English pronunciation · Words Starting with U

Uruguay Pronunciation

Uruguay is pronounced YUR-uh-gway, IPA /ˈjɝəˌgwaɪ/.

YUR-uh-gway

US /ˈjɝəˌgwaɪ/

Syllables: YUR · uh · gway (3 syllables, stress on syllable 1)

proper noun: A country on the Atlantic coast of South America, between Argentina and Brazil.

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Uruguay in a Sentence

  • Uruguay won the first World Cup in 1930.
  • We spent a week on the coast of Uruguay.
  • Uruguay has the smallest population in mainland South America.

Common Mispronunciations of Uruguay

Not OO-roo-gway

English begins this name with a y glide, YUR, the same opening as in urine and uranium. The Spanish original does use a plain oo.

Not yur-uh-GWY

Front of the name takes the beat and the gway at the end stays light. Note that the final syllable rhymes with way, not with why.

Tip: Three syllables in English, YUR-uh-gway. Uruguayan adds a fourth and moves the beat: yur-uh-GWAY-uhn.

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