# Pronunciation of al-Queda **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 18, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-al-queda/143462 "2002-12-18T01:17:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-al-queda/143462/1 "2002-12-18T01:17:07Z")
In mainstream US media, I’ve heard _al-Queda_ pronounced like “al-KAY-duh” and “al-KUY-duh.” On the BBC World Service, it’s “al-kyu-EEE-duh.” I’ve heard commentators on National Public Radio say “ah-KAHD” and “al-KEE-ahh-duh,” but then again these are the folks who gave us “nee-KAH-lah-goo-wah” ten years ago. So, those who are fluent in Arabic … how do you pronounce al-Queda? ---
**Author:** ![Goober\_McFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@Goober\_McFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goober_McFly)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-al-queda/143462/2 "2002-12-18T01:34:54Z")
I thought it was al-Q **a** eda? ---
**Author:** ![bensonGemini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@bensonGemini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bensonGemini)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-al-queda/143462/3 "2002-12-18T01:42:37Z")
And is it Osama or Usama? I’ve seen Osama everywhere… but Fox news insists on Usama. ---
**Author:** ![Goober\_McFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@Goober\_McFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goober_McFly)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-al-queda/143462/4 "2002-12-18T02:00:22Z")
Arabic uses different everything, from characters to dipthongs (I have always wanted to use that…). Translating the pronunciation to roman characters is difficult. See [here](http://www.al-bab.com/arab/language/roman1.htm) for more info. Doing a little Googling[sup]TM[/sup], I have surmised the following: 1. There are approximately 32 variations of spelling for the leader of Lybia’s name. ([Qaddafi, etc.](http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8744/spelling.htm)) 2. There are many spellings of other common Arabic words/names: Muhammad, Mohammed, Mohamed, Mahomet Quran, Koran, Qur’an Osama bin Laden, Usama bin Laden, Usama bin Ladin, Osama bin Ladin al-Qaeda, al-Qaida, al-Qa’ida, al-Qa’eda Mecca, Makkah, Mekkah 3. The pronunciation of al-Qaeda, according to the [Voice of America](http://ibb7.ibb.gov/pronunciations/DailyAction.cfm), is **al K-EYE-(eh)-duh** 4. The FBI is now knocking on my door. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-al-queda/143462/5 "2002-12-18T02:18:18Z")
Okay … so can I ask how you spell it, too? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Goober\_McFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@Goober\_McFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goober_McFly)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-al-queda/143462/6 "2002-12-18T02:26:25Z")
I don’t know ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-al-queda/143462/7 "2002-12-18T03:00:41Z")
If you want to get some really weird looks, try pronouncing the q the Arabic way. Put your tongue at the back of your mouth, and try to make a k sound. You should end up with a deeper, breathy sound. As for the rest of the word, I couldn’t say. All of the pronunciations could be right - there are a lot of regional accents in Arabic. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-al-queda/143462/8 "2002-12-18T03:22:26Z")
AL-kye-AY-da