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47 Mispronounced Words—And How to Say Them Correctly

Updated on May 29, 2025

These mispronounced words are easy to flub. Here's the right way to say them.

Most often mispronounced words

Struggling with mispronounced words? You aren’t alone. English is a complicated language—it even confounds experts. Not only are some pronunciations nonintuitive, but words aren’t always pronounced the same today as they were in the past. According to an expert at the University of Essex, regional accents, modern usage, pop culture and constantly evolving usage have added to the confusion and led to even more mispronounced words.

So which tricky terms trip us up most often? Keep reading for a list of frequently mispronounced words and how they were originally meant to be pronounced 50, 100 or 200 years ago—and, according to the dictionary, still should be.

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quinoa pronunciation
Reader's Digest

Quinoa

Pronunciation: KEEN-wah

Let’s start with a word that stumps even the best grammar nerds: quinoa. Those new to the pseudocereal tend to pronounce it as “QUEEN-o-ah.” But this tricky word is actually pronounced “KEEN-wah.”

Comptroller
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Comptroller

Pronunciation: con-TRO-ler

Don’t let the mp fool you. This Middle English word is a variant of controller, and is specifically associated with people who control accounts. Merriam-Webster defines the term as a “public official who audits government accounts and sometimes certifies expenditures.” Say it correctly by pronouncing comptroller like “ken-TRO-lur.”

quasi pronunciation
Reader's Digest

Quasi

Pronunciation: KWAY-zi

We’ll give you a break if you’ve been saying this wrong the whole time—it’s especially tricky! Today, it’s most often pronounced “KWAH-zee.” But the more correct way to say quasi is “KWAY–zi.” 

gryo pronunciation
Reader's Digest

Gyro

Pronunciation: YEE-roh

Considering there are multiple meanings of gyro, it’s no wonder it’s such an often-mispronounced word. When determining how to pronounce gyro, first decide how you’ll use it: to refer to a gyroscope? To order a Greek-style sandwich?

If you’re referring to a gyroscope, say “JAI-roh.” But chances are, you don’t talk about that tool often. It’s more likely you’re talking about the Greek sandwich, in which case, pronounce it “YEE-roh.” The latter term may have the same root word as gyroscope, but this spinning Greek meat deserves the proper Greek pronunciation. 

victual pronunciation
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Victual

Pronunciation: VITTLE

This old French term for food rhymes with whittle—as in “VITTLE”—not ritual. The word victual is a great example of why English is a weird and hard language to master. Too many foreign words and their spellings have crept into the language and made it harder than it needs to be.

Espresso
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Espresso

Pronunciation: Eh-SPRESS-o

You might be singing along to Sabrina Carpenter’s hit, but she’s saying “espresso” wrong. This Italian coffee concoction is pronounced how it’s spelled: “eh-SPRESS-o.” There is no x like the pop star says it.

Bon Mot
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Bon mot

Pronunciation: BO-MOH

Even worldly Veronica Lodge on Riverdale got this one wrong. The French phrase translates directly as “good word” and is often used to mean a “witty remark.” To say it properly, barely pronounce that n, adding a little nasal tone, and don’t say the t at all. If you want to sound French, stress the last syllable. (The “BAHN-mo” pronunciation is a common English mispronunciation of the term.)

bon appetit pronunciation
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Bon appétit

Pronunciation: bo-nap-e-TEA

The bon in bon appétit isn’t exactly the same as the bon in bon mot. Because appétit starts with a vowel, you blur the n at the end of bon into the a at the beginning of appétit. The t at the end of appétit is silent, which means the anglicized “bone-ap-e-TEET” is a mispronunciation (as is “bone-ap-i-TIGHT”). The correct way to say it is “bo-nap-e-TEA.”

Macaron
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Macaron

Pronunciation: ma-ca-RON

This delicate French cookie made with almond flour is often confused with the chewy coconut macaroon. How you pronounce this word depends on which one you’re referring to. The beautifully colored sandwich cookie—a macaron with a single o—is pronounced “ma-ca-RON,” with that tricky nasally n that you barely pronounce at the end. If you’re talking about several macarons, the s is silent.

Remember, the coconut cookies have an extra o the name. Say it like moon and stretch the oo: “mac-a-ROON.” And you do say the s when you have a plate of macaroons.

