Brand names
Brand names usually follow the founder's language, not English spelling rules, so Porsche has two syllables and Hermes has a silent h. Companies often publish an official pronunciation that differs from the popular one, as with Nike and Adidas. This list uses each brand's own stated version.
Accent
15 words · intermediate · your accent and voice are remembered across the site. More options on the settings page.
The words
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Silent S words
Island, aisle, debris, Illinois: words hiding a silent S. Hear each one said the right way.
Food words people mispronounce
Quinoa, gnocchi, bruschetta, acai: menu words that trip everyone up. Hear each one correctly.
Colour words
Turquoise, beige, fuchsia, mauve: colour names borrowed from French with tricky vowels.
Sports words
Lacrosse, peloton, judo, pommel: sporting vocabulary with borrowed and irregular sounds.
French loanwords
Rendezvous, croissant, entrepreneur, faux pas: French words English kept and half-anglicised.
Italian loanwords
Bruschetta, gnocchi, cappuccino, maestro: Italian words and the CH and GN rules English ignores.
Keep practising
Browse every practice list, hear two accents back to back on Compare, or test your ear with the listening quiz.