3 syllables: Ca, ra, cas. Stress on ra.
kur-AH-kuhs
/kɚˈɑkəs/
Caracas is pronounced kur-AH-kuhs (/kɚˈɑkəs/). It has three syllables (Ca-ra-cas), with the stress on "ra". Caracas is the capital and largest city of Venezuela. As a proper noun, it refers to the nation’s political and cultural center and is commonly pronounced with two syllables and a stressed second syllable in many varieties of English, though some speakers place the stress earlier. In Spanish, the city name is pronounced with a clear final vowel and final s sound, reflecting its Spanish-language origin.
nounCaracas is the capital and largest city of Venezuela. As a proper noun, it refers to the nation’s political and cultural center and is commonly pronounced with two syllables and a stressed second syllable in many varieties of English, though some speakers place the stress earlier. In Spanish, the city name is pronounced with a clear final vowel and final s sound, reflecting its Spanish-language origin.
How to Pronounce Caracas
"The Caracas weather was surprisingly mild for the season."
"Tourists often visit Miramar and the historic center in Caracas."
"Caracas has a mix of colonial architecture and modern skyline."
Pronounce as /kəˈræ.kəs/ in common American and British English, with the primary stress on the second syllable. The first syllable is a schwa, the second contains a clear 'rack' vowel, and the final 'as' sounds like a soft 'kus' (kəs). If you’re pronouncing with a Spanish influence, you may hear /kaɾaˈkas/, where the stress is on the second syllable and the vowels are purer Spanish. Audio references: you can compare with native speaker examples on Pronounce or YouGlish to hear regional variations. Practice: break into syllables, then blend smoothly to best match your target accent.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress on the first syllable (ca-RA-cas) instead of the second, (2) overemphasizing the first vowel, producing /ˈkær.ə.kəs/? or something similar, (3) pronouncing the final -as as a hard /z/ or /s/ without consideration of devoicing. Correction: keep stress on the second syllable, use a mid-short 'a' as in 'cat' in the second syllable, and end with a light schwa + s (kəs). For Spanish-influenced speakers, avoid turning the vowels into pure Spanish vowels and maintain English-appropriate r-coloring and a reduced final vowel before the s.
In US/UK English, /kəˈræ.kəs/ with stress on the second syllable and a rhotic American r if applicable. In some varieties, you may hear a closer /kəˈɾæ.kəs/ with a tapped or flapped r. In Australian English, expect similar stress but slightly more vowel reduction and non-rhotic tendencies in some speakers, producing /kəˈɹækəs/ or /kəˈɾækəs/ with a softer r. Spanish influence yields /kaˈɾa.kas/ with consistent r-sound and two clear vowels per syllable. IPA guides: listen to native pronunciations for precise regional differences.
The difficulty lies in the two-syllable rhythm with stress on the second syllable, the short a in the second syllable, and the final unstressed -as blending into a light schwa. English speakers may default to a hard 'ar' or misplace the stress, while speakers with Spanish background may maintain Spanish vowel qualities, reducing the English schwa. Mastering the soft, unstressed final -as and the middle vowel requires listening and practice with minimal pairs and targeted shadowing to capture the correct rhythm and mouth position.
A unique aspect is balancing the two-syllable rhythm with the final 'cas' cluster, where the 'c' is a hard /k/ and the final /əs/ or /s/ depending on the dialect. Achieving a crisp second-syllable vowel while maintaining a soft, compact final /əs/ is key. To nail it, practice with a model like /kəˈræ.kəs/ and contrast it with /kaɾaˈkas/ to hear the differences in syllable timing, stress, and vowel quality. Use native audio to calibrate mouth positions precisely.
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Caracas originates from the Caracas region’s indigenous or early Spanish nomenclature, with discussions around the origin linked to the Venezuelan geography and colonial-era naming conventions. The modern city name was established during Spanish colonization and has persisted into contemporary usage as the recognized capital since the 19th century. The term is consistently linked to Venezuela as a political and cultural hub, and it appears in multiple languages with predictable adaptations (Caracas in English and Spanish, Caracas in many other languages). The etymology is often traced to pre-Columbian or early colonial vocabulary that described the river valley or the place where fortifications were built; scholars point to a mixture of local hydronyms and colonial labeling. The word’s first known uses appear in colonial documents and maps, continuing into modern encyclopedic references and travel literature that identify Caracas as both a city and a national capital. In contemporary usage, it is widely recognized as a proper noun, commonly associated with urban development, governance, and international relations connected to Venezuela. Despite stylistic shifts in capitalization and diacritics across languages, the root has remained stable through centuries of linguistic evolution.
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Words that rhyme with "Caracas"
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