The spelling of the word "steffes" can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The initial syllable is pronounced /stɛf/, with the "e" pronounced like the short "e" in "get". The second syllable is pronounced /əz/ with a schwa sound followed by a voiced "z" sound. Altogether, "steffes" is pronounced /stɛfəz/. It is important to note that the "e" in "stef" can also be pronounced like the long "a" in "cake", depending on the speaker's dialect or accent.