Nouveau
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Nouveau

Pronunciation: new-VOH

This French word for “new” is not pronounced “no-vu,” but rather “new-VOH.” And nouveau riche is pronounced like “new-VOH REESH.”

Sans
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Sans

Pronunciation: SANZ

This French word for “without” is occasionally tossed into an English sentence, perhaps when ordering a sandwich (“sans mayo, please”). In American English, it’s become acceptable to pronounce it how it’s spelled: “SANZ,” like sands without the d.

But to say it the right way—à la French speakers—don’t pronounce the last s and use the same a sound as saw, not sand. Try to barely pronounce the n and make it a bit nasally, as in “SAHN.”

niche pronunciation
Reader's Digest

Niche

Pronunciation: NEESH or NITCH

Americans often pronounce this word like “NITCH” to rhyme with pitch or snitch, but most other English speakers pronounce it as “NEESH,” with the latter gaining in popularity even in the United States. You’re correct whichever one you choose, though know that non-Americans may raise their eyebrows at “NITCH.”

Clique
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Clique

Pronunciation: CLICK or CLEEK

Clique has some French flair, which means the correct pronunciation is “CLEEK.” Most American say “CLICK,” however. Both are technically correct, but “CLEEK” will get you some raised eyebrows in the United States. As for the other mispronunciation of this word, if you’ve been pronouncing clique like “click-WE,” you’ve got it all wrong. 

Chaise Longue
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Chaise longue

Pronunciation: SHEZ long

Ready to have your mind blown? Not only have you been pronouncing this word incorrectly, but you’ve likely been spelling it wrong too. This French couch is technically pronounced like “SHEZ long,” and the words translate as “long chair.” When it was first brought over from France in the 1700s, people mispronounced the word as “CHAYS lounge.” It stuck, and that pronunciation is widespread in the U.S. today.

Americans refer to the poolside deck furniture made for lounging as “CHAYS lounges.” Go ahead and pronounce it the English way, but you might want to switch to “SHEZ long” (and stretch out the g a little) the next time you’re on the French Riviera.

amuse bouche pronunciation
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Amuse bouche

Pronunciation: a-MUZE boosh

Chefs will sometimes send this bite-sized appetizer out to a table to show off their cooking skills. The French food term literally translates as “(to) entertain (the) mouth.” Don’t say “ah-MYOO-zay boosh.” Instead, it’s “a-MUZE boosh.”

Worcestershire
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Worcestershire

Pronunciation: WUSS-ter-sher

The sauce, the English town it came from (Worcester) and the Massachusetts city of Worcester all have a less-complicated spelling than you’d assume. Just don’t say “WORE-kes-ter-shire.” The correct pronunciation is “WUSS-ter-sher” for the sauce and “WUSS-ter” for the cities.

chalet pronunciation
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Chalet

Pronunciation: SHALL-ay

The French mountain cottage doesn’t have a hard ch as in chess; it’s like shall. And like many French words ending in a hard consonant, you don’t pronounce the t. It’s “SHALL-lay” with more emphasis on the first syllable.

whet pronunciation
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Whet

Pronunciation: WET

The h in whet looks important and seems like it will add to the pronunciation, but it’s silent. Pronounce it the same way you pronounce wet.

Bruschetta
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Bruschetta

Pronunciation: bru-SKET-ah

Italians will always correct you if you pronounce this word as “broo-SHET-ah.” The correct Italian pronunciation has a hard k in the middle, as in “bru-SKET-a.” Say the ch the way you would when saying “zucchini” or “Pinocchio.”

croissant pronunciation
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Croissant

Pronunciation: kwa-SAHN

Americans at home can get away with saying “kro-SANT,” but the buttery French pastry is properly pronounced without the hard t at the end and with that barely pronounced, nasally n. Aim for “kwa-SAHN.” Even if you order two of these, they will remain “kwa-SAHN.”

foie gras pronunciation
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Foie gras

Pronunciation: FWAH GRAH

This dish of fattened goose liver is not, in any situation, “foyee grass.” As with most French words, the s is silent, so the correct pronunciation is “FWAH GRAH.” It’s commonly eaten as paté, which is pronounced “pah-tay.”

frites pronunciation
Reader's Digest

Frites

Pronunciation: FREET

While we’re taking a culinary tour of France, let’s touch on one of the most famous foods to come out of the country: fries. Or as the French call them, frites. In the U.S., you’ll more often find the term french fries on the menu, but certain restaurants, especially steakhouses, serve steak frites. So how do you properly pronounce the term?

