How to pronounce carabao
Say it like kar-uh-BAY-oh. Carabao has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (BAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce carabao. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kar
- uh
- BAY
- oh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Carabao pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- karKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- BAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of carabao
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: kar-uh-BAY-oh.
What does carabao mean?
- A domesticated subspecies of water buffalo, Bubalus bubalis carabanesis.
Where does carabao come from?
Borrowed from Spanish carabao, from Waray-Waray karabaw, from Malay kerbau, from Proto-Malayic *kAr(ə)baw, ultimately from Proto-Mon-Khmer *krpiʔ ~ *krpiiw ~ *krpuʔ ~ *(kr)puh (“buffalo”).
Words that rhyme with carabao
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of carabao.
Questions about saying carabao
How do you pronounce carabao?
Say kar-uh-BAY-oh. The American pronunciation is /kærəˈbeɪoʊ/. In British English it is /kærəˈbeɪəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in carabao?
Carabao has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (BAY). Broken into parts: kar · uh · BAY · oh.
Is carabao 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 /kærəˈbeɪəʊ/ (kar-uh-BAY-oh).