You"re Probably Saying The Names Of These 30 Places Completely Wrong

Want to be a world traveler? We mean one of those cool, chic kinds that can adapt to anything with a shrug and a smile. It might take some practice and a couple of mistakes, but you can learn! And the first step is being able to pronounce your destinations correctly, regardless, sometimes, of what your knowledge of letters tells you. This handy guide is here to help with just that. We know some of them seem counterintuitive, and that some of them might make you feel silly when you say them aloud, but trust us, it’ll make you sound more worldly in the long run.

(And yes! A lot of them are in the U.S., too!)

1. Tijuana, Mexico

2. Melbourne, Australia

3. Brisbane, Australia

4. Dubai

5. Reykjavik, Iceland

6. Bangkok, Thailand

7. Spokane, Washington

8. Beijing, China

9. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

10. Budapest, Hungary

11. Phuket, Thailand

12. Colombia

13. Louisville, Kentucky

14. Yosemite National Park, California

15. Iraq

16. Montreal

17. Mackinac Bridge, Michigan

18. Qatar

19. Thames River, U.K.

20. Norfolk, Virginia

21. Versailles, France

22. Worcester, Massachusetts

23. Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem, Israel

24. Helena, Montana

25. Kissimmee, Florida

26. Lafayette, Louisiana

27. La Jolla, California

28. Niger

29. Pakistan

30. Worcestershire, U.K.

(via Thrillophilia)

The world is certainly an interesting place, with so many languages and blends of languages–and, of course, all the local (mis)pronunciations of names stemming from all different places. If someone says the name of your hometown wrong, don’t fret, you might mispronounce theirs as well.

Now, if anyone out there can pronounce “Poughkeepsie” correctly, I will give you five dollars.

Happy travels!

You"re Probably Saying The Names Of These 30 Places Completely Wrong