2 syllables: lar, go. Stress on lar.
LAHR-goh
/ˈlɑɹɡoʊ/
largo is pronounced LAHR-goh (/ˈlɑɹɡoʊ/). It has two syllables (lar-go), with the stress on "lar". Largo is a musical tempo marking meaning broadly 'wide, broadly slow' and also used in general to describe something very slow or drawn out. In music, it designates a slow, dignified tempo, slower than adagio and larghetto. Outside music, it can describe a leisurely, expansive style or movement, often implying length or breadth in duration or gesture.
Largo is a musical tempo marking meaning broadly 'wide, broadly slow' and also used in general to describe something very slow or drawn out. In music, it designates a slow, dignified tempo, slower than adagio and larghetto. Outside music, it can describe a leisurely, expansive style or movement, often implying length or breadth in duration or gesture.
- Misplacing stress on the second syllable or reducing the first vowel; keep the stress on LA. - Underpronouncing the 'r' or turning it into a soft, muted sound; ensure a clear rhotic link before the final consonant. - Not distinguishing the final 'o' sound from a schwa; practice a distinct open-mid back rounded vowel. Tips: practice with isolation drills, then syllable by syllable, then whole-word articulation. - Common mispronunciations include 'lar-go' with an English 'ar' as in 'car' instead of a broad 'la' as in 'spa'. Practice with mouth position guides; keep jaw relaxed and throat open for a broad, preserved first vowel and a crisp 'g' before the final 'o'.
"The conductor set the tempo to largo for the opening movement."
"She spoke with a largo, unhurried cadence that invited reflection."
"In the painting, the largo brushstrokes created a serene, expansive mood."
You say it as LAHR-go, with the stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU: /ˈlɑːrɡo/ (US typically /ˈlɑrɡo/, UK and AU often /ˈlɑːɡə/ in some accents). Start with a low, open 'la' then a heavy 'r' followed by a clear 'go' or 'goh' depending on vowel reduction. Picture a broad, steady vowel in 'la' and a crisp, single rhotic 'r' before the 'go' consonant cluster. Listening to recordings can help align the vowel length and rhotic quality.
Common errors: softening the 'r' to a tap or not fully articulating the final 'o' as a pure vowel. Some speakers reduce the final syllable too much, saying 'lar-guh' instead of 'lar-go.' Correction tips: maintain a strong American/Australian 'r' or use a pressed, slightly rolled 'r' in the middle; end with a clean 'o' or 'oh' depending on your accent. Also avoid conflating with 'large' by keeping the final 'o' rounded and distinct.
In US English, /ˈlɑːrɡo/ or /ˈlɑrɡo/, rhotic 'r' and back open 'a' vowel. UK/AU may render the second vowel as an unstressed schwa, /ˈlɑːɡə/ or /ˈlɑːɡəʊ/ in some pronunciations, with less rhotic emphasis and a slightly shorter 'o' or 'ə' depending on become part of connected speech. Australians often maintain a clear 'r' in careful speech but may reduce vowels in fast speech. Pay attention to rhoticity and whether the final vowel is fully pronounced or reduced.
The difficulty lies in balancing the broad vowel in the first syllable with a crisp, single 'r' consonant and the smoothly rounded final vowel. English speakers can overemphasize the 'r' or underpronounce the second syllable, leading to 'lar-ger-oh' or 'lar-goo' mispronunciations. Focus on a clean 'la' vowel, a mid-to-back 'a' quality, a lightly pronounced but not overly rolled 'r,' and a clear 'o' that may be an open back vowel or a shortened schwa depending on accent.
No silent letters. The stress is on the first syllable: LAH-r-go. In practice, connected speech may reduce the final vowel in rapid speech to a schwa or omit it in some English renderings, but in careful speech and musical contexts, you should maintain the two clear syllables with a strong first syllable and a perceptible second, especially when coaching tempo markings.
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- US: rhotic /ɹ/ is strong; keep the 'r' in the middle and maintain a broad /ɑː/ in the first syllable. The final /o/ tends to be a rounded open vowel. - UK: often less rhotic in slower speech; the final vowel may be a light /ə/ or /əʊ/ depending on pacing. The first vowel tends to be a slightly tenser /ɑː/. - AU: can mirror US rhotics but with more vowel reduction in casual speech; final /ə/ or /o/ may be shortened. Across all, the key is a crisp, single consonant cluster /ɡ/ followed by a rounded vowel. Use IPA anchors: US /ˈlɑɹɡo/, UK /ˈlɑːɡə/, AU /ˈlɑːɡə/. Focus on maintaining a steady tempo and a calm mouth posture.
Largo comes from the Italian adjective largo meaning 'wide, broad, spacious' and the adverbial form with the same meaning. In Italian, largo derives from Latin largus meaning 'abundant, generous, wide.' In music, the term appears in early Italian musical instruction and scores where tempo markings guided expressive stretch and breadth of tempo. By the late 16th and 17th centuries, largo entered Germanic and English-speaking musical literature as a direct translation of the Italian marking, preserving its sense of broad tempo and expansive phrasing. The modern usage in orchestral and choral works typically places largo at a distinctly slower pace than adagio, though exact BPM can vary by composer—often around 40–60 BPM in common practice, but sometimes slower for solemn or ceremonial pieces. The word has since broadened into general English usage to describe anything slow and expansive, retaining the idea of width and duration. First known printed musical usage traces to Italian composers of the late Renaissance and early Baroque, with subsequent adoption in English-language musical terminology in 17th–19th centuries. Across languages, the concept remains tied to breadth of motion and time, reflecting its etymological roots in largus/larġus meaning 'ample' or 'extensive.'
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "largo" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "largo"
-rgo sounds
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