The vowel digraph ou is like a shape-shifting superhero in English—it can make many different sounds in one little pair of letters! You’ll hear it in words like out, soup, should, and cough. Learning “ou” will help you read and spell some of the most common (and tricky) English words.
Vowel Digraph ou
What Is the Vowel Digraph “ou”?
A vowel digraph happens when two vowels join together to create one sound.
But “ou” isn’t satisfied with just one—it has several pronunciations, making it both fascinating and a little tricky!
Common Sounds of “ou”
Here are some of the most popular ways you’ll hear “ou”:
- /aʊ/ – like in out, house, shout
- /uː/ – like in you, group, soup
- /ʌ/ – like in young, enough, touch
- /oʊ/ – like in soul, shoulder
Tip: The best way to learn them is to see them in words and say them out loud!
Words with Vowel Digraph ou
Words with “ou” = /aʊ/
Examples: out, sound
See in the picture how the vocal cords vibrate when producing /aʊ/.
Hear how the /aʊ/ sound pushes air out in “cow.”
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| out | /aʊt/ |
| about | /əˈbaʊt/ |
| shout | /ʃaʊt/ |
| mouth | /maʊθ/ |
| house (noun) | /haʊs/ |
| mouse | /maʊs/ |
| loud | /laʊd/ |
| cloud | /klaʊd/ |
| found | /faʊnd/ |
| ground | /ɡraʊnd/ |
| sound | /saʊnd/ |
| bound | /baʊnd/ |
| round | /raʊnd/ |
| count | /kaʊnt/ |
| south | /saʊθ/ |
| drought | /draʊt/ |
| doubt | /daʊt/ |
| couch | /kaʊʧ/ |
| pouch | /paʊʧ/ |
| scout | /skaʊt/ |
| clout | /klaʊt/ |
| sprout | /spraʊt/ |
| stout | /staʊt/ |
| snout | /snaʊt/ |
| spout | /spaʊt/ |
| flounce | /flaʊns/ |
| announce | /əˈnaʊns/ |
| pronounce | /prəˈnaʊns/ |
| recount | /rɪˈkaʊnt/ |
| surround | /səˈraʊnd/ |
| thousand | /ˈθaʊzənd/ |
| roundup | /ˈraʊndˌʌp/ |
| outcry | /ˈaʊtˌkraɪ/ |
| outcome | /ˈaʊtˌkʌm/ |
| outbreak | /ˈaʊtˌbreɪk/ |
| outlook | /ˈaʊtˌlʊk/ |
| outpost | /ˈaʊtˌpoʊst/ |
| outgrow | /ˌaʊtˈɡroʊ/ |
| outfit | /ˈaʊtˌfɪt/ |
| outspoken | /aʊtˈspoʊkən/ |
| outsmart | /ˌaʊtˈsmɑːrt/ |
| outstretch | /ˌaʊtˈstrɛʧ/ |
| outlast | /ˌaʊtˈlæst/ |
| outbid | /ˌaʊtˈbɪd/ |
| outdo | /ˌaʊtˈduː/ |
| outlet | /ˈaʊtˌlɛt/ |
| outhouse | /ˈaʊtˌhaʊs/ |
| outlay | /ˈaʊtˌleɪ/ |
| outplay | /ˌaʊtˈpleɪ/ |
| outwit | /ˌaʊtˈwɪt/ |
| outlive | /ˌaʊtˈlɪv/ |
| outskirts | /ˈaʊtˌskɜːrts/ |
| outburst | /ˈaʊtˌbɜːrst/ |
| outshine | /ˌaʊtˈʃaɪn/ |
| outvote | /ˌaʊtˈvoʊt/ |
| outnumber | /ˌaʊtˈnʌmbər/ |
| outscore | /ˌaʊtˈskɔːr/ |
| outcry | /ˈaʊtˌkraɪ/ |
| outpour | /ˈaʊtˌpɔːr/ |
| outlandish | /aʊtˈlændɪʃ/ |
| outflank | /ˌaʊtˈflæŋk/ |
| outfox | /ˌaʊtˈfɑːks/ |
| outbound | /ˈaʊtˌbaʊnd/ |
| outweigh | /ˌaʊtˈweɪ/ |
| outspoken | /aʊtˈspoʊkən/ |
| outwork | /ˌaʊtˈwɜːrk/ |
Words with “ou” = /uː/
Examine the image and check how the tongue curls back for /u:/.
Listen and notice how gently the /u:/ sound begins “boot.”
