NATION
How to pronounce
Paraguay
PAR·uh·gwahy
Native [pa.ɾaˈɣwaj] → American /ˈpær.ə.ɡwaɪ/
Sound by sound
3 little beats. BIG = the stressed part.
- PAR the ‘ar’ in car — say this beat loudest
- uh the relaxed ‘uh’ in sofa
- gwahy a long i, like eye
Talking about Paraguay
The words that trip people up — what to call the team, the people, and the language.
- One person
- a Paraguayan
- The people / the team
- Paraguayans (the team: <em>La Albirroja</em>)
- As an adjective
- Paraguayan
The nationality word is Paraguayan. The team’s nickname is La Albirroja — “the white-and-red” — after the jersey. CONMEBOL, South American soccer’s governing body, has its headquarters just outside the capital.
Like a local vs like an American
Don’t say…
- PAIR-uh-gway
- par-uh-GWAY
- PAR-uh-gway (flat ending)
- PAR·uh·gwahy — stress on PAR
Where the name comes from
Paraguay takes its name from the Paraguay River, and the river’s name comes from Guaraní — the exact source is debated, but it is widely read as para + guay, water and river, roughly “river of waters” (other readings tie it to the Payaguá people who lived along it). Notice the country, the river, and the capital region all grew from the same word.
- Capital
- Asunción
- Confederation
- CONMEBOL (headquartered in Asunción)
- Best World Cup finish
- Quarter-finals (2010)
Hear it for real
Say it out loud — and check it.
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Practice in the appFAQ
How do you pronounce Paraguay?
Paraguay is pronounced PAR·uh·gwahy in American English — 3 beats, with the stress on PAR.
Where does the name Paraguay come from?
Paraguay takes its name from the Paraguay River, and the river’s name comes from Guaraní — the exact source is debated, but it is widely read as <em>para</em> + <em>guay</em>, water and river, roughly “river of waters” (other readings tie it to the Payaguá people who lived along it). Notice the country, the river, and the capital region all grew from the same word.
Is Paraguay related to Uruguay?
Only in the ending. Both names come from Guaraní and both end in <em>-guay</em>, tied to water and rivers, but they are separate countries — Paraguay is landlocked in the interior, while Uruguay sits on the Atlantic coast.