SENEGAL · DEFENDER
How to pronounce
Kalidou Koulibaly
Say it
kah·lee·DOOkoo·lee·BAH·lee
American /ˌkɑliˈduː ˌkuliˈbɑli/
Sound by sound
7 little beats. BIG = the stressed part.
- kah the ‘ah’ in father
- lee the ‘ee’ in see
- DOO the ‘oo’ in food — say this beat loudest
- koo the ‘oo’ in food
- lee the ‘ee’ in see
- BAH the ‘ah’ in father — say this beat loudest
- lee the ‘ee’ in see
Get it right
- kah·lee·DOO koo·lee·BAH·lee — stress on DOO and BAH
- Nation
- Senegal
- Position
- Defender
Why French names trip up English speakers
- Nasal vowels. -an, -on, -in, -en are said through the nose in French; American English just uses the plain vowel + n.
- Silent endings. Final consonants are often silent, and -é is ‘ay’ (Dembélé → dahm-beh-LAY).
- The French R is made in the back of the throat; Americans simply use a normal ‘r’.
- Stress falls late — usually toward the last syllable, not the first.
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FAQ
How do you pronounce Kalidou Koulibaly?
Kalidou Koulibaly is pronounced kah·lee·DOO koo·lee·BAH·lee in American English — 7 beats, stressing DOO and BAH.
What position does Kalidou Koulibaly play?
Kalidou Koulibaly is a defender for Senegal (the Senegalese national team).