they originated)?LOL Maybe I'll stick with "Neezers" LOL


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

I say hava knees


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## Trixie (Oct 9, 2010)

i have knees too. lol :whoo:


sooo foolish, but i couldn't resist.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

I say ha va neeze, but I heard it pronounced on a book take as Have a neese. The have a neeze sounds more like Havana, but then I really don't know how Havana is pronounced by the Cubans.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I'm in the have a knees camp and I've only heard it this way in any conversations I've had with anyone involved in the breed. But it might be influenced by where you live.


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## CrazieJones (May 28, 2011)

Sigh... let's just say I hate English.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

I have never heard it pronounced "HAVE" but always HAV. and "knees" on both. I do however have a hav-a-niece!!! that would be my brothers Hav. LOL


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

Hava Knees too, but you can also say Bumi (Boomi), yeah, that sounds just about right! eace:


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

Webster's says Hav`an*ese", which would mean "Have-an-ees" and would put the accent on the first or second syllable, so they're really trying to get the Spanish pronunciation.

I could not say that 100 times a day.


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## Becky Chittenden (Feb 4, 2009)

WE have knees too, but I've heard the other but not often. I had a kennel club friend (who saddly and suddenly passed away recently) who was from Cuba. He, even with his accent pronounced the breed as knees.


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## irishnproud2b (Jan 13, 2009)

I say, and have mostly heard, Have-a-knees. It's where the Havtohavit rescue store gets it's name  But my husband always says Hah-va-knees. Don't think it really matters.


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