English is not an easy language. There are words which may sound easy to pronounce, but are not! Mispronouncing English words is quite common among various people (even fluent native speakers!). This is quite a problem, which is enough to create a crease in your forehead.
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The Most Commonly Mispronounced Words in English
From common words to specific brand names, we have been repeating mistakes over and over again. Words do not sound as we expect them to in this language. Do you know why? This is because English has its roots in multiple languages!
Some mistakes are quite evident and tiny, but others are tricky. But before we immediately jump to correcting the mistakes that we do, let’s go through some key terms associated with the correct pronunciation.
Non-Phonetic Words In English
There are numerous words in English, which have a different pronunciation from its spelling. These words are called non-phonetic words. The trick to grasp the pronunciation of such words is to memorize them simply.
Let us take an example so that it becomes easy to understand. One classic example of a non-phonetic word is the word said. This word, as the spelling indicates, should be pronounced as “Righted”. This word should also rhyme with the word paid. But it doesn’t. It rhymes with the word bed, although the spellings are entirely different! English is undoubtedly a funny language, right?
Here we present to you, the most commonly mispronounced words of this funny language. A few words have been highlighted in red. These words indicate the wrong pronunciation. This will make sure that you will remember the mistakes!
1. Dilate
Right: di-late
2. Status
Right: Stay-tus or Stah-tus
3. Colleague
Right: Koh-leeg
4. February
Right: Feb-roo-a-ree
5. Drowned
Right: Drownd
6. Bomb
Right: Bom
7. Prelude
Right: Pray-lood or Prel-yood
8. Valet
Right: Val-ay
9. Library
Right: Li-bra-ri
10. Crocodile
Right: Krok–uh-dahyl
11. Forte
Right: For-tay
12. Athlete
Right: Ath-leet
13. Buffet
Right: Buh-fey
14. Wednesday
Right: Wenz-day
15. Nuclear
Right: Nu-cle-ar
16. Accessory
Right: Ak-sess-or-y
Wrong: Ass-ess-or-y
17. Pronunciation
Right:Pro-nun-si-ay-shun
18. Kilometre
Right: Kill-ah-meh-tur or Kill-oh-mee-tur
19. Gala
Right: Gay-lah
20. Cucumber
Right: Kyoo-kuhm-ber
21. Applicable
Right: A-plic-able
22. Spherical
Right: Sferr-i-kal
Wrong: Sfeer-i-kal
23. Caramel
Right: Kah-ruh-mull or Kar-mull
24. Regime
Right: Ray-gime
Wrong: Ree-gee-mey
25. Joust
Right: J-oust
Wrong: Just
26. Either
Right: Ee-thur or Aye-thur
27. Drought
Right: Drout
28. Neither
Right: Nee-thur
Wrong: Ni-thur
29. Quasi
Right: Kway-zi or Kwah-zee
30. Hypocrisy
Right: Hi–pok-ruh-see
31. Lip– sync
Right: Lip- singk
32. Itinerary
Right: Ahy- tin- uh- rer- ee
33. Faux Pas
Right: Fohpah
34. Gauge
Right: Geyj
35. Cache
Right: Kash
36. Maniac
Right: Mey- nee- ak
37. Victual
Right: Vittle
38. Paradigm
Right: Par- uh- dahym
39. Scone
Right: Skoon
40. Pseudonym
Right: Sood- n- im
41. Genre
Right: Zhahn- ruh
42. Niche
Right: Nee-shey
Wrong: Ni-tche
43. Zebra
Right: Zeb-ra or Zee-bra
44. Hyperbole
Right: Hy- per- ba- lee
45. Minuscule
Right: Min-uh-skyool
46. Ingenuity
Right: In- juh- noo- i- tee
47. Clique
Right: Click
