It’s time to set the record straight, my friends.
Because a whole lot of folks out there are mispronouncing the names of various countries on a regular basis and it’s about time everyone got it right.
Here’s how to correctly pronounce the names of these countries.
1. Pakistan
If you pronounce this country “Pack-iss-stan”, you’re doing it all wrong.
It’s actually pronounced “Pock-kee-stahn.”
And, FYI, the name is an acronym and it comes from the cultures of the country in the 1930s: Punjabi, Afghani, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Balochistan.
2. Iran
A lot of Westerners say “I-ran”, but it’s really pronounced “Eee-rahn.”
So try to correct that one, okay?
3. Samoa
You hear this country called “Sam-oh-uh” a lot, but the actual pronunciation is “Saah-moah.”
Get it? Got it? Good!
4. Belarus
Some folks who don’t live in Europe can’t even point this country out on a map, so here’s the deal…
It’s not “Bel-air-us”, the correct way to say it is “Bel-uh-rooz.”
Don’t forget the Z.
5. Qatar
A lot of us are guilty of saying “Kah-tahr” when we talk about this Middle Eastern country but the right way to say it is ”Kut-uhr.”
And you’ll be hearing the name a lot in November 2022 because that’s when Qatar is hosting the World Cup.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
6. Iraq
For as much as Iraq has been in the news the last 30 years or so, you would think most people would get this one right.
Many people say “Eye-rack” but the correct way to say it is “Ee-rock.”
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
7. Antigua
This is a tricky one, especially if you’ve never been there or aren’t familiar with this island.
While many people said “Ann-tee-gwah”, it’s actually pronounced “An-tee-guh.”
Guh, not gwah…
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
8. Laos
FYI, it’s not “Lay-ouse.”
The correct way to say the name of this country is “Louse.”
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
9. Nepal
The country that is home to Mount Everest is often called “Neh-paal” but the right way to pronounce it is “Ni-paul.”
10. Kyrgyzstan
And finally, we’ll end with a tough one.
The way to say the name of this Central Asian country is not “Cry-gee-stan”, but rather “Keer-gihs-taan.”
The Z is silent, folks!
