3 syllables: bar, be, cue. Stress on bar.
BAHR-bik-yoo
/ˈbɑɹbɪˌkju/
barbecue is pronounced BAHR-bik-yoo (/ˈbɑɹbɪˌkju/). It has three syllables (bar-be-cue), with the stress on "bar". Barbecue (also barbecue, barbecuing) refers to a method of cooking meat, typically outdoors, over a grill or pit, often with smoke and a sauce. The term can denote the event, the cooking technique, or the equipment used. In many regions, it also colloquially means the flavored dish prepared by this method, or the gathering itself where such cooking occurs.
Barbecue (also barbecue, barbecuing) refers to a method of cooking meat, typically outdoors, over a grill or pit, often with smoke and a sauce. The term can denote the event, the cooking technique, or the equipment used. In many regions, it also colloquially means the flavored dish prepared by this method, or the gathering itself where such cooking occurs.
- You: You’ll hear that many learners reduce the middle vowel to a more central or closed sound (e.g., /ɪ/ to /ɨ/ or /ə/). Correct by keeping a short /ɪ/ or /ə/ in the middle and clearly releasing into /kjuː/. - Stress: Some misplace stress on the second syllable (/ˌbɑːrˈbe.kjuː/). Practice with primary stress on the first syllable and ensure smooth transition to /kjuː/. - Final cluster: The transition between /k/ and /juː/ can blur into /kj/ or /kju/; practice the release from /k/ into /juː/ with a clean glide.
"We’re hosting a barbecue this weekend and invited everyone to bring a side dish."
"The recipe calls for a slow barbecue, letting the meat absorb the smoky flavor."
"They barbecued ribs and chicken, slathered in a tangy sauce."
US pronunciation: /ˈbɑːr.bɪ.kjuː/; stress on the first syllable. UK/AU share /ˈbæː.bi.kjuː/ or /ˈbɑː.bi.kjuː/ depending on speaker. The final -cue is /kjuː/. Break it as bar-be-cue, with the middle syllable a lax /bɪ/ or a reduced /bə/. Mouth positions: start with an open back lower jaw, then a short /ɪ/ near the center, finish with a rounded /kjuː/.”,
Common mistakes: 1) Pronouncing the middle as /bɜː/ or /bruː/ instead of a short /bɪ/ or /bə/. 2) Slurring: /ˈbɑːr.bɪ.kjuː/ into /ˈbɑːr.bə.kwʊ/ by misplacing /k/ before a strong /juː/. 3) Stress misplacement, saying /ˈbɑːr.bə.kjuː/ with incorrect first-syllable emphasis. Correction: keep the primary stress on the first syllable and articulate the /bɪ/ clearly, then release to /kjuː/ without an extra vowel. Use a light schwa in the second syllable if your dialect compresses vowels.”,
US tends to /ˈbɑːr.bɪ.kjuː/ with strong /r/ and its American rhoticity. UK often shifts to /ˈbæb.ɪ.kjuː/ or /ˈbɑː.bi.kjuː/ with less rhoticity in some regions and a shorter /æ/ in the first syllable. AU mirrors US rhotic with a similar /ˈbɑː.bi.kjuː/ or /ˈbæː.bi.kjuː/ depending on speaker and region; some speakers reduce the second syllable to /bɪ/ or /bə/. Across all, the final /kjuː/ remains (the -cue) but vowel length and quality vary slightly.”,
The difficulty comes from the tri-syllabic structure and the consonant cluster at the end: /b/ + /ɪ/ + /kjuː/. Non-native speakers often confound the /bɪ/ part with /bɨ/ or compress /juː/ to /juː/ or /juː-ɚ/. The sequence /r/ in US English after /b/ adds rhotic complexity for non-rhotic speakers. Additionally, the rapid transition into /kjuː/ requires precise lip rounding for /juː/ while keeping the preceding /ɪ/ clear. Practice with slow pacing and separate mouth positions to reassemble them smoothly.”,
In barbecue, the final sound is the consonant cluster /kjuː/ (the -cue). It does not pronounce as a separate /uː/ vowel; rather it forms a /k/ plus the /juː/ (the “you” sound). Think of it as bar-be-cue with the last syllable /kjuː/. Some speakers may reduce to /kjoo/ or /kjuː/ without a full vowel separation, but the essential element is the /juː/ following /k/.
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- US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; preserve the /ɹ/ sound and ensure the mid vowel is distinct. - UK: may have a shorter first vowel, less rhoticity in some dialects; emphasize the /kjuː/ cluster. - AU: similar to US rhoticity; slight vowel lowering in the first syllable and consistent final /juː/. Use IPA checks to align vowels. - Vowel contrasts: first syllable /bɑː/ or /bæb/ depending on region; aim for a consistent /ɑː/ or /æ/ that matches your target accent. - Consonants: ensure /r/ is pronounced in US; in some UK dialects /r/ is not rhotacized in syllable-final positions, adjust accordingly.
Barbecue derives from the Spanish word barbacoa, itself from the Taino word barbaco, a framework of sticks used for cooking meat over a fire. Early European explorers in the Caribbean documented ‘barbacoa’ as a technique where meat was cooked slowly over hot coals inside a wooden shelter. The American term barbecue arrived later, anglicized from the Spanish name for the technique, and became prevalent in the southern United States in the 19th century. The word spread as communities organized outdoor gatherings centered on meat cooked with smoke and sauce. Over time, barbecue evolved to denote not only the method but also the social event and the culinary styles associated with different regions (e.g., Carolina, Memphis, Kansas City). In modern usage, “barbecue” also refers to the sauces and rubs that accompany the meat, and as a verb (“to barbecue”) describing the cooking process. The first known printed usage in English appeared in the 18th century, but regional oral traditions likely predate this, with the term entering mainstream lexicon through trade, immigration, and culinary writing in the United States and beyond.
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Words that rhyme with "barbecue"
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