Ecuador flag NATION

How to pronounce
Ecuador

Say it

EHK·wuh·dor

Native [e.kwaˈðoɾ] → American /ˈɛk.wə.dɔːr/

Sound by sound

3 little beats. BIG = the stressed part.

  1. EHK the ‘eh’ in bed — say this beat loudest
  2. wuh the relaxed ‘uh’ in sofa
  3. dor the ‘or’ in for

Talking about Ecuador

The words that trip people up — what to call the team, the people, and the language.

One person
an Ecuadorian
The people / the team
Ecuadorians (the team: <em>La Tri</em>)
As an adjective
Ecuadorian

The nationality word is Ecuadorian (also written “Ecuadorean”). Fans call the team La Tri — short for la tricolor, after the three-color flag.

Like a local vs like an American

In the original [e.kwaˈðoɾ]
On US broadcasts EHK·wuh·dor

Don’t say…

  • EK-wuh-dor (flat first vowel)
  • ek-WAH-dor
  • EK-wuh-DOR
  • EHK·wuh·dor — stress on EHK

Where the name comes from

Ecuador is simply the Spanish word for “equator” — the country sits squarely on the line, and its full name is the República del Ecuador, “Republic of the Equator”. The name was proposed in 1830 when the region split from Gran Colombia; before that it was known by the name of its highland capital, Quito.

Capital
Quito
Confederation
CONMEBOL
World Cup appearances
5 (debut 2002)

Hear it for real

YouGlish — real US broadcast clips Forvo — native speakers

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FAQ

How do you pronounce Ecuador?

Ecuador is pronounced EHK·wuh·dor in American English — 3 beats, with the stress on EHK.

Where does the name Ecuador come from?

Ecuador is simply the Spanish word for “equator” — the country sits squarely on the line, and its full name is the <em>República del Ecuador</em>, “Republic of the Equator”. The name was proposed in 1830 when the region split from Gran Colombia; before that it was known by the name of its highland capital, Quito.

Does Ecuador really mean “equator”?

Yes. <em>Ecuador</em> is the Spanish word for the equator, the imaginary line of zero latitude that runs right through the country — which is why it sits in both the northern and southern hemispheres at once.