There are 281 official cities and towns in the State of Washington, according to the Washington State Association of Cities, and every one of them has a unique story to tell. 25 Hard to Pronounce Cities in the USA #1 Aquebogue, New York. 5 Spokane, Washington. Ludowici? It is quite the resource! Trust us, your words will only be met with emoji-style eye-rolls by the locals. How to say cities in English? This city is another one that is pronounced with more syllables than it looks like it would be. How to pronounce city noun in American English (English pronunciations of city from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus and from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary , … A synecdoche is a rhetorical device where a part represents the whole or vice versa. She holds a degree in Writing, Literature & Publishing from Emerson College. Budapesht? J.M. Once, I even had to debate with a colleague whether Budapest was pronounced “boo-da-PEST” or “boo-da-PESHT” (read on to know which is correct). By the looks of it, the city of Glasgow would be pronounced “glas-cow,” with a hard emphasis on the last two letters of the word. In fact, you'd be amazed how many knowledgable travelers mispronounce the names of so many famous locales—from Boise to Helena to, of course, Reykjavik. Say “ver-sails,” in France, and you may as well just turn around and go back home right now. It is pronounced quite simple: “soo.” Poughkeepsie, New York: This city, north of New York City, has a particularly complex spelling. #9 Louisville, Kentucky. These town names in Texas are no exception.#itsasouthernthing and more. It means “children of the sun.”. #3 Boerne, Texas. Pronunciation of names with 6 audio pronunciations, 9 synonyms, 2 meanings, 13 translations, 27 sentences and more for names. Revered post-impressionist painter Paul Cézanne was born in Aix-en-Provence in 1839 and is one of the main reasons tourists visit this southern French city. Newark, New Jersey, and Newark, Delaware, are a great example of cities in the U.S. that share the same name, but if you pronounce them the same, you will get a sharp rebuke. But these similar words don’t change why Americans and Brits have different accents. Cohen admitted that "nothing made sense" about the show. Bonus: You'll also be a much, much healthier man. 2 Bangkok, Thailand. #7 Kissimmee, Florida. However, it is one of the simpler US city and state names to pronounce: “puh-kip-see.” The name Sioux originates from the Sioux rivers (Big and Little), which in turn were named after the Sioux people. Wooster, Worchester are just some of the ways people fumble over the city name. It's complete … VroomVroomVroom has listed 25 hard to pronounce cities in the USA and their correct pronunciation. It is pronounced as “mare-ee-da,” and it is one of the best places to visit in the Yucatan. For more great travel advice, here are 20 Secrets Your Flight Attendant Won't Tell You. The name for this southern city is actually of German origin and is another testament to the fact that the United States has had so many cultural and colonial influences. Ypsilanti was a hero in the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire. City officials recognize that tourists struggle with the pronunciation of its German name and have posted an audio clip of the correct pronunciation onto its web page. Kiss-SIM-mee — not KISS-a-mee. 7 Nice, France. In fact, Toledo is an official World Heritage Site for that very reason. These places may be easier to pronounce, but did you know that were almost turned into official states? It is just “tee-juan-ah,” and nothing extra. Because of the way it is spelled, it is natural to assume this city name would be pronounced “war-chester,” but that’s totally wrong. However, one thing we can settle today is how you pronounce Gqeberha… Do yourself a favor when you arrive. In French, “prince” sounds more like “prance,” but with a somewhat soft “a” sound. There are some tongue twisters to be found in Minnesota city names — and some just straight up mean pronunciations. One of the first towns to ever be erected in medieval Finland, Porvoo still retains its ancient beauty. Go ahead, even the locals laugh at this city name that looks as though it sounds a lot like a favorite dessert. 6 Versailles, France. Wuh-stir is the best way to pronounce it. The correct way to say it is “x-on-prov-ahnce.” Whether you’re traveling to France or not, you should know how to say these popular French phrases. Many Americans pronounce this beachy Mexican travel destination as if it didn’t have any accent marks, but in many languages, including Spanish, accents are extremely important. Live smarter, look better,​ and live your life to the absolute fullest. Everyone knows the city of Jerusalem as a point of religious convergence for people of the Islamic, Christian, and Jewish faiths, but Toledo also shares that distinction. The correct pronunciation of this city in Saxony is “lipe-zig.” Some things just get lost in translation, like these international idioms that sound totally different in English. Derick Hutchinson. It is pronounced quite simple: “soo.” Poughkeepsie, New York: This city, north of New York City, has a particularly complex spelling. The capital city of North Carolina is actually pronounced, “rah-lee.” The bustling city is also known as the City of Oaks for its many oak trees. The name Sioux originates from the Sioux rivers (Big and Little), which in turn were named after the Sioux people. Lancaster might be named after the city in England, but we don’t pronounce it like they do - LAN-cas-ter ain’t it, chief. (Locals, you'll get a kick out of this!) Welcome to “burn-ee,” not “born,” Texas. It is the Xhosa name for the Baakens River, which flows through the city. Charlotte If you’ve been pronouncing Charlotte like the city in North Carolina, guess again! Spokane, Washington. Published: January 12, 2017, 12:05 pm. How to pronounce city. Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. This is one of the U.S. city names that takes after the French pronunciation, so the “S”s at the ends are silent. How to say city. Kiss-SIM-mee — not KISS-a-mee. Learn how to correctly say a word, name, place, drug, medical and scientific terminology or any other difficult word in English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Swedish and other languages with our multilingual pronunciation and phonetics dictionary made out of audio pronunciations of words, their meanings, synonyms, sentences, translations and more contributed by the worldwide … Scott and Tyler White. The true pronunciation of Leicester, England is a lot like the pronunciation of Worcester, Massachusetts. This four-letter Ukrainian city is deceptively simple. That’s because these are well-known American cities… If there’s a trend in this list, it’s how many well-known capitals get mispronounced all the time! Most people probably know how to pronounce Des Moines or Boise. This gorgeous town will actually pay you to move there. Pronounce Names is another very popular website to help you pronounce names correctly. The correct pronunciation is “Spo-CAN,” not “Spo-CANE.”. OK, not a city, but for the good of America, it'd be cool if you stopped screwing this up. While Shickshinny may not be the hardest Pennsylvania place-name to pronounce (for that, think: Lititz, Ephrata, Quakake, and Versailles, among others), Shickshinny sure does make for a … Interestingly, "Hertford" is pronounced the same but spelt differently ("Hartford" in the US - at least in … © 2020 Galvanized Media. 12 of the Most Mispronounced Town Names in the U.S. Let the debates begin. These are some of the most commonly mispronounced hometowns in America. Pronouncing this New York city as “po-keep-see” may be a good way to remember how to spell it, but it is definitely not the way to pronounce the word. Nice try, but no luck. We Try to Pronounce Georgia Town Names www.youtube.com. #11 Pflugerville, Texas. Don't say, "Ahh. #17 Skaneateles, New York. Here are some names people tend to get wrong. to okay-we-see-how-you-messed-that-one-up. Charlotte If you’ve been pronouncing Charlotte like the city in North Carolina, guess again! Think you can say all these American towns and cities correctly? We hope you will find this very … #5 Des Moines, Iowa. However, the real way to say it is “chess-quick,” but no one would know that unless they were raised there or told. Taylor Markarian is a regular contributor to Reader's Digest's Culture, Advice, Travel and Pets beats. The state of Michigan has some cities and places with names … Most people who are not from central Pennsylvania pronounce the name as “wilks-bar.” While that’s definitely not the right way to say it, the correct way is still up for debate among its residents. The 2008 film Synecdoche, New York, doesn’t help alleviate confusion, either. As if you needed any further reason to look and feel your best. It is not “edin-berg,” like many incorrectly state, but rather, “ed-in-bur-uh.” Check out even more stunning photos of the most beautiful country in the world. #19 Terre Haute, Indiana. The name was later changed to Ypsilanti in 1829 in honor of Demetrius Ypsilanti. Welcome to Dez Moinz, Iowa! “Ray-lee”? Rad. However, it is not correct to call it “tee-ah-juan-ah.” Why people pronounce it that way is rather odd, considering the way it is spelled. This is a great instance of how the same letter can be pronounced different ways. Walthourville? Mar 13, 2017 Design: Megan Tatem. However, it will be cool to learn how to say the city names just like a local. Pronounce the name of this city in central Florida with the accent on the second syllable. Hoschton? For more advice on living your best life, follow us on Facebook and sign up for our newsletter now! Any help is appreciated The correct way to talk about this city is to call it “de-moin.” Make sure you read up on these 10 other U.S. town names you’ve been pronouncing all wrong. Americans tend to lay into their “a” sounds, making this city sound like “Pyung-chayng.” Koreans pronounce the city by essentially disregarding that letter altogether: “Pyung-chng.”