Food terms often mispronounced

Australians pride themselves on being adventurous diners, with a rich variety of food and beverages available from all over the world at our fingertips. However, with this culinary exposure comes one unexpected challenge: pronouncing the names of the plethora of food options.

Language learning app Babbel, has compiled a list of the five most frequently mispronounced menu items and the correct way to say them, ensuring that you can order with confidence the next time you’re out and about.

Take the bruschetta, followed by a serve of gnocchi.

Both dishes are popular Italian fare in Australia. Most people probably know bruschetta (broo-SKEH-tah) is a crispy grilled bread rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil, usually served with fresh savoury toppings. And while boiled gnocchi (NYOH-kee) can be served as a main with tomato sauce - quite like a pasta - it’s great as a crispy side when it’s pan-fried!

A Caipirinha please
This tongue-twister is not just a popular alcohol beverage but the national cocktail of Brazil. While a Caipirinha (kai-pee-REEN-ya) is now popularly customised to your taste by adding the liquor of your choice, the original mix consists of cachaça (a distilled sugarcane spirit) sugar and lime. This refreshing cocktail is perfect for the upcoming summer months.

Fajitas and quesadillas for a vibrant and scrumptious fix

Fajitas (fuh-HEE-tah) and quesadillas (kesa-DEE-ya) are two delicious Mexican street food dishes likely to be well-known but highly mispronounced by Australians. Knowing how to pronounce these two classics will make you feel nearly as good as if you were eating them beachside in Tulum.

Bouillabaisse s'il vous plait

An enjoyable French dish that is both difficult to pronounce and prepare is bouillabaisse (BOO-yeh-bays). Despite its rumoured Greek and Roman origins, bouillabaisse became most popular in Marseille in the 19th century. While essentially a fish stew, this dish promises to be different from any other because of the unique way it’s prepared and served.

One of 2017’s biggest wholefoods trends is the açai (aa-sah-EE) bowl. This nutritious meal hit it off as a breakfast trend here in Australia because of the acai berry’s aesthetic appearance, stand out taste and smell. However, the superfood has Portuguese and Brazilian origins and has been around long before it went viral on social media. If you’ve still not tasted the famous açai bowl, what are you waiting for?

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The Babbel language learning app for web, iOS and Android makes it easy to learn 14 different languages from seven display languages.

Bite-sized lessons fit into everyday life and are split into useful real-world topics, from introducing oneself, to ordering food and making travel arrangements.

The app’s effective game mechanics ensure that learners stay motivated to achieve their goals, with the average user continuing to learn with Babbel for more than 12 months. Uniquely, every course is created specifically for each language pair by a team of education experts, linguists and language teachers. Fast Company Magazine recognised Babbel as the most innovative education company of 2016.

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