5 English Words That Are Surprisingly Hard to Say
By Alex David Du · Updated
Alex writes about gaming, tech, and simple online income ideas, and builds projects that bring ideas to life.
Okay, English can be pretty tricky sometimes. You might speak it for years and still run into words that make your mouth freeze halfway through. Some words seem designed to trip you up. They don’t sound like they look, or they’re just plain hard to say.
I put together a list of five English words that are surprisingly tough to pronounce. If you’ve ever stumbled on one of these, you’re definitely not alone.
The Words That Love to Trip Us Up
Worcestershire
This one’s a classic. If you saw it written out, you might try saying every syllable, “wor-ces-ter-shire.” But nope, it’s actually pronounced more like “WUSS-ter-sheer” or “WUSS-ter-shuh.” It’s one of those words where English just decided to ignore the spelling and do its own thing. You’ll often hear people stumble over this one, even native speakers. Honestly, every time I try to say it, I sound like I’m speaking a whole other language.Colonel
This word is a weird one. It looks like it should rhyme with “kernel,” but the spelling is all over the place. The correct pronunciation is “KUR-nul.” The “l” and “r” sounds switch places, making it a confusing mess if you try to say it exactly how it’s spelled.Anemone
This one’s tricky because it has a lot of vowels and consonants all smashed together. People often trip over it or say it like “an-eh-moan” instead of “uh-NEM-uh-nee.” Try saying it three times fast!Sixth
This word is a mouthful because of the cluster of consonants at the end. It’s hard to say without slipping up and turning it into “siksth” or “sikth.” Getting that “ks” and “th” sound right in a row is a challenge for a lot of people.Mischievous
Many people say “mis-CHEE-vee-us” because it looks like it should have four syllables. But the correct pronunciation is actually “MIS-chuh-vus,” with just three syllables. This one still trips me up sometimes. It’s easy to add an extra syllable without realizing it, and honestly, I still catch myself saying it the wrong way sometimes.
What to remember about these words
English spelling can be messy, so a few sounds will fight you. Hear the word a couple of times, then say it slow. Save the five spellings and their sounds in a note and read them out loud once a week. Tiny practice beats perfectionism. You will trip less, talk smoother, and feel braver saying them next time.