How to pronounce adieu
Say it like uh-DYOO. Adieu has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DYOO).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce adieu. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- DYOO
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Adieu pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- DYOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of adieu
American and British speakers say adieu in essentially the same way: /əˈdju/ in the US and /əˈdjuː/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-DYOO.
What does adieu mean?
- Said to wish a final farewell; goodbye.
- A farewell, a goodbye; especially a fond farewell, or a lasting or permanent farewell.“We bid our final adieus to our family, then boarded the ship, bound for America.”
Where does adieu come from?
From Middle English adieu also adew, adewe, adue, from Old French adieu (“to God”), a shortening of a Dieu vous comant (“I commend you to God”), from Medieval Latin ad Deum (“to God”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with adieu
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of adieu.
Questions about saying adieu
How do you pronounce adieu?
Say uh-DYOO. The American pronunciation is /əˈdju/. In British English it is /əˈdjuː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in adieu?
Adieu has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DYOO). Broken into parts: uh · DYOO.
Do Americans and Brits say adieu the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈdju/ and the British form is /əˈdjuː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.