2 syllables: a, go. Stress on go.
uh-GOH
/əˈɡoʊ/
ago is pronounced uh-GOH (/əˈɡoʊ/). It has two syllables (a-go), with the stress on "go". Ago means a time previously indicated or understood, often used to refer to a period before the present moment. It signals pastness without specifying how long ago. In everyday use, it frames events in relation to now, as in “a long time ago.”.
Ago means a time previously indicated or understood, often used to refer to a period before the present moment. It signals pastness without specifying how long ago. In everyday use, it frames events in relation to now, as in “a long time ago.”
- You’ll often over-extend the first syllable; keep the first syllable as a quick, neutral /ə/. Focus on a crisp /ɡoʊ/ in the second syllable. - Some learners insert an extra vowel between /ɡ/ and /oʊ/, producing /ə-ɡəʊ/; practice the rapid switch to the diphthong without inserting another vowel. - Another error is replacing /oʊ/ with a shorter /o/ or /oʊ/-like sound that remains unrounded; ensure a full, tense, rounded diphthong /oʊ/ in US and /əʊ/ in UK. - Don’t voice the initial /ɡ/ too softly; ensure a clear onset with no vowel preceding it. - Finally, watch for English learners who put prosodic emphasis on “ago” as a content-bearing word; in many contexts, it’s a functional adverb and carries light stress.
"I started learning piano a long time ago."
"Two weeks ago, we moved here, and it already feels different."
"The decisions you made yesterday are in the past, but the consequences lingered long ago."
Say /əˈɡoʊ/ in US and /əˈɡəʊ/ in UK. The first syllable is a weak, schwa-ish /ə/, unstressed. The second syllable carries primary stress with a clear /ɡ/ onset, followed by a long /oʊ/ (US) or /əʊ/ (UK). Keep the mouth relaxed for the first vowel, then close to produce the /ɡ/ onset and a tense, rounded /oʊ/ vowel. Listen for a quick, smooth transition between syllables.
Common errors include over-stressing the first syllable (/əˈɡoʊ/ with too much emphasis), pronouncing as /æɡoʊ/ with a bright /æ/ vowel, or breaking it into two clipped syllables like /ə-ɡo/. The correct pattern is a light initial /ə/ and a strong, compact /ˈɡoʊ/ on the second syllable. Practice by starting with a relaxed /ə/ then quickly springing into /ɡoʊ/ without adding a vowel between consonants. Focus on making the /ɡ/ onset tight and the /oʊ/ long and tense.
In US English, /əˈɡoʊ/ with a rhotacized influence on surrounding vowels is common (though /ɚ/ is not used here). UK English often features a slightly shorter first vowel and a more clipped /ə/ before /əʊ/; Australia typically resembles US but with a slightly flatter /oʊ/ diphthong and less pronounced rhoticity in some speakers. Core is the unstressed schwa followed by a strong /ɡoʊ/ or /ɡəʊ/. Expect minor vowel quality shifts but consistent final /oʊ/ or /əʊ/.
The challenge lies in the short, neutral first syllable /ə/ and the tense, rounded second syllable /ɡoʊ/. Learners often misplace vowel length, making /əˈæɡoʊ/ or insert an extra vowel between /ɡ/ and /oʊ/. The rapid, two-syllable rhythm can slip into a single venturing sound; keep the second syllable strong and crisp, ensuring a clean /ɡ/ onset and the long /oʊ/ diphthong.
A key feature is the very brief, unconstrained first syllable (/ə/). You must avoid fully articulating /æ/ or /ɑ/ here. The second syllable carries the main energy: /ˈɡoʊ/. Practicing with minimal pairs, like ‘ago’ vs ‘egg-o’ (hypothetical) or contrasting with ‘logo’ helps cement the unstressed–stressed pattern. Pay attention to the transition from a relaxed vowel to a tight /ɡ/ onset and a rounded, rising diphthong /oʊ/.
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- US: emphasize rhotic influence in surrounding vowels; keep /ə/ relaxed and let /ɡoʊ/ be the focal point. IPA: /əˈɡoʊ/. - UK: shorter initial vowel, preserve the /əʊ/ closing diphthong in some speakers; IPA: /əˈɡəʊ/. - AU: similar to US, but with often less prounounced rhotics; IPA: /əˈɡoʊ/; may sound flatter in the final diphthong. Key is tight /ɡ/ onset and long /oʊ/ or /əʊ/. - General: maintain a fast, light first syllable to prevent trailing vowels; the second syllable must be crisp and rounded.
Ago derives from Middle English ago, from Old English for, meaning ‘before’ or ‘in the past,’ and related to geā (yore) and the Germanic base *ā-, meaning ‘toward’ or ‘before.’ The historical sense of time before the present moment developed in English through phrases like ‘some days ago’ and ‘long ago,’ strengthening its function as a temporal adverb modifier. In older English, forms like ‘ago’ functioned as a postposed temporal adverb in clauses (“years ago”). The word’s semantic reach broadened from concrete distance in time to general reference for past events, seeding metaphorical uses such as “ages ago” and “way back when.” By the early modern period, ‘ago’ had settled into its modern standalone role, with stable pronunciation and usage in both spoken and written English, maintaining its concise temporal value while blending with idiomatic structures (e.g., “a long time ago”). Its continued ubiquity reflects its efficiency in signaling pastness without specifying duration.
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Words that rhyme with "ago"
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