2 syllables: Nas, sau. Stress on Nas.
NAS-aw
/ˈnæsɔ/
Nassau is pronounced NAS-aw (/ˈnæsɔ/). It has two syllables (Nas-sau), with the stress on "Nas". Nassau is the capital city of the Bahamas, and also a surname or place name used in various contexts. In pronunciation terms, Nassau is a two-syllable word that commonly appears with stress on the first syllable in English, though some readers may encounter it with variable vowel qualities depending on speaker and context.
nounNassau is the capital city of the Bahamas, and also a surname or place name used in various contexts. In pronunciation terms, Nassau is a two-syllable word that commonly appears with stress on the first syllable in English, though some readers may encounter it with variable vowel qualities depending on speaker and context.
You’ll hear that careful mouth positions, especially for the second syllable, yield a natural Nassau.”
How to Pronounce Nassau
"I booked a flight to Nassau for my vacation."
"The Nassau is a historic district in the city, with colonial-era architecture."
"Sir Henry Nassau authored an influential treatise in the 18th century."
Nassau is pronounced as /ˈnæsɔː/ in US and UK English, with two syllables: NAS (stressed) + saw (unstressed, a long o-like sound approaching /ɔː/). In careful pronunciation you emphasize the first syllable and let the second vowel drift toward a mid to open back vowel. For audio reference, imagine saying ‘nas’ followed by ‘saw’ quickly, blending into a two-syllable word. IPA: US/UK /ˈnæsɔː/; Australian often mirrors /ˈnæsɔː/ as well.
Common errors include aging the second syllable to a tense schwa or a tense short ‘a’ sound, making it /ˈnæsæ/ or /ˈnæsoʊ/ instead of /ˈnæsɔː/. Another mistake is misplacing the accent, pronouncing it as /ˈneɪsɔː/ or /ˈnæˈsɔː/ with two equal vowels. Correct by keeping stress on the first syllable, using a lax back vowel in the second syllable close to /ɔː/, and reducing the second syllable to a longer, rounded back vowel. Practice with minimal pairs to fix vowel quality.
In US, UK, and AU accents, Nassau maintains /ˈnæsɔː/ with a stressed first syllable. The main variation lies in the second syllable’s vowel quality and rhotic influences: US tends toward a longer, rounded /ɔː/; UK non-rhotic speakers may have a shorter or less pronounced second vowel; AU pronunciation generally aligns with /ɔː/ but can be slightly more centralized in rapid speech. Overall, the primary difference is duration and vowel timbre, not syllable count.
The difficulty comes from the short, closed first syllable with /æ/ followed by a longer, rounded /ɔː/ in the second syllable, which is less intuitive for non-native speakers. The two-syllable structure with stress on the first syllable can cause learners to overemphasize the second syllable or collapse it. Also, the second syllable’s vowel can vary toward /oʊ/ or /ɔ/ depending on speaker. Focus on keeping /æ/ in the first syllable and a steady, rounded /ɔː/ in the second.
There are no silent letters in Nassau. Both letters in each syllable contribute to the sound: the first syllable contains a clear /æ/ or /æ/ and the second includes a rounded /ɔː/ sound. The challenge is aligning the two distinct vowel qualities within a two-syllable frame while maintaining stress on the first syllable.
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Nassau derives from the pre-Columbian and colonial-era geographic naming traditions. The name appears in Nassau, Bahamas, founded in 1648 by the English founding group under the influence of English colonization; the toponym Nassau is linked to the Dutch House of Nassau, a prominent European royal house. The Bahamas capital adopted Nassau as a designation for the region and later for the city itself as it grew into a political and economic hub in the Caribbean. The name’s usage spread to diaspora communities and places bearing the mantle of Nassau, reflecting colonial links and imperial naming practices. First known uses in English appear in travel logs and colonial administrative records from the 17th to 18th centuries, with the Bahamian capital becoming a central reference in maritime and colonial history. Over time, Nassau has also been used as a surname, which may derive from or be inspired by the place name. The word’s geographic and historical associations contribute to its recognizability and distinctive pronunciation in English-language contexts beyond the Bahamas.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Nassau" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Nassau"
-sow sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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