It may look like you need to pronounce frites as “FRIGHTS,” but the correct way to say it is “FREET.” If you’re ordering steak frites, “frites” is properly said without the s and with a stretched-out i sound, like the ee in feet. Order your “FREET” as the Belgians do—with a side of mayo.

Genre
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Genre

Pronunciation: ZHAHN-ruh

This is the OG mispronounced word. The g is soft like a j or zh, and the emphasis is on the first syllable. So it’s “ZHAHN-ruh,” and not “GAN-ra,” or “JEN-ree.”

Concierge
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Concierge

Pronunciation: kon-see-AIRZH

Ask the “kon-see-AIRZH,” with a soft g, for help at your hotel. You may find that some people say “con-see-URGE,” but it’s not an officially recognized pronunciation.

Mazel Tov
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Mazel tov

Pronunciation: MAZ-ahl TOV

Congratulating someone in Hebrew or Yiddish is more correctly said like “MAZ-ahl TOV,” with the last word taking on an “ahve” sound. Though there is the e at the end of mazel, it is much softer.

beignet pronunciation
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Beignet

Pronunciation: BEN-yay

These delicious doughnuts from New Orleans are best served warm and best pronounced “BEN-yay.” The s is silent in the plural. If you’ve been calling them “BEIG-nets,” you’re mispronouncing the word.

Deja Vu
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Déjà vu

Pronunciation: DAY-zha voo

Seen this one already? That’s déjà vu, literally meaning “already seen.” Say it like “DAY-zha voo.” Note that it’s not “view.”

kayak pronunciation
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Kayak

Pronunciation: KYE-yak

When you take your “KYE-yak” out on the water, be careful that you don’t say “kay,” like the woman’s name. The correct pronunciation is “kye” to rhyme with tie.

namaste pronunciation
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Namaste

Pronunciation: NUHM-uh-stay

Saying the Hindi word for hello the Anglicized way—“NAH-mah-stay”—isn’t correct. It’s more like “NUHM-uh-stay.”

Provolone
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Provolone

Pronunciation: Proh-voh-LOH-nee

Italians call this cheese “proh-voh-LOH-nee”—you pronounce the last letter in many Italian words ending in e. Calling it “PROH-vuh-lohn” won’t get you in trouble, but it’s not exactly right. Similarly, calzone is technically “cal-ZO-neh,” not “cal-ZONE.”

Lingerie
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Lingerie

Pronunciation: LAHN-zray

There’s that French nasal n again! The letter isn’t pronounced, but the first syllable has a slightly nasal uhnn sound. Often appearing in English with three syllables and an ay ending (“LAHN-zhuh-ray”), it’s more correct to use the two-syllable pronunciation: “LAHN-zray” or “LAW-jh’ree.”

pho pronunciation
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Pho

Pronunciation: FUH

This Vietnamese soup is pronounced “FUH,” most correctly when you stretch out the word a bit. It does not sound like the word foe or rhyme with slow.

prix fixe pronunciation
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Prix fixe

Pronunciation: PREE FEEKS

This French term for a fixed-price meal is properly pronounced “PREE FEEKS.” One of the more commonly mispronounced words, it’s often incorrectly spoken as “PRICKS FIX-e.”

escargots pronunciation
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Escargots

Pronunciation: es-car-GO

If you’re in Paris and order snails (preferably with garlic butter) at the cute little bistro, say “es-car-GO.” Since this is a French word, the ts is silent. In other words, “es-car-GOATS” is incorrect.