. The city’s overwhelming population of 2.2 million people will thank you for saying it correctly. Americans tend to pronounce this city name as if it has a few extra syllables. The name Spokane comes from a Native American tribe. A market town in Somerset has topped a list of the 10 most difficult-to-pronounce place names in the UK. Most Ukrainians agree that it is read as “keev” or “key-eve.” But before you book that flight, read up on the travel lingo you need to know before your next trip. Pronounced as “la-hoy-uh,” the name of this coastal community is of disputed origin. Some names of towns and cities and Massachusetts just aren't easy to say, well if you aren't from Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved. In the interest of making sure you pronounce them all perfectly, we've listed here the 30 most mangled city names in the world, ordered from are-you-kidding-me? A real local knows it is “wooster.” These are the hardest to pronounce words in the English language. There are many disputes concerning how it is actually pronounced. It indicates the ability to send an email. Like other city names on this list, it is based on the Native American word for the town. It's so good to be in Spo-cane." Tags: News. We tried pronouncing some of the more challenging Georgia town names. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the naming of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch – the Welsh town with Europe’s longest name … It absolutely should never be pronounced as “cahn.”  The French would have you say, “ken” or “can.”. The right way to pronounce it: Bahng-gawk, The right way to pronounce it: Mun-tree-all. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. The famous film festival that occurs in this French city always stirs up the conversation of how to correctly pronounce it. We recommend our users to update the browser. Staying at Waiohai Marriott no clue how to say any and all city names in Kauai. It’s obviously pronounced “Atkins.” Chris Kolmar, About HomeSnacks December 16, 2015. Copy link. Colorado is pronounced Col-uh-RAD-o. In English, “ph” is typically pronounced like an “f” sound, but the correct pronunciation for this Thai city is “poo-ket” or “poo-get.” You better get the pronunciation right before you visit—after all, Thailand is home to some of the most underrated travel destinations in the world. Colorado is pronounced Col-uh-RAD-o. She is also a music journalist who has contributed to Alternative Press, Loudwire, Revolver, Kerrang! If playback doesn't … Spokane, Washington The right way to pronounce it: Loo-uh-vul, The right way to pronounce it: Hell-en-uh, The right way to pronounce it: Woost-a-sheer, The right way to pronounce it: Boo-duh-pesht, The right way to pronounce it: He-row-she-ma, The right way to pronounce it: Ree-oh d' ja-near-oh, The right way to pronounce it: Muh-york-uh, The right way to pronounce it: Kuh-beck city. Some pronounce it as “wilks-berry,” while others say “wilkes-bear.” If you think that’s tricky, try saying the most difficult-to-pronounce town name in every state. In fact, Native American languages influenced the names of certain states, too—here’s how every state in America got its name. Flying to Spokane, Washington, soon? It can help maintain your cognitive function. (But, hey, it's a common mistake!) 6 Californians Try To Pronounce Minnesota City Names. For true Central Massachusetts folks, it is Wuh-staaaaa. For the record, it is not “toe-lee-doh” but “toh-leh-doh.”. For the record, it is pronounced “ski-neck-ta-dee.”, Did you think America was the only country with confusing city names? Answer 1 of 4: Lihue? Self deprecation is the most lethal weapon in any ladykiller's arsenal. Oh, and speaking of Italy? Kiss-SIM-mee — not KISS-a-mee. The Newark in Delaware is pronounced as two separate syllables: “new-ark.” The city in New Jersey is said as one syllable. The true pronunciation is much more elegant: “ver-sigh.”. Shopping. Some of them have hundreds of stories…others, perhaps just one major story. The right way to pronounce this Scottish city, however, is “glass-go.”. And many have the same odd pronunciationes in the US (and Canada, Australia etc), like "Worcester", which is pronounced roughly the same way when it comes to the names of the US cities with the same name (give or take rhoticity). Info. For more great travel advice, here are 20 Secrets Your Flight Attendant Won't Tell You. Isn’t that right, Philadelphia native Bradley Cooper? Enter your email address to get the best tips and advice. Wrong. This can make pronunciation a bit difficult, even for people who live here. Like Hear Names, you can type in a name and be taken to one or several audio recordings of it being spoken. Many South Africans are learning how to pronounce Gqeberha, the new name for the city of Port Elizabeth. Buda and Pest actually used to be two separate Hungarian settlements, but the two were joined (along with the town of Òbuda) in 1873 and became the official capital of the country. Back stateside, these are the funniest town names from each of the 50 states. Despite all of the confusing vowels, the city is actually pronounced, “puh-kip-see.” It is located roughly at the halfway point between New York City and Albany. Bataan is commonly pronounced by Americans as “ba-tan,” but the correct way to say it is “ba-tah-an.” It may not roll well off the English tongue, but that’s the way it is! 3. Some are weird, some are unique, and many are hard to pronounce. This nod to the roots of the city has caused divisions however, as arguments about the cost of the name-change surfaced online. In this audio tutorial lesson you will learn how to pronounce the top-20 major French cities. Learn more. “Bei-jing” is the way it is meant to be read, but “beige-ing” is the common mispronunciation. 