Updated on March 2024.

Greetings Sparkles!

English words have bizarre spellings and pronunciations. It is not the most intuitive language out there since there's not really a one-rule-fits-all one can follow to pronounce all of its words.

Often times, I surprised myself to know that there are words I've been saying wrong my whole entire life. I am sure a lot people out there experience the same thing at least once in their lifetime. More so for people who used to learn English through writing and reading, not through speech.

Below is a list of English words I compiled that are spelled differently than they sound. Let's see how many you can pronounce correctly.

Click on blue words to listen.

Abalone - a-buh-low-nee
Aisle - ail
Albeit - aal-bee-uht
Anemone - uh-neh-muh-nee
Antennae - an-teh-nee
Arkansas - ahr-kuhn-sah
Awry - uh-rai
Boatswain - bow-sn
Bologna - beh-low-nee
Bolognaise - bow-luh-nayz
Bomber - baa-mr
Bombing - baa-muhng
Bough - bau
Brooch - browch
Cache - kash
Climber - klai-mr
Colonel - kur-nuhl
Corps - kor
Coxswain - kaak-sn
Creme Brulee - Krem-broo-lay
Crescendo - kruh-shen-dow
Cupboard - kuh-brd
Dais - day-uhs
Debris - duh-bree
Debt - det
Debut - day-byoo
Doubt - dowt
Draught - draaft
Edinburgh - add-in-bruh
Ennui - aan-wee
Epitome - uh-pi-tuh-mee
Facade - fuh-saad
Faux Pas - foh-pah
Forecastle - fawk-sl
Gauge - gayj
Gloucester - glaa-str
Glutton - gluh-tn
Gourmet - gor-may
Grand Prix - graan-pree
Hyperbole - hai-pur-buh-lee
Illinois - i-luh-noy
Lead (metallic element) - led
Leicester - leh-str
Lingerie - laan-zhr-ay
Macabre - muh-kaab
Malinois - Ma-luhn-waa
Masochist - ma-suh-kuhst
Meme - meem
Melee - may-lay
Minute (extremely small) - mai-nute
Mirror - mee-rr
Ouija - wee-jee
Penelope - puh-neh-luh-pee
Pilates - puh-laa-teez
Plumber - pluh-mr
Potpourri - pow-pr-ee
Preface - preh-fuhs
Quinoa - keen-waa
Quiche - keesh
Rendezvous - raan-day-voo
Rapport - ruh-por
Receipt - ruh-seet
Salmon - sa-m'n
Samoyed - suh-moy-ud
Segue - seh-gway
Steak - stayk
Subtle - suh-tl
Suite (set of rooms) - sweet
Sword - sord
Tarot - teh-row
Timbre - tam-br
Tucson - too-saan
Vineyard - vin-yrd
Viscount - vai-kownt
Yacht - yaat.

How many did you get right? Am I the only one got weirded out with how Ouija is pronounced?