How to pronounce Chicago
Say it like shuh-KAH-goh. Chicago has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Chicago. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- shuh
- KAH
- goh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Chicago pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- shuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- KAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- gohGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of Chicago
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: shih-KAH-goh.
What does Chicago mean?
- largest city in Illinois; a bustling Great Lakes port that extends 26 miles along the southwestern shoreline of Lake Michigan
- a gambling card game in which chips are placed on the ace and king and queen and jack of separate suits (taken from a separate deck); a player plays the lowest card of a suit in his hand and successively higher cards are played until the sequence stops; the player who plays a card matching one in the layout wins all the chips on that card
Words that rhyme with Chicago
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Chicago.
Questions about saying Chicago
How do you pronounce Chicago?
Say shuh-KAH-goh. The American pronunciation is /ʃəˈkɑˌɡoʊ/. In British English it is /ʃɪˈkɑːɡəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Chicago?
Chicago has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KAH). Broken into parts: shuh · KAH · goh.
Is Chicago 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 /ʃɪˈkɑːɡəʊ/ (shih-KAH-goh).