20 Secrets Your Flight Attendant Won't Tell You. Modern visitors should be aware, though, that the correct way to pronounce the city name is “pore-vo.” The double vowels at the end of the city’s name aren’t pronounced as such. Many place-names are perfectly self-explanatory: Cornwall, Essex, Leeds, Westminster, Hyde Park – all of these spoken as the spelling indicates. Thankfully, the State of Michigan has a full database of pronunciations for cities, townships, street names and even famous people. Some of us did better than others. Listen to the audio pronunciation in the Cambridge English Dictionary. For the native English speaker, this paradise in San Diego sounds absolutely nothing like it’s spelled (this tends to be a common theme among city names). 3. Vidalia? In England, however, it is pronounced as “notting-hm.” It is the same Nottingham whose sheriff the character Robin Hood so despised in his tales. Last Updated: January 15, 2020 9:46 am. The deceptive letters strike again! By rights, the English language would have you read this city’s name as “spo-cane.” In reality, residents call it “spo-can.” It is one of the thousands of towns and cities in America whose names are based on the Native American names that were in place before English settlers arrived. Americans will see “-ham” in the name of this English city and immediately want to pronounce it the same way the meat is pronounced. A fail of hilariously epic proportions. Place names in the United States are a hodgepodge, a seemingly random collection, of different languages.. The Chinese capital is pronounced the exact way it is spelled, and yet plenty of people still get it wrong. Just like the city of Glasgow in Scotland, Moscow, Russia is pronounced as if there were no “w” at the end of the name. The question, however, is if tourists know how to pronounce the name of the city when they get there. Spokane, Washington How to correctly pronounce names of Michigan cities. Pronunciation of cities with 1 audio pronunciation, 1 synonym, 15 translations, 8 sentences and more for cities. Instead, it is pronounced “ah-see-zee.”, The 2018 Olympics were held in this famous city of South Korea, but most foreigners are still pronouncing it the wrong way. By Jessica Leigh Mattern. Just kidding, but that is how many people do pronounce it. Rad. 3 Montreal, Canada. Share. “Key-ev.” Simple and to the point, right? This city in Texas is pronounced more like a Sesame Street character than an action hero flick. In the South, never judge a town name by the way it's spelled. Markarian is the author of the book, 'From the Basement: A History of Emo Music and How It Changed Society', which analyzes the evolution of punk and mental health. View Gallery 12 Photos Design: Megan … Pronounce the name of this city in central Florida with the accent on the second syllable. 30 Major City Names You May Be Pronouncing All Wrong 1 Worcester, Massachusetts. In Haiti, the people speak a type of Haitian Creole or French. Doctors say this shouldn't be a daily event. Many foreigners take joy in this city’s name because they think it is pronounced just like a certain English curse word, but that’s wrong! This time it is OK to trust in the letters! 2015-12-05T18:30:00Z The letter F. An envelope. ): Baw-stin. Budapest? 4 Boise, Idaho. Before we get to the debate – the most contentious discussion on our timelines has been around quite how to pronounce the new city name correctly. Some people are inclined to calling this Italian city “ah-see-see,” but the double consonants are pronounced differently than the single consonant. Part of the reason you may not know how to say the name of this county near Albany is because you are already familiar with a similar-sounding word from grammar school: synecdoche. In the South, never judge a town name by the way it's spelled. If English speakers who visit the UK struggle with how to pronounce many of the place-names there, spare a thought for non-English speakers who are struggling with the language as it is. Read about World War II’s Bataan Death March in the history books and talk about it in history class the correct way! 35 commonly mispronounced Texas city names. And even if we were, trying to pronounce the name of a country or city without first doing some research is pretty much a faux pas waiting to happen. This week, LinkedIn launches a new audio feature that lets you record the precise pronunciation of your name, and then anyone can listen to it. In isiXhosa, the “ Gq ” syllables are pronounced with a heavy click, while the “ Rha ” syllables towards the end are pronounced with a rolled R which sounds similar to the “G” sound in Afrikaans. March 10, 2020 Updated: March 12, 2020 3:21 p.m. Christina Sterbenz. In Australia, it’s “Bris-bn,” as if there is no vowel at the end of the word at all. Whether the name derives from the Native American word for “holes” (due to its many caverns) or the Spanish word for “jewel” is up for debate, but what’s almost certain is that you’ve been mispronouncing it your entire life.