Food and Drink

  • Quinoa — KEEN-wah (not KWIN-oh-ah)
  • Acai — ah-sah-EE (not AH-kai)
  • Espresso — es-PRESS-oh (not EX-presso — there is no X)
  • Bruschetta — broo-SKET-tah (not broo-SHET-tah — the ch in Italian is a K sound)
  • Gyros — YEE-ros (not JY-roh)
  • Gnocchi — NYOK-ee (the G is silent)
  • Pho — FUH (not FOH)
  • Croissant — kwah-SAHN (the T is silent in French; English: KWUH-son)
  • Worcestershire — WOOSS-ter-sheer (everything in the middle is swallowed)

Technology and Science

  • GIF — JIF (the creator insisted; though hard G is now widely accepted too)
  • Cache — KASH (not KAY-shay)
  • Meme — MEEM (not MAY-may)
  • Nuclear — NOO-klee-er (not NOO-kyoo-ler)
  • Algorithms — AL-go-rith-um (the TH is a real TH sound)

Commonly Confused Sounds

  • Specifically — spe-SIF-ik-lee (not puh-SIF-ik-lee / "pacifically")
  • Supposedly — suh-POHZ-ed-lee (not sup-POZ-ab-lee / "supposably")
  • Espresso — see above — not EX-presso
  • Mischievous — MIS-chuh-vus (3 syllables, not mis-CHEEV-ee-us)
  • Arctic — ARK-tik (not AR-tik — the first C is pronounced)
  • February — FEB-roo-air-ee (not FEB-yoo-air-ee — the first R is there)
  • Library — LY-brer-ee (not LY-bree — two Rs)

Names and Places

  • Qatar — KAH-tar (not kuh-TAR or KAY-tar)
  • Naomi — nay-OH-mee (not NAY-oh-mee in English)
  • Melbourne — MEL-burn (not MEL-born)
  • Edinburgh — ED-in-bruh (the gh and ugh are completely silent)
  • Leicester — LES-ter (everything in the middle disappears)
  • Siobhan — shuh-VAWN (Irish name, looks nothing like it sounds)
When unsureGoogle any word followed by "pronunciation" — Google shows a phonetic guide and plays an audio example. For names, it is always acceptable to politely ask "How do you prefer to pronounce your name?" — people always appreciate the effort.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is very common — many well-read people have a library of words they know in text but have never heard spoken. Use text-to-speech tools, Google pronunciation, or Forvo.com (a pronunciation dictionary with native speaker recordings) to hear any word before using it in conversation.
In everyday conversation, most people will understand you regardless of small pronunciation differences. Where it matters more: professional presentations, job interviews, and public speaking — where a mispronounced word can distract or undermine credibility. Regional and international accents are normal and not mispronunciation.