How to pronounce cacao
Say it like kuh-KOW. Cacao has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KOW).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce cacao. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kuh
- KOW
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cacao pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- KOWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
American vs British pronunciation of cacao
American and British speakers say cacao in essentially the same way: /kəˈkaʊ/ in the US and /kəˈkaʊ/ in the UK.
British respelling: kuh-KOW.
What does cacao mean?
- A tree, Theobroma cacao, whose seed is used to make chocolate.
- The seed of this tree, the cocoa bean.
- Cocoa (hot drink).
Where does cacao come from?
From Spanish cacao, from Classical Nahuatl cacahuatl.
Words that rhyme with cacao
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cacao.
Questions about saying cacao
How do you pronounce cacao?
Say kuh-KOW. The American pronunciation is /kəˈkaʊ/. In British English it is /kəˈkaʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cacao?
Cacao has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KOW). Broken into parts: kuh · KOW.
Do Americans and Brits say cacao the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kəˈkaʊ/ and the British form is /kəˈkaʊ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.