Menu words with surprising spellings
Work through gnocchi, jalapeño, bouillon, and nine more menu words, with attention to consonants, vowels, and stress.
Practice goal: Say each menu word in a short ordering phrase and recognize where another accepted pronunciation may differ.
Choose a pronunciation to practice
Start with the pronunciation spelled out in each listening note. For example, boh-luh-NAYZ gives bolognese a NAYZ ending, while broo-SKET-uh gives bruschetta an sk sound. The IPA beside each note shows those sounds more precisely. The word pages also list other English pronunciations.
Notice the unexpected consonant
Jalapeño and fajita use h where their spelling has j. Practice tortilla as tor-TEE-uh, with no English l sound; tor-TEE-yuh adds a brief y between the final vowels. Compare these with the beginning of guacamole, where g and w stay together.
Use the word in an order
After playing a video, say its practice sentence. Then try a short request, such as “Could I have the guacamole?” Say the whole phrase again without pausing before the menu word. Return to the video when a sound is still uncertain.
Your listening list
12 wordsChoose a word to hear it in an APG video.
Pasta names: beginnings and endings
Compare the opening n-y glide in gnocchi with the sk in bruschetta. Give the stressed syllable its space in the longer words.
bolognese
/ˌboʊləˈneɪz/
boh-luh-NAYZ: stress the final syllable.
The ending has the long a of “day” and a voiced z. The dictionary also records a NEEZ ending and a pronunciation with a y glide before NAYZ.
Watch bolognese →cannelloni
/ˌkænəˈloʊni/
kan-uh-LOH-nee: stress LOH.
In the English pronunciation kan-uh-LOH-nee, the double n and double l each represent a single consonant sound. Keep the final ee lighter than the long o before it.
Watch cannelloni →gnocchi
/ˈnjoʊ.ki/
Listen closely to the beginning.
In NYOH-kee, begin with n followed by a y-like glide. Other English pronunciations have an audible g.
Watch gnocchi →bruschetta
/bɹuˈskɛtə/
Compare the /sk/ and /ʃ/ versions.
Stress the middle syllable. Both sk, as in skate, and sh, as in she, occur in English pronunciations.
Watch bruschetta →
J, ñ, ll, and gu
Compare the h in jalapeño and fajita, the final vowels of tortilla, and the g-w opening of guacamole. Listen before trying them in a phrase.
jalapeño
/ˌhɑ.ləˈpeɪn.joʊ/
hah-luh-PAYN-yoh: j sounds like h.
In the English pronunciation hah-luh-PAYN-yoh, ñ contributes an n followed by a y glide. Keep PAYN strongest, with a smaller beat at the beginning.
Watch jalapeño →tortilla
/tɔɹˈti.ə/
tor-TEE-uh: the double l is not an English l.
Tor-TEE-uh moves from ee into a light uh. Tor-TEE-yuh, also recorded, connects those vowels with a brief y sound.
Watch tortilla →guacamole
/ˌɡwɑkəˈmoʊli/
Stress “mo,” using the long “o” of “go.”
Start with g and w together. Keep the opening beat secondary to the third syllable, and pronounce the final lee rather than dropping it.
Watch guacamole →fajita
/fəˈhitə/
Stress “hee” and give “j” an “h” sound.
Use three syllables with a light opening vowel. The middle syllable begins with h rather than the English j of jam, and the final vowel stays unstressed.
Watch fajita →
Find the main beat
Practice bouillon as BOOL-yun, stressing the first syllable. Carafe and rotisserie stress their second syllable, while aperitif saves its main beat for the end.
bouillon
/ˈbʊljən/
BOOL-yun: finish with a light un.
The first vowel matches the oo in “book.” Let the l lead into a brief y sound; the final n belongs to the same unstressed syllable.
Watch bouillon →carafe
/kəˈɹæf/
kuh-RAF: the final e is silent.
The stressed a is the vowel in “cat.” Finish with f, keeping the first vowel short and unstressed.
Watch carafe →aperitif
/əˌpɛɹəˈtif/
uh-per-uh-TEEF: the main stress falls at the end.
The last syllable has a long ee followed by f. Give the earlier PER a smaller beat while keeping both uh vowels light.
Watch aperitif →rotisserie
/ˌɹoʊˈtɪsɚi/
roh-TISS-er-ee: the middle TISS takes the main beat.
The double s has an unvoiced s sound. Keep the final “er-ee” light and connected after the stressed short i.
Watch rotisserie →
Test these pronunciations
Try 8 questions from this guide. Each answer includes an APG video, dictionary reference, and explanation.
Try this guide’s quiz →Sources & classroom use
Each listening tip follows the IPA shown beside its word. Other dictionary pronunciations appear on the word page; individual speakers may vary.
Practice phrases were written for these exercises; quoted book passages remain in the separate, sourced book sections. These guides and practice notes are available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Credit American Pronunciation Guide and retain the linked dictionary attributions. Videos and other reference material keep their own terms.
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