Pronunciation: What Makes These Words Difficult?

We’ve compiled a list of our not-so-favorite words to pronounce in English and will show you how to say them the right way.

Acai pronunciation.
Acai became popular in the U.S. in the early 2000s because of its health benefits. Despite the health benefits, it’s not easy for everyone to say because of the combination of a “soft C” with multiple vowels. The correct pronunciation of acai is “ah-sigh-ee.”

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Colonel pronunciation.
One of the oddest and hardest words to pronounce in English is colonel. There’s no sounding it out, and it’s one you just have to know. Yes, phonics says it should be “kohl-own-al,” similar to colonial. But the word colonel comes from the 16th-century French word “coronelle,” which means “commander of a regiment of soldiers,” who were arranged in columns. The spelling changed in the mid-17th century to “colonnel,” while the English spelling changed to “colonel,” and the pronunciation was shortened to two syllables as “KUR-null.”

Epitome pronunciation.
Oddly enough, epitome is actually the epitome of a word that’s difficult to say because it’s not spelled the way it should be pronounced. Initially looking at the word, phonics would suggest a reader pronounce epitome as “EP-ih-tohm.” However, the correct pronunciation is “ee-PIT-oh-mee.”

Faux pas pronunciation.
The phrase “faux pas” is French for “false step,” which explains why it can be difficult to read. Anyone who doesn’t speak French might struggle with the “silent S” at the end of a word. While its spelling suggests pronouncing the phrase, “fox paws,” the correct pronunciation is, “foe paw.”

Gnocchi pronunciation.
Gnocchi is the Italian version of a dumpling, so you might think it would be easy to pronounce, given that most words in Latin-based languages pronounce every letter based on established rules. However, gnocchi is far different because it goes against every phonics rule you’ve ever learned in English. The G is silent, the -ch- doesn’t make its typical sound, and even the N doesn’t sound as you would expect. The correct pronunciation of gnocchi is “nyow-kee.”

Gyro pronunciation.
A gyro is a type of Greek wrap typically made with meat, onion, and lettuce wrapped or stuffed into pita bread. The spelling of gyro lends to pronouncing it with a “soft G” like giraffe and saying “JAI-row.” While this pronunciation might be common, it’s incorrect. The correct pronunciation of gyro is “euro,” like European.

Hyperbole pronunciation.
If somebody is speaking in hyperbole, they’re exaggerating a statement or claim that’s not meant to be taken seriously. Fish stories deal in hyperbole because the teller exaggerates the fight and size of the fish they caught. While comedian Brian Regan jokes about pronouncing hyperbole as “hi-PER-bowl,” the correct pronunciation is “hi-PER-bow-lee.”

Niche pronunciation.
Anyone who’s sought advice when starting a blog or YouTube channel has likely been told, “The riches are in the niches.” While this is fun (and true), the pronunciation of niche, in this case, is incorrect for the sake of a rhyme. Niche is correctly pronounced as “neesh.”

Nuclear pronunciation.
A common mispronunciation of nuclear sounds like, “NOOK-you-ler.” To understand how to correctly pronounce nuclear, we should look at where the word comes from. If something is using nuclear energy, it’s taking it from the center, or nucleus, of an atom. Not the atom’s “NOOK-you-less.” The correct pronunciation of nuclear is “NOO-klee-er.”

Quinoa pronunciation.
If you’re not a chef or don’t like to venture out beyond a few of your common staples, you might not be familiar with quinoa. This gluten-free grain is a fluffy grain that has a mild, nutty flavor. It’s common to find quinoa as a side dish with roasted vegetables and chicken. But what if you want to order a side quinoa at a restaurant? The correct pronunciation of quinoa is “KEEN-wah.”

Worcestershire pronunciation.
Most condiments are pretty easy to pronounce. Whether you’re putting ketchup, mustard, mayo, or anything else on your hamburger, they’re all straightforward. Despite the fact that it comes from Worcester, England, the pronunciation of Worcestershire sauce eludes the American tongue. A common mispronunciation of Worcestershire is “war-chest-er-shire.” However, the correct pronunciation is, “WU-stuh-shr.”

Yes, there are many hard words to pronounce in English, no matter how long you’ve been speaking the language. Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of practice and hearing them pronounced correctly to get them down. If there’s no way you’ll ever remember this, don’t worry. Luckily, a quick online search turns up audible pronunciations. Plus, good writing software like Microsoft Word includes will also have tools that can help. In Word, just look for the Read Aloud feature under the Review tab and it will read the word in question out loud!