Britons can't seem to pronounce this popular food items correctly - so do YOU know what the right way to say them is?

You might consider yourself a foodie, but there’s nothing more embarrassing than holding forth about your knowledge – only to pronounce the names of your favourite dishes and ingredients wrongly. 

From Bruschetta to Pho, the names of delicious treats from other nations can be total tongue-twisters for British diners.  

Italian dishes, like Gnocchi and Bolognese, are some of the most commonly mispronounced, while French words like charcuterie can also cause people to stumble. 

Sauces are not exempt, with many finding it hard to nail the pronunciation of many condiments, from sriracha to aioli and even Britain’s own Worcestershire sauce. 

Here, FEMAIL reveals how you should really say these foods names if you want to avoid being left red-faced at the dinner table.   

Britons can't seem to pronounce this popular food items correctly - so do YOU know what the right way to say them is?

Britons can’t seem to pronounce this popular food items correctly – so do YOU know what the right way to say them is?

Bruschetta 

Whether it’s tiramisu or antipasti, Italian cuisine is full of dishes that have proved a hit with Britons. 

But while pronouncing ‘pizza’ and ‘pasta’ is pretty straight forward, other terms have left some foodies scratching their heads. 

In recent years, bruschetta, a starter made of toasted bread doused in garlic, olive oil and tomato, has become a staple on the menus of gastro pubs and Italian restaurants, which have seen many patrons trying their best to pronounce it right when ordering. 

Many people pronounce the word ‘brushetta,’ with a ‘sh’ sound, however, this is wrong. 

The correct way to pronounce the started name is to say it as ‘broo-skeh-tah.’ 

Gnocchi 

Gnocchi has also left some diners stumped, with some unsure how to pronounce the ‘gn’ at the beginning of the word. 

According to Daily Italian Words, most Brits incorrectly pronounce it ‘naw-key.’ 

However, the site explained that Brits trip on the word because the ‘gn’ sound doesn’t exist in English. 

They said the two consonants should be pronounced as the ‘ñ’ in ‘piñata’, which produces a ‘ni’ sound. 

Meanwhile, the ‘cchi’ at the end of the word is not pronounced ‘shee’ but ‘key.’

For this reason, the correct pronunciation of ‘gnocchi’ is ‘knee-oh-key’ or ‘ni-oh-key.’ 

Prosciutto 

Prosciutto, the Italian name for dried or cured ham from, is another tongue-twister for some. 

According to Buzzfeed, some believe that it’s pronounced ‘Pro-shoot.’ 

However, the correct way to say the word is actually ‘pro-shoot-toe.’ 

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Pho is not pronounced ‘foe’ but ‘Fu’ as in ‘fun.’ 

Charcuterie 

Charcuterie platters are also increasingly popular in well-heeled wine bars, but even the most refined patrons have struggled to nail the pronunciation of the term. 

The ‘r’ sound is particularly difficult to pronounce for English speakers, as it doesn’t exist in their native language. 

Some people also pronounce the ‘cut’ sound as in the verb ‘to cut,’ which is not correct. 

The Spanish sausage chorizo has also tripped a few people and is so divisive that it even left MasterChef viewers arguing on Twitter in 2017. 

A voiceover described a dish as: ‘Iberico pork with grilled calamari, served with chuh-REE-thoh jam, a chuh-REE-thoh and tomato puree, Asian pear and a dressed fennel salad.’

Meanwhile, the dish’s creator, Michelin-starred chef Shaun Rankin pronounced it ‘shu-REE-zoh,’ leaving viewers confused. 

Martha Figueroa-Clark, a linguist in the BBC pronunciation unit for more than 10 years, commented on the correct way to say the word at the time. 

She said the usual pronunciation in English is ‘chu-REE-zoh,’ however,’chorr-EE-zoh and ‘chorr-EE-soh’ are also certified as pronunciations in British dictionaries. 

But she noted that in Central and South American countries speaking their own varieties of Spanish, the ‘z’ can be pronounced as ‘s’, as in ‘sit.’

Now THAT’s how you say it! 

Bolognese 

Bruschetta 

Ceviche 

Chorizo 

Hummus 

Gnocchi

Açaí 

Phở

Quinoa

Rooibos

 Prosciutto

Aïoli 

Sriracha

Worcestershire sauce 

Focaccia

Charcuterie 

Nutella

 Espresso

Mascarpone 

Poke 

Caprese 

Crêpe 

Chipotle 

Bouillabaisse

Manchego

Maraschino 

Bouillon

Nicoise

Bo·Luh·Nayz

Broo-SKEH-Tah

Say-Vee-CHAY

Chuh·Ree·Zow

Huh·Muhs

Knee-Oh-Key 

Ah-Sigh-EE 

Fuh

KEEN-Wa

Roy-Biss

Pro-Shoo-Toh

AH-Yoh-Lee

SEE-Rah-Cha

Woos-Tuh-Shure

Fuh-Kaa-Chuh 

Shaar-Koo-Tuh-Ree 

New-Tell-Uh

ESS-Press-Oh

Mass-Car-Pon-AY 

Poke-Ay 

Kuh-Pray-Zay 

Kr-Ehp 

Chi-Poat-Lay

Boo-Yah-Behss 

Man-Chay-Go 

Ma-Ra-Skeeno 

Bo-Yon 

Ni-Swaz 

 

Acai

The South American berry Açaí took the world by storm in the 2010s, soon becoming a breakfast staple for many. 

But some aficionados have struggled to correctly utter the word, which should be pronounced: ‘ah-sah-ee’ with the ‘c’ in açaí pronounced like the ‘s’ in ‘simple.’

Rooibos 

Hailing from South African, Rooibos tea has also been a challenge for some. 

Maybe tea enthusiasts have been pronouncing the variety as ‘ROY-buhs,’ which is wrong, according to PronounceItRight.com. 

Written down, the word should be pronounced ‘roy boss,’ however, the ‘oh’ is closer to a hissing sound, which, according to Webster Tea, should be pronounced ‘biss,’ making the correct pronunciation: ‘roy-biss’.  

Sauces

Condiments are not safe from enunciation hazards. 

Even the mighty Worcestershire sauce has been leaving Brits – and visiting foreigners – scratching their heads. 

It shouldn’t be pronounced as: ‘Worst-cest-er-shire,’ because the ‘cest’ is silent, just like in ‘Leicestershire.’ 

For this reason, the sauce’s name is pronounced: ‘Woos-tuh-shure.’

The popular sauce aïoli, which is made of olive oil and garlic, has also proven difficult. 

The condiment hails from the Mediterranean coast, and finds its roots in France, Spain and Italy.

Some have been pronouncing it ‘eye-oh-lee’ but the pronunciation starts with a softer ‘ah’ sound. 

The whole word should be pronounced as ‘ah-oh-lee,’ according to PronounceItRight.com  

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