Chachalacas are pronounced “chah-chuh-lah-kuhz” in English, following the phonetic spelling. In Spanish, the pronunciation is “chah-chah-lah-kahs.” The emphasis is placed on the second syllable in both pronunciations.
When pronouncing “chah-chuh-lah-kuhz,” the “ch” sound at the beginning is similar to the “ch” sound in “chair.” The “ah” is a short vowel sound like the “a” in “cat.” The “uh” sound is a neutral vowel sound, similar to the “u” in “but.” The “lah” sound is a short vowel sound, similar to the “a” in “cat.” The final “kuhz” sound is pronounced like the word “coos” but with a “k” sound instead of a “c.”
In the Spanish pronunciation, “chah-chah-lah-kahs,” the “ch” sound remains the same as in English. The “ah” sound is a short vowel sound like the “a” in “cat.” The “lah” sound is also a short vowel sound, similar to the “a” in “cat.” The final “kahs” sound is pronounced like the word “cause” but with a softer “s” sound.
It’s worth noting that the pronunciation of words can vary slightly depending on regional accents and dialects. The given pronunciations are general guidelines that should help you communicate the word “chachalacas” accurately.