How to pronounce desperado
Say it like des-puh-RAH-doh. Desperado 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 desperado. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- des
- puh
- RAH
- doh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Desperado pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- desGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- puhKeep 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 desperado
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: deh-spuh-RAH-doh.
What does desperado mean?
- A bold outlaw, especially one from southern portions of the Wild West.
- A person in desperate circumstances or who is at the point of desperation, such as a down-and-outer, an addict, etc.
- A person who is desperately in love or is desperate for a romantic or sexual relationship.
Where does desperado come from?
From obsolete Spanish desperado, past participle of desperar, archaic form of desesperar (“to despair”), from Latin disperare (“to despair, to lose hope”), from prefix dis- + sperare (“to hope”).
Words that rhyme with desperado
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of desperado.
Questions about saying desperado
How do you pronounce desperado?
Say des-puh-RAH-doh. The American pronunciation is /ˌdɛspəˈrɑdoʊ/. In British English it is /dɛspəˈrɑːdəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in desperado?
Desperado has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (RAH). Broken into parts: des · puh · RAH · doh.
Is desperado 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 /dɛspəˈrɑːdəʊ/ (deh-spuh-RAH-doh).