How Do You Say That? City Names That Tourists Often Mispronounce

Before you think of traveling somewhere, you must master some “native language phrases.” Comprehending the native tongue in the metropolis or country you wish to travel to will help.

You will not just get to ask the locals where the nearest restaurant or bathroom is. But also correctly pronounce the city’s name without sounding like a foreigner. This is especially true when people visit chronically mispronounced cities across the globe.

There have been many reports on how many travelers mispronounce the names of the cities and other surrounding regions while visiting them. It not only makes it difficult to navigate around these cities but also makes it challenging to communicate with the local people, especially during emergencies.

According to Forvo’s inflection glossary, “Rio de Janeiro” is the city that will make visitors lingo-tied. Approximately seven million individuals have used Forvo to properly learn how to pronounce the city’s name correctly.

If you’re wondering how it’s pronounced, it’s “ree-oh dey zhuh-nair-oh.” In the 2nd position of the most mispronounced cities is Tokyo, the capital of Japan, where 4.1 million people had to properly listen to how the city is pronounced. Dublin, London, and Chicago make up the top 5 list.

According to other data, many foreigners struggle with Spanish names greatly. Cities such as Barcelona in Spain, Buenos Aires in Argentina, and Medellin in Colombia are all under the top 10 list of the most mispronounced cities.

So, the next time you plan to visit a city or nation, make sure to learn how to pronounce it properly. You should also learn some basics of the local language, as it will be easier for you to travel from one area to another.

Safe travels!