Places you’ve been pronouncing all wrong

THINK you know how to pronounce Berlin? Qatar? Or how about Detroit? This guide to place names will stop you from ever offending the locals again.

IT’S bad enough looking like a tourist, but even worse when you open your mouth and totally butcher the name of the place.

We’ll help spare you any such embarrassment with this primer to pronouncing places just like a local.

Nevada

It’s ne-VAD-ah, not ne-VAH-duh.

Cartagena, Colombia

Do you see a tilde (~) over that “n” in Cartegena? No? That’s right, so don’t pronounce it like “mañana.” It’s simply kahr-tah-hey-NAH. Notice that second “o” in Colombia? That means it’s co-LOM-bee-ah not co-LUM-bee-ah.

Nicaragua

Nic-ah-ra-GOO-ah not nih-kuh-rah-GWUH.

Nicaragua is popular with surfers who take advantage of its uncrowded waves.

Cappadocia, Turkey

Both acceptable: kap-ah-DOK-yah or kap-ah-doe-KEE-ah, but not kap-ah-doe-CHEE-ah.

Detroit, Michigan

Motor City is pronounced dih-TROYT, not DEE-troyt.

Now let’s take a look at some of those tricky Caribbean islands ...

Antigua: an-tee-GAH, not an-tee-gwah

Anguilla: an-gwil-ah (like vanilla) not an-gwee-lah

Curaçao: cur-ah-sow (ç makes an “ess” sound)

Nevis: nee-vis

St. Lucia: saint loo-shuh not loo-see-ah

Don’t offend the locals in St Lucia.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Ed-in-burrah, not ed-in-bore-oh — or, God forbid, ed-in-burg.

Birmingham, Leicester, Berkshire — UK

It’s bur-ming-EM (not bur-ming-HAM), less-ter not lee-sess-ter, and BARK-sure not berk-shy-er.

Berlin, Germany

The German capital is pronounced bear-LIN or bear-LEEN.

Capri, Italy

Don’t say it like those silly, ankle-exposing pants. It’s pronounced CAH-pree.

Reims, Cannes, Aix, Cahors, Rennes — France

Ranse; cann or kenn (throw in an extra “n”); ex; kah-or; ren.

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Home to green dragons, the Slovenian capital is Lyoo-BLEE-AH-nah.

Yep, the capital of Slovenia is a bit of a tongue twister.

Maldives

Mawl-deevz or mol-deevz.

Qatar

Could be kuh-TAR; others say KUH-tar or cutter.

Reykjavik, Iceland

REY-kyah-vik not RAKE-ah-vik.