The word “fugue” is pronounced as /fjˈuːɡ/ in English, sounding like “fyoog” with the emphasis on the first syllable. In IPA, that’s typically written as /fjˈuːɡ/. The pronunciation starts with a sound like “f” plus a “y” glide (the /fj/ cluster), followed by the long “oo” vowel as in “blue,” and ends with a hard “g” as in “go.” Key notes:
- US and UK pronunciations are the same in most dictionaries, both listed as /fjuːɡ/ or /fjˈuːɡ/ depending on the source.
- The musical sense “fugue” (a polyphonic composition) uses the same pronunciation as the general word.
- If you’re unsure, listening to native speakers—such as pronunciation clips from reputable dictionaries—can help solidify the exact vowel length and consonant timing.
For practice, try saying it in a sentence like: “The composer wrote a brilliant fugue in the finale.”
