Travel Tips & Advice The 20 Most Mispronounced Places in the World

Travel Tips & Advice

The 20 Most Mispronounced Places in the World

Bird's eye view of couple planning a vacation on a world map while sitting on the floor

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.

World map infographic showing the most mispronounced place names around the world — Preply

Preply found that these are the 20 most mispronounced places around the world.

Editor’s Note: Pronunciation guides are courtesy of Preply.

Cannes, France

Marina in Cannes, France with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Cannes" — Mari79 | Adobe Stock

Correct: KAN or KAN-uh

Incorrect: CON or CONZ or CON-es

River Thames, England

Sergii Figurnyi | Adobe Stock

Correct: TEMZ

Incorrect: THAYMZ

Related:8 English Words You Should Never Use Abroad

Yosemite National Park, USA

Person standing on edge of a cliff in Yosemite National Park overlooking a waterfall with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Yosemite" — Simon Dannhauer | Adobe Stock

Correct: yoh-SEH-muh-dee or yoh-SEH-muh-tee

Incorrect: yoh-SEH-mi-nee or YOH-se-might

Louvre Museum, France

Plaza at the Louvre Museum in France with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Louvre" — F8 \ Suport Ukraine | Adobe Stock

Correct: LOO-vruh

Incorrect: LOOV or LOO-vray or LOO-vraa or LOO-ver

Versailles, France

Front plaza at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Versailles" — Sergii Figurnyi | Adobe Stock

Correct: vair-SIGH

Incorrect: ver-SALES or ver-SAY-les

Related:10 Foreign Words We Desperately Need in the English Language

Seychelles

Person sitting on the beach near the water and large rock formations on an island in the Seychelles with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Seychelles" — oneinchpunch | Adobe Stock

Correct: SAY-shellz

Incorrect: say-CHE-les

Ibiza, Spain

Beach in Ibiza, Spain at sunset with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Ibiza" — Alex Tihonov | Adobe Stock

Correct: ee-BEE-tha

Incorrect: ih-BEE-za or eye-BEE-tha or ee-BEE-za

Phuket, Thailand

Boats on the water in Phuket, Thailand with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Phuket" — surangaw | Adobe Stock

Correct: poo-KET

Incorrect: FUE-ket or fue-KET or FUH-ket

Related:Can You Become Fluent in a Language Using Only Duolingo?

Antigua, Antigua, and Barbuda

Colorful houses and boats on the coast in Antigua and Barbuda with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Antigua" — SeanPavonePhoto | Adobe Stock

Correct: an-TEE-guh

Incorrect: an-TEE-gwah

Dubai, UAE

City skyline and coast of Dubai with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Dubai" — EdNurg | Adobe Stock

Correct: doo-BAY

Incorrect: doo-BYE

Oaxaca, Mexico

Colorful street in Oaxaca, Mexico at dusk with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Oaxaca" — Bill Perry | Adobe Stock

Correct: wah-HAH-kah

Incorrect: OAK-suh-kuh or oh-AX-uh-cuh

Maldives, Indonesia

Overwater bungalows at sunset in the Maldives with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Maldives" — Ljupco Smokovski | Adobe Stock

Correct: MULL-deevz

Incorrect: mal-DIVES or MAL-deevz or MOLE-deevz

Related:5 Surprising Countries Where English is the Official Language (and One Where It Isn't)

Laos

Jungle, rock formations, and a house along a river in Laos with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Laos" — worldwide_stock | Adobe Stock

Correct: LOUSE (like “blouse”) or LOU (like “loud”)

Incorrect: LAY-os or LA-ose or LOSS

Beijing, China

City skyline of Beijing, China with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Beijing" — Govan | Adobe Stock

Correct: bay-JING

Incorrect: beige-ING

Seoul, South Korea

City skyline of Seoul, South Korea with road leading into the city with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Seoul" — orpheus26 | Adobe Stock

Correct: SUH-ool or SOLE

Incorrect: SEE-ole or see-ULE

Related:6 Places Where the U.S. Dollar Goes the Furthest in 2022

Reykjavik, Iceland

City of Reykjavik with mountains in the background with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Reykjavik" — Marc Jedamus | Adobe Stock

Correct: RAKE-yah-veek

Incorrect: RAKE-juh-vick

Worcester, England

Green field with city of Worcester, England in the background with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Worcester" — welshpix | Adobe Stock

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

Parliament building in Budapest at sunset with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Budapest" — TTstudio | Adobe Stock

Correct: boo-da-PESHT

Incorrect: boo-da-PEST or BOO-da-pest

Related:The Best Ways to Prevent and Treat Jet Lag

Qatar

City skyline of Qatar with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Qatar" — Paul | Adobe Stock

Correct: KUH-ter

Incorrect: kuh-TAAR or KAT-aar

Edinburgh, Scotland

City skyline of Edinburgh at dusk with graphic overlay showing the correct and incorrect way to pronounce "Edinburgh" — Anthony Brown | Adobe Stock

Correct: ED-in-bruh or ED-in-bur-uh

Incorrect: ED-in-berg or ED-in-buh-row or EED-in-berg