How to pronounce Oahu
Say it like oh-AH-hoo. Oahu has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Oahu. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- oh
- AH
- hoo
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Oahu pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- AHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- hooKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of Oahu
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: oh-AH-hoo.
What does Oahu mean?
- The third-largest island of Hawaii, included in the City and County of Honolulu.
Where does Oahu come from?
From Hawaiian Oʻahu, probably a corruption of Hawaiian o + Hawaiian ahu (cognate with Rapa Nui ahu), thus [place] of an altar or platform.
Words that rhyme with Oahu
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Oahu.
Questions about saying Oahu
How do you pronounce Oahu?
Say oh-AH-hoo. The American pronunciation is /oʊˈɑhu/. In British English it is /əʊˈɑːhuː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Oahu?
Oahu has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AH). Broken into parts: oh · AH · hoo.
Is Oahu 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 /əʊˈɑːhuː/ (oh-AH-hoo).