Guacamole2
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Guacamole

Pronunciation: wah-kah-MOH-lay

In the United States, you can go around calling the avocado dip “GWA-ke-mo-le,” but that’s not the real pronunciation. Technically, the g is pronounced like a w in Spanish. So in Mexico, this avocado dip is “wah-kah-MOH-lay.”

long-lived pronunciation
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Long-lived

Pronunciation: long-LIVD

This is one of those pronunciation that changed with the times. Today, we pronounce lived like “LIVD,” which rhymes with forgived. But until the 20th century, the word was pronounced “LYVD,” which rhymes with strived and dived.

valet pronunciation
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Valet

Pronunciation: VAL-it or val-AY

Valet is another word that has evolved over the years. It originated from the French word for a young man of noble birth, but evidence shows it was originally pronounced “VAL-it.” Brits still say “VAL-it” to refer to the butler who helps you get dressed. And Merriam-Webster dictionary supports this pronunciation.

In most other English-speaking countries, including the United States, the “val-AY” is the person who parks your car or carries your bags to your hotel room for you. 

transient pronunciation
Reader's Digest

Transient

Pronunciation: TRAN-zee-ent or TRAN-shent

Transient baffles some people because the -ient at the end tempts them to over articulate. Pronouncing this depends on where you’re from. In the United Kingdom, “TRAN-zee-ent” is common, but in the United States, it’s also correct to use two syllables, as in “TRAN-shent.” 

Prelude
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Prelude

Pronunciation: PRAY-lood

If you are a music connoisseur, you must have come across this word. It is often pronounced  “PREL-yood” because of its musical association. The traditional pronunciation “PRAY-lood” is right, though. One way to dispel the confusion is to use “PREL-yood” if you are referring to the musical introduction. In all other situations, say “PRAY-lood” if you want to sound smarter.

Forte
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Forte

Pronunciation: FORT or FOR-tay

Whether or not you count this as one of your most mispronounced words depends on how you’re using the term. If you’re discussing a passage of music played loudly and say “FORT,” you’ve mispronounced the word. But there are times when “FORT” (which gets its silent e from the original French) is correct. Here’s how to know the difference:

  • Discussing someone’s strength: Say “FOR-tay” or “FORT”
  • Using the Italian musical term: Say “FOR-tay”
err pronunciation
Reader's Digest

Err

Pronunciation: ER or AIR

To err is human, and in the United States, there are two acceptable pronunciations of the word. It can rhyme with hair since it was originally said like “AIR.” That’s how you’ll most often hear it today too. But “ER” (rhymes with her) isn’t incorrect, and in the United Kingdom, it’s the standard pronunciation.

Applicable
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Applicable

Pronunciation: APP-lic-able

Technically speaking, when you pronounce applicable like “a-PLIC-able,” you’re using it incorrectly. Merriam-Webster states that the primary pronunciation is “APP-lic-able.” But don’t go too hard on yourself. “A-PLIC-able” is a suitable alternative and won’t make you sound stupid.

decrease pronunciation
Reader's Digest

Decrease

Pronunciation: DE-crease or de-CREASE

This is going to come as a surprise: How you pronounce decrease has to do with whether you’re using it as a noun or a verb. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, as a noun (think: “a decrease in funding”), it’s pronounced “DE-crease.” When using it as a verb (as in “decrease the volume”), you should pronounce it as de-CREASE.”

Before you start to stress, know that it’s safe to ignore this strict grammar rule. It’s more prevalent in British English.

Mauve
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Mauve

Pronunciation: MAWV

This word for a purple color once rhymed with stove because people assumed the e at the end also had to be accounted for. But if you’re still saying “MOWVE,” add this to your personal list of mispronounced words. In modern usage, the au is said as aw, and the e is silent. You’re safe with “MAWV.”

Regime
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Regime

Pronunciation: ray-ZHEEM

This mispronounced word confuses most non-native speakers because they read gime as gym. The tip is to remember that the first syllable sounds like ray and gime sounds like team but with a buzzing z sound instead of t.

joust pronunciation
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Joust

Pronunciation: J-OUST

In the 13th century, knights pronounced joust like the word just. But if you do that today, you’ll confuse everyone. In modern usage, joust is pronounced “J-OUST.” You might confuse the pronunciation because joust and just are visually similar, but the words mean different things, so pay attention to the extra vowel.

either pronunciation
Reader's Digest

Either

Pronunciation: EE-thur or AYE-thur

Though both pronunciations are technically correct, only one is the standard in the United States: “EE-thur.” Say “AYE-thur,” and folks might think you’re trying to sound more British. (By the way, just as “AYE-thur” is the go-to pronunciation of either in the U.K., “NI-thur” is the British way to say neither.)

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