Here in North America, we’re lucky to have access to a broad range of delicious foods hailing from countries all over the globe. Unfortunately, that comes along with letter combinations that may be unfamiliar and therefore challenging for our tongues to pronounce. This can result in inaccurate and sometimes even indecipherable sounds, which can lead to general feelings of embarrassment and maybe even a few eye rolls behind our backs. If you don’t give a damn and like to make up your own words, more power to you, but if you’re interested in pronouncing the foods on your plate correctly, and perhaps avoiding the wrong item being served to you, there is help available. I’ve put together a list of commonly mispronounced foods to help you communicate effectively with your food-loving friends.

Quinoa = Keen-wah

This trendy seed/grain had many of us tongue-tied when it took the foodie world by storm. You could tell it struck fear into the hearts of many as they struggled to get it past their lips. Was it kin-o-wah? Queen-wah? No one really knew. Well, now you do.

Kefir = Kuh-feer

I’m not going to lie–I’ve straight up purchased yogurt instead of this fermented dairy product just to avoid having to awkwardly blurt out its name. For the longest time, I thought it was keff-ear, but in my heart I knew I was wrong. Never again.

Bocconcini = Boh-con-chee-nee

The Italian language is always throwing crunchy Cs around, which can understandably throw off the non-Italian speaker. When does it make a ‘ch’ sound? When is it a hard ‘k’ sound? Well now you know how to order this delicious fresh Italian mozzarella without fear.

Bruschetta = Broo-sket-tuh

Everything I was ever taught in life led me to believe this popular Italian appetizer was pronounced like a little baby girl brush (brush-etta), but then my world turned upside down and I didn’t know who I could trust anymore when I found out it’s not pronounced like that at all.

Espresso = Espresso (yeah)

Is it just me, or does your under-caffeinated brain fill with murderous rage whenever you hear someone in line in front of you at the coffee shop order an ‘expresso’. Like maybe they think it’s faster to make than a regular drip coffee (wrong) and that’s why the ‘s’ is replaced with an ‘x’ sound. As if! 

Gnocchi = Nyohk-kee

For the longest time, whenever I saw this item on the menu at a restaurant, I refused to order it due to my pronunciation-induced anxiety. It’s not that I’m against potato-based pasta dishes because I love potato and pasta anything really. Now that I know how to say it, I order it more often (probably to the detriment of my waistline but at least my pride remains intact). Someone very close to me (I’m not going to name names) still calls it ‘gah-nock-kee’ and everytime, I die a little inside (bless her heart).

Poutine = Poo-tin

Want to get slapped in the face by a wooly mitten covered in frozen maple syrup? Mispronounce this classic French Canadian dish, which consists of fries covered in cheese curds and gravy. Believe me, you want to pronounce it correctly, because once you taste it, you’re going to want to order it again (or just learn how to make your own, healthier version here). 

Worcestershire = Wus-tuh-shur (or sheer)

I always thought I was right to pronounce this word phonetically, but I was so, so wrong. This brown sauce plays by its own rules, and any home chef worth their salt should know how to play by them, too. 

Macaron = Mack-ah-ron 

This one bothers me to no end (perhaps I need a hobby), because people often get these delicate French cookies mixed up with the coconut haystack cookies known as macaroons. To be fair, they are both delicious baked goods, but one has a double ‘o’ in it and the other does not. Get it together people!

Acai = Ah-sah-ee

These little berries may look unassuming, but many poor souls find them super intimidating due to their level of pronunciation difficulty. That’s a real shame considering the intense nutritional and antioxidant value they deliver. Some assume incorrectly that it’s a hard ‘c’, and neglect to express the full-bodied, long ‘i’ at the end. Now you don’t have to let your fears prevent you from enjoying these wonderful superberries.

I hope these pronunciation guidelines help you avoid excessive judgment from your pretentious foodie friends and restaurant servers alike. Or at least I hope they give you peace of mind knowing that you’re living up to the title of worldly connoisseur of food.

What common mispronunciations drive you mad? Share them in the comments or over on Twitter at @luvoinc.