A guide to saying it correctly
How to Pronounce Tabbouleh
Learn how to pronounce the popular Levantine parsley salad, tabbouleh, with this simple guide.
tabbouleh
tuh-BOO-lee
/təˈbuːli/ · tab · bou · leh
Native US English · Kokoro neural TTS · 0:01
It is a staple dish in Levantine cuisine, consisting mostly of finely chopped parsley, mint, tomato, and bulgur wheat.
Where the word comes from
The word comes from the Levantine Arabic word tabbūla, which is derived from the root t-b-l, meaning to season or spice.
Common ways people get it wrong
- TAB-oo-lay People often guess the pronunciation based on the spelling, but the stress belongs on the second syllable.
- tuh-BOWL This sounds like the word bowl, but the final syllable should be a clear 'lee' sound.
Frequently asked
Is tabbouleh pronounced with a hard or soft t?
It is pronounced with a standard English 't' sound at the beginning. There is no special aspiration or dental sound required for standard American English.
Why is it sometimes spelled tabouli?
Tabouli is simply an alternative phonetic spelling used to help English speakers arrive at the correct sound. Both spellings refer to the exact same dish.
Does the 'h' at the end change the sound?
No, the 'h' is silent in English pronunciation. It is a remnant of the Arabic transliteration and does not affect how you say the word.
