How to pronounce bureau
Say it like BYUUR-oh. Bureau has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BYUUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bureau. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BYUUR
- oh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bureau pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BYUURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of bureau
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: BYOOR-roh.
What does bureau mean?
- an administrative unit of government“the Central Intelligence Agency”“the Census Bureau”
- furniture with drawers for keeping clothes
Where does bureau come from?
Unadapted borrowing from French bureau, earlier "coarse cloth (as desk cover), baize", from Old French burel (“woolen cloth”), diminutive of *bure (compare Middle French bure (“coarse woolen cloth”), French bourre (“hair, fluff”)), from Lat
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with bureau
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bureau.
Questions about saying bureau
How do you pronounce bureau?
Say BYUUR-oh. The American pronunciation is /ˈbjʊroʊ/. In British English it is /ˈbjʊərəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bureau?
Bureau has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BYUUR). Broken into parts: BYUUR · oh.
Is bureau pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈbjʊərəʊ/ (BYOOR-roh).