When we think about holidays our minds often jump to going abroad and soaking up the sunshine.
And with being abroad comes learning a new language in a bid to navigate your way through the tourist hotspot.
However with this comes it's challenges such as how to pronounce the local delicacy or how to get around the airport.
READ MORE: Tourists issued warning as Venice officials confirm entry fee to popular city
And whilst this in itself can be a little harder than we would like to admit, something else that seems to be tricky is how to pronounce the place you're jetting off to.
And you're not alone if this is the case with thousand of tourists mispronounced some of the most popular places on Earth.
It comes after research by Preply shows that there's at least 20 destinations people are not saying right - and Edinburgh is one of them.
Analysing Google Search data for 68 well-known “hard to pronounce” places around the world, they looked at the places people ask about “How to pronounce” most often. They then ranked each place according to how difficult it is to pronounce by the number of people searching for it.
So what are the most mispronounced tourist destinations - and what's the correct way of saying them?
Top 20 most mispronounced tourist destinations in the world
1. Cannes, France
Correct: KAN or KAN-uh
Incorrect: CON or CONZ or CON-es
2. River Thames, England
Correct: TEMZ
Incorrect: THAYMZ
3. Yosemite National Park, USA
Correct: yoh-SEH-muh-dee or yoh-SEH-muh-tee
Incorrect: yoh-SEH-mi-nee or YOH-se-might
4. Louvre Museum, Paris, France
Correct: LOO-vruh
Incorrect: LOOV or LOO-vray or LOO-vraa or LOO-ver
5. Versailles, France
Correct: vair-SIGH
Incorrect: ver-SALES or ver-SAY-les
6. Seychelles, East Africa
Correct: SAY-shellz
Incorrect: say-CHE-les
7. Ibiza, Spain
Correct: ee-BEE-tha
Incorrect: ih-BEE-za or eye-BEE-tha or ee-BEE-za
8. Phuket, Thailand
Correct: poo-KET
Incorrect: FUE-ket or fue-KET or FUH-ket
9. Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda
Correct: an-TEE-guh
Incorrect: an-TEE-gwah
10. Dubai, UAE
Correct: doo-BAY
Incorrect: doo-BYE
11. Oaxaca, Mexico
Correct: wah-HAH-kah
Incorrect: OAK-suh-kuh or oh-AX-uh-cuh
12. Maldives, Indonesia
Correct: MULL-deevz
Incorrect: mal-DIVES or MAL-deevz or MOLE-deevz
13. Laos
Correct: LOUSE (like “blouse”) or LOU (like “loud”)
Incorrect: LAY-os or LA-ose or LOSS
14. Beijing, China
Correct: bay-JING
Incorrect: beige-ING
15. Seoul, South Korea
Correct: SUH-ool or SOLE
Incorrect: SEE-ole or see-ULE
16. Reykjavik, Iceland
Correct: RAKE-yah-veek
Incorrect: RAKE-juh-vick
17. Worcester, England
Correct: WUSS-tuh or WUSS-ter
Incorrect: WAR-chest-er or WAR-cess-ter
18. Budapest, Hungary
Correct: boo-da-PESHT
Incorrect: boo-da-PEST or BOO-da-pest
19. Qatar
Correct: KUH-ter
Incorrect: kuh-TAAR or KAT-aar
20. Edinburgh, Scotland
Correct: ED-in-bruh or ED-in-bur-uh
Incorrect: ED-in-berg or ED-in-buh-row or EED-in-berg
Speaking about our Capital, Preply wrote: "If Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is pronounced “PITTS-berg,” then Edinburgh, Scotland, is pronounced “ED-in-berg,” right? Wrong.
"The two most common and accepted pronunciations of Scotland’s capital city are the short “ED-in-bruh” and the longer “ED-in-bur-uh.” Scots warn that they speak fast and have a tendency to swallow unnecessary vowels, so make sure you start off strong with “ED-in” then quickly and softly end with “bruh” or “bur-uh.” Keep at it, and you’ll be singing “Flower of Scotland” with your Scottish pals in no time!
Pro tip: Try and score a free pint at an Edinburgh pub by impressing someone with the local pronunciation “EM-bra."
What other countries are commonly mispronounced?
Beyond the top 20, there are several other destinations and popular tourists attractions that are not pronounced right. From Africa to South America, there is a lot of words people still seem to get wrong.
Are there any words in the top 20 - or the world map - that you have been saying wrong this whole time?
Let us know in the comments below and tell us how you've been saying it this whole time!
READ NEXT:
Drivers issued pre-MOT check warning after motor almost fails due to car accessory
Love Island stars weekly pay while on show disclosed as former stars speak out
The EU countries and popular holiday destinations keeping Covid travel rules in place
West Lothian car disappears in cloud of smoke as driver pulls stunts at meet up
Experts issue urgent warning amid circulating loan scam targeting 'financially vulnerable'