Examples: soup, group
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| group | /ɡruːp/ |
| soup | /suːp/ |
| coupon | /ˈkuːpɒn/ |
| troupe | /truːp/ |
| coupe | /kuːp/ |
| route (US) | /ruːt/ |
| youth | /juːθ/ |
| uncouth | /ʌnˈkuːθ/ |
| boudoir | /ˈbuːdwɑːr/ |
| rendezvous | /ˈrɒndɪvuː/ |
| recoup | /rɪˈkuːp/ |
| croup | /kruːp/ |
| souvenir | /ˌsuːvəˈnɪər/ |
| accoutrements | /əˈkuːtrəmənts/ |
| gouda | /ˈɡuːdə/ |
| rouge | /ruːʒ/ |
| douche | /duːʃ/ |
| route (UK alt) | /ruːt/ (some dialects) |
| roux | /ruː/ |
| bouquet | /buːˈkeɪ/ |
| roulette | /ruːˈlɛt/ |
| youthfulness | /ˈjuːθfʊlnəs/ |
| moue | /muː/ |
| amuse-bouche | /əˌmjuːzˈbuːʃ/ |
| louvre | /ˈluːvrə/ |
Words with “ou” = /ʌ/
Observe the mouth shape as the lips stretch wide for /ʌ/.
Listen closely to notice how the /ʌ/ sound vibrates in “cup.”
Examples: young, country
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| young | /jʌŋ/ |
| country | /ˈkʌntri/ |
| cousin | /ˈkʌzən/ |
| trouble | /ˈtrʌbəl/ |
| double | /ˈdʌbəl/ |
| couple | /ˈkʌpəl/ |
| touch | /tʌʧ/ |
| rough | /rʌf/ |
| tough | /tʌf/ |
| enough | /ɪˈnʌf/ |
| southern | /ˈsʌðərn/ |
| colour (UK) | /ˈkʌlər/ |
| luscious | /ˈlʌʃəs/ |
| scrumptious | /ˈskrʌmpʃəs/ |
| voluptuous | /vəˈlʌptʃuəs/ |
| sumptuous | /ˈsʌmpʧuəs/ |
| youngish | /ˈjʌŋɪʃ/ |
| roughly | /ˈrʌfli/ |
| toughness | /ˈtʌfnəs/ |
| countryman | /ˈkʌntrimən/ |
| countrymen | /ˈkʌntrimɛn/ |
| countrywoman | /ˈkʌntriˌwʊmən/ |
| countryside | /ˈkʌntrisaɪd/ |
Words with “ou” = /oʊ/
Take a look at the illustration to see the position for /oʊ/.
Press play and observe how the /oʊ/ sound softens in “note.”
Examples: though, mould
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| though | /ðoʊ/ |
| although | /ɔːlˈðoʊ/ |
| dough | /doʊ/ |
| mould | /moʊld/ |
| shoulder | /ˈʃoʊldər/ |
| boulder | /ˈboʊldər/ |
| soul | /soʊl/ |
| poultry | /ˈpoʊltri/ |
Words with “ou” = /ɜː/
Check the example image to understand how /ɜː/ should look.
Listen carefully to catch how long the /ɜː/ sound lasts in “her.”
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| journey | /ˈdʒɜːrni/ |
| journal | /ˈdʒɜːrnəl/ |
| courteous | /ˈkɜːrtiəs/ |
| courtesy | /ˈkɜːrtəsi/ |
| nourish | /ˈnɜːrɪʃ/ |
| flourish | /ˈflɜːrɪʃ/ |
| encourage | /ɪnˈkɜːrɪdʒ/ |
| discourage | /dɪsˈkɜːrɪdʒ/ |
Words with “ou” = /ɔː/
Have a look at the diagram designed to help you visualize /ɔː/.
Hear how the /ɔː/ sound pushes air out in “caught.”
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| tour | /tɔːr/ or /tʊr/ |
| detour | /ˈdiːtɔːr/ |
| contour | /ˈkɒntɔːr/ |
| four | /fɔːr/ |
| court | /kɔːrt/ |
| source | /sɔːrs/ |
| resource | /rɪˈsɔːrs/ |
| pour | /pɔːr/ |
Words with “ou” = /ʊ/
Check the example image to understand how /ʊ/ should look.
Listen and notice how gently the /ʊ/ sound begins “put.”
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| could | /kʊd/ |
| should | /ʃʊd/ |
| would | /wʊd/ |