How to pronounce co in American English

IPA /koʊ/ Syllables 1 · koh Stress 1st syllable

KOH

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Americans pronounce co as KOH (/koʊ/). It's 2 sounds in 1 syllable. The vowel glides through two positions, not one fixed shape — keep both halves audible.

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Sound by sound

Every sound in "co".

1 syllable, 2 sounds. Explore each sound's mouth shape and how it's made.

k/k/

Raise the back of your tongue to touch the soft palate (velum). Stop the air, then release.

oh/oʊ/

Start with your mouth slightly open, then close your jaw slightly as your lips round. Shift your tongue back slightly, then stretch the back up.

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Questions

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Is the American pronunciation of "co" different from British English?

American English uses different vowel shapes, a relaxed retroflex R, and connected-speech tricks like flap-T and glottal-stop T that British Received Pronunciation generally avoids. The respell "KOH" reflects the casual American form; British dictionaries typically print a citation form with crisper consonants and different vowel choices.