Is a European destination in your upcoming travel plans? The EU recognizes 24 official languages, but the continent of Europe is home to around 200 spoken languages, so it’s natural that many local place names (and their pronunciations) are unfamiliar to American English speakers. Even if a European getaway is just in the bucket-list category for you, you can still plan ahead by learning the correct local pronunciations for these European destinations that are favorites for American travelers.
Barcelona, Spain
Local pronunciation: bar-SE-lo-na or bar-THE-lo-na
The pronunciation of Barcelona changes depending on which local you’re talking to. In Spanish, the pronunciation of “c” is similar to “th” in English, so it would be “bar-THE-lo-na.” However, Barcelona is in the Catalan region, and in the Catalan dialect, “c” is pronounced with an English “s” sound, so “bar-SE-lo-na” (similar to how many Americans pronounce it) is correct. For native English speakers, it is more common to say “bar-SE-lo-na,” as the Catalans do.
Bologna, Italy
Local pronunciation: bo-LO-nya
American English speakers might be tempted to pronounce the name of this historic Italian city as they would the deli meat: “buh-LO-nee.” This variation stems from the difference between American and Italian pronunciations of letter combinations. Italians pronounce “gn” as “ny,” as seen in “gnocchi” (“nyo-kee”).
Bruges, Belgium
Local pronunciation: broozh
The medieval Flemish city of Bruges is among Belgium’s most popular destinations. Belgium’s official languages are Dutch (Flemish), French, and German, so this city name can be spelled as Bruges (French) or Brugge (Dutch). Its name is a pluralized version of the Flemish word “brug,” meaning "bridge.” The best way to describe local pronunciation is to rhyme it with the French word for “red,” “rouge.” The Flemish tend to pronounce “g” with a soft, guttural sound, which comes out as a “zh.”
Budapest, Hungary
Local pronunciation: BOO-da-pesht
The Hungarian language is notoriously difficult to master — even the name of its capital city, Budapest, catches English speakers off guard. The final syllable of Budapest ends in “pesht,” not “pest,” because in Hungarian, “s” is pronounced as the English “sh,” whereas “sz” uses a hard “s” sound, as in the English word “say.”
Cannes, France
Local pronunciation: KAN
Cannes is a world-renowned tourist destination on the French Riviera, perhaps most notable for its namesake international film festival. Many French city pronunciations are difficult for English speakers, but Cannes is simple: “Kan.” The “s” at the end is silent, and the “c” is pronounced like an English “k.” Despite its simplicity, it was recently included on a list of the most mispronounced tourist destinations in the world, with the variations on pronunciation including “con,” “conz,” and “CON-es.”
Edinburgh, Scotland
Local pronunciation: ED-in-bruh or ED-in-buh-ruh
According to a recent survey, Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh ranked as the most mispronounced holiday destination in the world. The main culprit of the mispronunciation? The silent “g” — most place names in the U.S. that end with “burgh,” such as Pittsburgh, do include the “g” sound. In Scottish English, the “gh” is silent, like in the English word “through.”
Ibiza, Spain
Local pronunciation: ee-BEE-tha
This Mediterranean island is known for its nightclubs, sandy shores, and — for English speakers — its often-mispronounced name. The name is often said as “ee-BEE-zuh” by non-Spaniards, but for Spain’s Spanish speakers, “z” is pronounced as “th.” This isn’t true across all Spanish dialects, though — a Latin American Spanish speaker would say, “ee-BEE-sa” because they pronounce “z” as “s.”
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Local pronunciation: lyoo-BLYAH-nuh
The picturesque capital of Slovenia is also the country’s largest city. Its name is tricky to pronounce for English speakers thanks to some silent letters. The biggest discrepancy between its spelling and pronunciation is the double appearance of the silent “j,” because in Slovenian, “j” is pronounced as an English “y.”
Reykjavik, Iceland
Local pronunciation: RAYK-yah-veek
Iceland’s capital city is among its most popular stops for tourists, but its name still baffles many visitors. The most common mistake is in saying the “j” in the middle of this word, which is actually pronounced as a “y” by Icelanders. Reykjavik’s unique name loosely translates to “Smoke Cove.”
River Thames, England
Local pronunciation: temz
This interesting pronunciation stems from the Old English word for this central London river: Temese. It might have come from Tamesa, which was the name of an ancient Celtic river, meaning “the dark one.” The addition of the silent “h” is perhaps an error from a mistaken belief that the name was derived from Greek.
Wrocław, Poland
Local pronunciation: vrohts-wahf
Wrocław is located in southwestern Poland, and it might be one of the trickiest on this list for English speakers to master. There are many differences in pronunciation between Polish and English letter sounds. A Polish “w” is pronounced like an English “v,” and the Polish letter “l” sounds like an English “w.” The Polish accent is tricky to master for English speakers, but as long as you don’t call it “Row-claw” while in Poland, you’re likely just fine.
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