The spelling of the word "epae" can be confusing due to the unusual combination of letters. However, in phonetic transcription, it is easy to understand: /ɛpɛ/. This means that the word is pronounced with two syllables, with the first syllable having a vowel sound similar to "eh" and the second syllable having the same sound as the first. The spelling may appear unusual but the pronunciation is straightforward once you know the phonetic transcription.