​​10 most mispronounced food words and their correct pronunciation

Food has a funny way of travelling across borders faster than pronunciation does. We happily order sushi, sip lattes, spread pesto on toast, and debate croissants with great passion, often without realising we are quietly mangling centuries of linguistic history. It is not ignorance; it is adaptation. Words bend when they enter new cultures, and kitchens are forgiving places.

Still, there is a special satisfaction in knowing how something was meant to be said. Not to show off at a dinner party, but to appreciate where the dish came from and the people who perfected it long before it appeared on a delivery app. Here are ten famously mispronounced food words, along with how they are traditionally said.

Menus everywhere have turned this Italian classic into “broo-shetta.” The correct pronunciation is “broo-SKET-ta.” In Italian, “sch” before an “e” or “i” makes a hard “sk” sound. Once you know that rule, it suddenly feels obvious.

This protein-packed grain, technically a seed has inspired years of uncertainty. Is it “kwin-oh-ah,” “keen-wah,” or “kin-noah”? The closest to its original Andean pronunciation is “KEEN-wah.” Two syllables, clean and simple.

Soft Italian dumplings made of potato, flour, and egg often get called “guh-nock-ee.” The Italian “gn” creates a soft “ny” sound, making the proper pronunciation “NYOK-ee.” Gentle, rounded, and oddly pleasing to say once you get the hang of it.

This Brazilian berry entered global wellness culture with a halo of mystery and mispronunciation. It is not “ah-kai” or “a-sigh.” The Portuguese pronunciation is “ah-sigh-EE.” Three syllables, with the emphasis on the last.

Short, sharp, and often overcomplicated. Many English speakers stretch it into “pay-sto.” In Italian, it is closer to “PES-to,” with a softer “e,” like the “e” in “bed.” No drama, just basil and garlic doing their thing.

This Vietnamese noodle soup looks like it should rhyme with “go,” but that is misleading. The most common pronunciation is “fuh,” said quickly and lightly. One syllable, barely lingering, as comforting as the broth itself.

Spanish dishes frequently fall victim to Anglicised vowels, and paella is no exception. It often emerges as “pie-ella,” but in Spain it sounds more like “pa-EL-ya,” with a subtle “y” in the middle and the stress on the second syllable.

Tiramisu would not exist without this creamy Italian cheese, yet its name is routinely twisted into “mars-ca-pone.” The Italian version is “mas-car-POH-neh,” with a gentle ending and no “r” after the first syllable.

This chilli sauce has become so mainstream that its pronunciation now depends on where you live. Many say “sir-rah-cha” or “see-rah-cha.” The Thai-influenced version is closer to “see-RAH-cha,” with the emphasis in the middle and a clean opening sound.

Linguists note that global travel and branding have helped blur the original cadence, creating regional variants that sound natural locally, even if they drift from Thai phonetics taught in language guides and culinary schools.

One of the world’s most butchered breakfast pastries. In English conversations, it often becomes “kruh-sant” or “kwah-sant.” In French, the sound is softer and shorter: “krwah-sahn.” The final “t” is silent, and the middle syllable barely exists. Think airy, buttery, and understated, much like the pastry itself.

If said correctly, the word almost melts away at the end, with a gentle nasal tone replacing hard consonants, mirroring the croissant’s delicate layers and flaky crumb rather than the blunt, over-pronounced versions heard at cafés and bakeries worldwide.