Talking about Yosemite, Dubai, or Budapest? Check the pronunciation first before you try to say the name of these destinations out loud. According to a new study by language platform Preply, these are some of the most commonly mispronounced place names in the world.
To determine the list, Preply analyzed Google searches for “how to pronounce” + place names and ranked each destination based on pronunciation difficulty.
Preply found that these are the 20 most mispronounced places around the world.
Editor’s Note: Pronunciation guides are courtesy of Preply.
Cannes, France
Correct: KAN or KAN-uh
Incorrect: CON or CONZ or CON-es
River Thames, England
Correct: TEMZ
Incorrect: THAYMZ
Yosemite National Park, USA
Correct: yoh-SEH-muh-dee or yoh-SEH-muh-tee
Incorrect: yoh-SEH-mi-nee or YOH-se-might
Louvre Museum, France
Correct: LOO-vruh
Incorrect: LOOV or LOO-vray or LOO-vraa or LOO-ver
Versailles, France
Correct: vair-SIGH
Incorrect: ver-SALES or ver-SAY-les
Seychelles
Correct: SAY-shellz
Incorrect: say-CHE-les
Ibiza, Spain
Correct: ee-BEE-tha
Incorrect: ih-BEE-za or eye-BEE-tha or ee-BEE-za
Phuket, Thailand
Correct: poo-KET
Incorrect: FUE-ket or fue-KET or FUH-ket
Antigua, Antigua, and Barbuda
Correct: an-TEE-guh
Incorrect: an-TEE-gwah
Dubai, UAE
Correct: doo-BAY
Incorrect: doo-BYE
Oaxaca, Mexico
Correct: wah-HAH-kah
Incorrect: OAK-suh-kuh or oh-AX-uh-cuh
Maldives, Indonesia
Correct: MULL-deevz
Incorrect: mal-DIVES or MAL-deevz or MOLE-deevz
Laos
Correct: LOUSE (like “blouse”) or LOU (like “loud”)
Incorrect: LAY-os or LA-ose or LOSS
Beijing, China
Correct: bay-JING
Incorrect: beige-ING
Seoul, South Korea
Correct: SUH-ool or SOLE
Incorrect: SEE-ole or see-ULE
Reykjavik, Iceland
Correct: RAKE-yah-veek
Incorrect: RAKE-juh-vick
Worcester, England
Correct: WUSS-tuh or WUSS-ter
Incorrect: WAR-chest-er or WAR-cess-ter
Note: Also be on the lookout for Worcester, Massachusetts, United States—pronounced the same way!
Budapest, Hungary
Correct: boo-da-PESHT
Incorrect: boo-da-PEST or BOO-da-pest
Qatar
Correct: KUH-ter
Incorrect: kuh-TAAR or KAT-aar
Edinburgh, Scotland
Correct: ED-in-bruh or ED-in-bur-uh
Incorrect: ED-in-berg or ED-in-buh-row or EED-in-berg
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