48. Quote
Right: Kwoht
49. Lingerie
Right: Law-jh’ree
50. Antarctic
Right: Ant-arc-tic
Wrong: Ant-ar-tic
51. Marijuana
Right: Mar-uh-wah-nuh
52. Sauna
Right: Saw-na or Sow-na
53. Clothes
Right: Klothz
54. Women
Right: Wih-men
55. Cavalry
Right: Kav-ul-ry
56. Et cetera
Right: Et-set-er-a
57. Heart
Right: Haa-rt
Wrong: Hurt
58. Federal
Right: Fed-er-al
59. Alzheimer’s
Right: Ahlts-hahy-merz
60. Foliage
Right: Fo-li-uj
61. Prescription
Right: Pre-cip-i-ta-shun
62. Refrigerator
Right: Ri-frij-uh-rey-ter’
63. Kayak
Right: Kye-yak
64. Provolone
Right: Pro-vo-lo-nay
65. April
Right: Ey-pruhl
66. Boutique
Right: Boo-teek
67. Suite
Right: Sweet
68. Halloween
Right: Hal-o-ween
Wrong: Hol-lo-ween
69. Echelon
Right: Esh–uh-lon
70. Heinous
Right: Hey-nuh-s
71. Horizon
Right: Huh–rahy-zuhn
72. Entrepreneur
Right: Ahn-truh-pruh-nur
73. Insouciant
Right: In-soo-see-ant
74. Impropriety
Right: Im-pruh–prahy-i-tee
75. Divorce
Right: Dih- vawrs
76. Perspire
Right: per-spire
77. Tuition
Right: Too-ish-uh-n
78. Asterisk
Right: Ass-ter-isk
79. Turquoise
Right: Tur-koiz
80. Tortillas
Right: Tohr-tee-yahs
81. Bury
Right: Ber-ee
82. Mayonnaise
Right: May-on-naise
83. Nazi
Right: Naht-see
84. Sponge
Right: Spuhnj
85. Ticket
Right: Tik-it
86. Salmon
Right: Sam-uh-n
87. Chenille
Right: Shuh-neel
88. Develop
Right: Dih-vel-up
89. Attaché
Right: Uh-tash-ey
90. Position
Right: Puh-zish-uhn
91. Synonymous
Right: Si-non–uh-muh s
92. Salon
Right: Sa-lawn
93. Flour
Right: Flou- er
94. Cocoa
Right: Koh-koh
95. Arctic
Right: Arc-tic
96. Percolate
Right: Perc-o-late
97. Especially
Right: I-spesh-uh-lee
98. Parole
Right: Puh–rohl
99. Nominee
Right: Nom-uh–nee
100. Poem
Right: Poe-um
101. Debris
Right: De-bree
102. Epitome
Right: Ih- pit- uh- mee
103. Coupon
Right: Koo-pon
104. Debut
Right: Dey-byoo
105. Estate
Right: I-steyt
106. Silicon
Right: Sil-i-kuh n
107. Monk
Right: Munk
108. Bass
Right: Base
109. Data
Right: Day-ta
110. Nuptial
Right: Nup-shul
111. Often
Right: off-en
112. Social
Right: Soh-shuhl
113. Plenitude
Right: Plen-i-tude
114. Ticklish
Right: Tik-lish
115. Triathlon
Right: tri-ath-lon
116. Abalone
Right: Ab-uh-loh-nee
Wrong: Ah-boh-lohn
117. Albeit
Right: Awl-bee-it
118. Almond
Right: Ah-mund
119. Meme
Right: Meem
120. Dengue
Right: Deng-ee
121. Tomb
Right: Toom
122. Asthma
Right: Az-ma
123. Bowl
Right: bol
124. Repetitive
Right: ri–pet-i-tiv
125. Police
Right: Puh-leece
126. Vineyard
Right: Vin-yard
127. Coup
Right: Koo
128. Miniature
Right: Min-ee-uh-cher
129. Calendar
Right: Kal-uhn-duh
130. Complete
Right: Kuhm-pleet
131. Menstruation
Right: Men-stroo-a-shun
132. Pathetic
Right: Puh–thet-ik
133. Rendezvous
Right: Rahn-duh-vooa
134. Renaissance
Right: ren-uh–sahns
135. Menu
Right: Men-yu
136. Periphery
Right: Puh–rif–uh-ree
137. Syllable
Right: Sil–uh-buhl
138. Gnaw
Right: naw
139. Sour
Right: Sower
140. Yolk
Right: yohk
141. Vegetable
Right: Vej-tuh-buhl
142. Extempore
Right: Ekstem-pere
143. Resume
Right: Reh-zu-may
144. Poignant
Right: Poi-nyant
145. Mojito
Right: Mo-hee-toh
146. Violin
Right: Va-yuh-lin
147. Japanese
Right: Jap-uh-neez
148. Technology
Right: Tek-nol–uh-jee
149. Schizophrenia
Right: Skit-suh–free-nee-uh
150. Pyramid
Right: Pir–uh-mid
151. Pharmacy
Right: Fahr-muh-see
152. Sword
Right: Sawrd
153. Answer
