How to pronounce costa
Say it like KAW-stah. Costa has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAW).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce costa. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KAW
- stah
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Costa pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KAWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- stahKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of costa
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: KOS-tuh.
What does costa mean?
- a riblike part of a plant or animal (such as a middle rib of a leaf or a thickened vein of an insect wing)
- any of the 12 pairs of curved arches of bone extending from the spine to or toward the sternum in humans (and similar bones in most vertebrates)
Where does costa come from?
Unadapted borrowing from Latin costa (“a rib”).
Questions about saying costa
How do you pronounce costa?
Say KAW-stah. The American pronunciation is /ˈkɔstɑ/. In British English it is /ˈkɒstə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in costa?
Costa has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAW). Broken into parts: KAW · stah.
Is costa 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 /ˈkɒstə/ (KOS-tuh).