How to pronounce Colorado
Say it like kol-uh-RAH-doh. Colorado has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (RAH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Colorado. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kol
- uh
- RAH
- doh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Colorado pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kolGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- RAHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- dohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of Colorado
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: kol-uh-RAH-doh.
Other ways to say Colorado
Colorado also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- kah-luh-RAD-oh /ˌkɑləˈrædoʊ/
What does Colorado mean?
- a state in west central United States in the Rocky Mountains
- a river in Texas; flows southeast into the Gulf of Mexico
- an important river in the southwestern United States; rises in the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado and flows southwest through Utah into Arizona (where it flows through the Grand Canyon) and then southward through the southern tip of Nevada, then forming the border between California and Arizona and finally into Mexico where it empties into the Gulf of California; the main source of water in the southwestern United States
Where does Colorado come from?
Borrowed from Spanish colorado.
Words that rhyme with Colorado
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Colorado.
Questions about saying Colorado
How do you pronounce Colorado?
Say kol-uh-RAH-doh. The American pronunciation is /ˌkɑləˈrɑdoʊ/. In British English it is /ˌkɒləˈrɑːdəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Colorado?
Colorado has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (RAH). Broken into parts: kol · uh · RAH · doh.
Is Colorado pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˌkɒləˈrɑːdəʊ/ (kol-uh-RAH-doh).