Right: Anser
154. Committee
Right: Kuh-mit-ee
155. Plumber
Right: Plum-er
156. Height
Right: Hite
Wrong: Hith
157. Mischievous
Right: Mis-chuh-vuhs
158. Picture
Right: Pic-shur
159. Precipitation
Right: Pre-cip-i-ta-shun
160. Triathlon
Right: Tri-ath-lon
161. Vehicle
Right: Vi-ekle
162. Monotony
Right: Muh–not-n-ee
163. Wintry
Right: Win-try
164. Monotony
Right: Muh–not-n-ee
Place Names:
175. Worcester (England)
Right: Woos-ter
Wrong: Wor-ches-ter
176. Bangkok (Thailand)
Right: Bahng-gawk
Wrong: Bang-kok
177. Budapest
Right: Boo-da-pesht
Wrong: Boo-da-pest
178. Melbourne (Australia)
Right: Melb’n’
Wrong: Mel-Born
179. Brisbane (Australia)
Right: Bris’bn’
Wrong: Bris-bayne
180. Lafayetter (USA)
Right: Laff-ee-yet
Wrong: Lah-fey-et
181. Beijing (China)
Right: Bey-jing
Wrong: Bay-zhhing
182. Phuket (Thailand)
Right: Poo-get
Wrong: Ffoo-kit or Fuh-ket
183. Colombia
Right: Co-lohm-bee-a
Wrong: Co-lum-bee-a
184. Reykjavik (Iceland)
Right: Rey-kya-vik
Wrong: Rake-ja-vik
185. Dubai (UAE)
Right: Du-bay
Wrong: Doo-bye
186. Qatar
Right: Kuh-ter
Wrong: Kah-tar
187. Norfolk
Right: Naw-fock
188. Appalachian
Right: Appa-latchan
189. Yosemite Park (USA)
Right: Yoh-sem-it-ee
Wrong: Yo-se-might
190. Versailles (France)
Right: Ver-sye
Wrong: Ver-Rightlz
191. Morocco
Right: Muh–rok-oh
192. Iraq
Right: Ee-rock
Wrong: Eye-rack
193. Niger
Right: Nee-zhair
Wrong: Nye-jer
194. Boise
Right: Boy-see
195. Montreal (Canada)
Right: Mun-tree-all
Wrong: Mon-tree-all
196. Toronto
Right: Tuh–ron-toh
197. Kissimmee (USA)
Right: Ka-sim-mee
Wrong: Kiss-a-mee
198. Worcestershire, UK
Right: Wusta-sheer
Wrong: Wor-chester-shyr
199. Thames, UK
Right: Tems
Wrong: Thay-mes
Food Names:
200. Bruschetta
Right: Brus-sket-a
201. Croissant
Right: Kwa-sahn
202. Liqueur
Right: Lick-Err
203. Espresso
Right: Es-press-o
Wrong: Ex-pres-so
204. Bouillon
Right: Bool-yen or Bool-yon
205. Mascarpone
Right: Mas-car-Poh-neh or Mas-car-Poh-nay
206. Gnocchi
Right: Nyak-kee
Wrong: Gno-chi
207. Chipotle
Right: Chi-poht-ley
208. Fillet
Right: Fih-lay
209. Jalapeño
Right: Hah-luh-peyn-yoh
210. Cumin
Right: Coo-min, Kyoo-min or Cuh-min
211. Moussaka
Right: Moo-sah-Kah
212. Quinoa
Right: Keen-wah
213. Gyro
Right: Yee-roh
214. Caipirinha
Right: Kai-pee-reen-ya
215. Guanciale
Right: Wahn-chall-eh
216. Quesadilla
Right: Key-suh-dee-uh
217. Hummus
Right: hoom-us
218. Foie gras
Right: Fwahgrah
219. Bouillabaisse
Right: Boo-ya-bes
220. Sherbet
Right: sher-bet
221. Pizza
Right: Peet-zuh
222. Parmesan
Right: Pahr-muh-zahn
223. Pasta
Right: Pah-stuh
224. Caramel
Right: Kar-ah-mehl
Brands And Companies:
225. IKEA
Right: Ih-key-yah
226. Hyundai
Right: Hun-day
Wrong: hi-un-dye
227. Nike
Right: Ni-key
Wrong: Nyke
228. Givenchy
Right: Zhee-von-she
229. Volkswagen
Right: Vo-ksvar-gun
230. Lamborghini
Right: Lam-bor-gee-nee
231. Porsche
Right: Por-shaa
232. Del Monte
Right: Del-mon-tay
233. Huawei
Right: Wah-way
234. Xiaomi
Right: Shio-me
235. Asus
Right: A-seuss
Wrong: A-soos
236. Samsung
Right: Sam-song
237. Amazon
Right: Ama-zun
Wrong: Ama-zohn
238. Avon
Right: A-one
239. VanHeusen
Right: Van-hew-son
240. Schwarzkopf
Right: Shwartz-kof
241. Gucci
Right: Goo-chee
242. Christian Dior
Right: Kris-cheen Dee-or
243. Louis Vuitton
Right: Loo-ee We-taahn
244. Adobe
Right: Ah-doh-bee