15 Commonly MISPRONOUNCED FOOD NAMES

Some food names in English itself or in French, Italian, Spanish and Mexican can be tricky to pronounce. Although in the case of words which originate from foreign languages, mispronunciation among English speakers is often understandable and forgiven, it’s good for us to know the proper way of pronouncing them. So, whether you are a purist or someone who doesn’t want to embarrass yourself in front of certain dining guests or just want to sound sophisticated when you order food in restaurant, I hope this little guide would be of help 🙂

Abalone – air-ber-low-knee 

Almond – ah-mernd 

Bruschetta (toasted Italian bread drenched in olive oil and served typically with garlic or tomatoes) – broo-skeh-tah 

Crème brûlée (a dessert of custard topped with caramelized sugar) – krem brew-lee

Crêpe (a thin pancake) – krep 

Escargot (a type of edible snail) – es-car-goh 

Fajitas (a dish of Mexican origin consisting of strips of spiced beef or chicken, chopped vegetables, and grated cheese, wrapped in a soft tortilla and often served with sour cream) – fah-hee-tahs 

Guacamole (a dish of mashed avocado mixed with chopped onion, tomatoes, chilli peppers, and seasoning) – wah-car-moe-lay or gwah-car-moe-lay 

Jalapeño – hah-luh-peyn-yoh 

Paella (a Spanish dish of rice, saffron, chicken, seafood, etc., cooked and served in a large shallow pan) – pah-eh-yah 

Parfait (a rich cold dessert made with whipped cream, eggs, and fruit) – pah-fay 

Pâté de foie gras (the liver of a specially fattened goose or duck prepared as food) – pah-tay der fwah grah 

Salmon – seh-mern 

Tortilla (a thin, flat maize pancake, eaten hot or cold, typically with a savoury filling) – toh-ti-yah 

Worcestershire (Sauce) – woos-ter-sher