50 MORE Words Indians Pronounce Wrong | Part 2

🔊 India-Specific

🇮🇳

50 MORE Words Indians Pronounce Wrong

Part 2 — 50 additional words that trip up Indian English speakers every day!

🔤 50 Words 📋 5 Groups 🇮🇳 Hindi Guide 🎮 Quiz 📏 5 Rules

💡 Why Learn 50 MORE Words Indians Pronounce Wrong?

You mastered the first 50 — now here are 50 MORE words that Indians get wrong! These are slightly more advanced words that come up in school, office, and daily life. From ‘chaos’ (it’s KAY-os, not CHAY-os!) to ‘mischievous’ (3 syllables, not 4!) — these mistakes are everywhere.

This Part 2 list focuses on words Indians use in professional and academic settings — the words that matter most for interviews, presentations, and competitive exams. Fix these and you’ll sound impressively polished!

💼

Office & Professional Words (10 Words)

hierarchy

❌ Indians say: HI-erarchy

✅ Correct: HY-uh-rar-kee

🇮🇳 Hindi: हाइ-अ-रार-की

💡 4 syllables, not 3

“Every company has a hierarchy.”

colleague

❌ Indians say: KOLL-eeg-ue

✅ Correct: KOL-eeg

🇮🇳 Hindi: कॉल-ईग

💡 UE is silent!

“My colleague helped me finish the project.”

niche

❌ Indians say: NITCH

✅ Correct: NEESH (UK) / NITCH (US)

🇮🇳 Hindi: नीश / निच

💡 Both are accepted now

“Find your niche in the market.”

rapport

❌ Indians say: ra-PORT

✅ Correct: ra-POR

🇮🇳 Hindi: रा-पॉर

💡 T is silent! French word

“Build good rapport with clients.”

epitome

❌ Indians say: EPI-tome

✅ Correct: ih-PIT-uh-mee

🇮🇳 Hindi: इ-पिट-अ-मी

💡 4 syllables! Not 3!

“She is the epitome of kindness.”

miscellaneous

❌ Indians say: MISCEL-laneous

✅ Correct: mis-uh-LAY-nee-us

🇮🇳 Hindi: मिस-अ-ले-नी-अस

💡 5 syllables, stress on LAY

“File this under miscellaneous.”

remuneration

❌ Indians say: re-MUNE-ration

✅ Correct: rih-myoo-nuh-RAY-shun

🇮🇳 Hindi: रि-म्यू-न-रे-शन

💡 5 syllables! Salary/pay

“The remuneration package is attractive.”

simultaneously

❌ Indians say: SIMUL-taneously

✅ Correct: sy-mul-TAY-nee-us-lee

🇮🇳 Hindi: साइ-मल-टे-नी-अस-ली

💡 6 syllables!

“Both events happened simultaneously.”

entrepreneur

❌ Indians say: ENTRE-preneur

✅ Correct: on-truh-pruh-NUR

🇮🇳 Hindi: ऑन-ट्र-प्र-नर

💡 French! ON not EN

“She’s a successful entrepreneur.”

#10

deteriorate

❌ Indians say: de-TERIOR-ate

✅ Correct: dih-TEER-ee-uh-rayt

🇮🇳 Hindi: डि-टीर-ई-अ-रेट

💡 5 syllables, stress on TEER

“The building has deteriorated.”

❌

Everyday Words Indians Get Wrong (10 Words)

#11

chaos

❌ Indians say: CHAY-os

✅ Correct: KAY-os

🇮🇳 Hindi: के-ऑस

💡 CH = K (Greek origin!)

“The traffic was total chaos.”

#12

mischievous

❌ Indians say: mis-CHEEV-ee-us

✅ Correct: MIS-chuh-vus

🇮🇳 Hindi: मिस-चि-वस

💡 3 syllables only! No ‘ee’ in the middle

“The mischievous boy hid the chalk.”

#13

pronunciation

❌ Indians say: pro-NOUN-ciation

✅ Correct: pruh-NUN-see-AY-shun

🇮🇳 Hindi: प्र-नन-सी-ए-शन

💡 NUN not NOUN!

“Work on your pronunciation.”

#14

specific

❌ Indians say: pa-SIFIC

✅ Correct: spuh-SIF-ik

🇮🇳 Hindi: स्प-सिफ़-इक

💡 SP at start, not P! Different from Pacific

“Give a specific example.”

#15

etcetera

❌ Indians say: EK-cetera

✅ Correct: et-SET-er-uh

🇮🇳 Hindi: एट-सेट-अर-अ

💡 ET not EK! Latin ‘et’ = ‘and’

“Bring pens, pencils, etcetera.”

#16

jewellery

❌ Indians say: JEWEL-ry

✅ Correct: JOO-ul-ree

🇮🇳 Hindi: जू-अल-री

💡 3 syllables, OO not EW

“She loves gold jewellery.”

#17

moustache

❌ Indians say: MOOSE-tache

✅ Correct: muh-STASH / MUS-tash

🇮🇳 Hindi: म-स्टैश

💡 Stress varies, but OU ≠ OO

“Grandpa has a thick moustache.”

#18

catastrophe

❌ Indians say: CATA-stroph

✅ Correct: kuh-TAS-truh-fee

🇮🇳 Hindi: क-टैस-ट्र-फ़ी

💡 4 syllables, E is NOT silent!

“The flood was a catastrophe.”

#19

hyperbole

❌ Indians say: HYPER-bowl

✅ Correct: hy-PUR-buh-lee

🇮🇳 Hindi: हाइ-पर-ब-ली

💡 4 syllables! E is NOT silent!

“Saying ‘I’m starving’ is a hyperbole.”

#20

albeit

❌ Indians say: ALL-bite

✅ Correct: awl-BEE-it

🇮🇳 Hindi: ऑल-बी-इट

💡 3 syllables, means ‘although’

“It’s a good plan, albeit expensive.”

🎓

Academic & Exam Words (10 Words)

#21

paradigm

❌ Indians say: PARA-dig-m

✅ Correct: PAR-uh-dyme

🇮🇳 Hindi: पैर-अ-डाइम

💡 G is silent! IGM = ‘dyme’

“A paradigm shift in education.”

#22

phenomenon

❌ Indians say: PHENO-menon

✅ Correct: fih-NOM-ih-non

🇮🇳 Hindi: फ़ि-नॉम-इ-नन

💡 4 syllables, PH = F

“Lightning is a natural phenomenon.”

#23

curriculum

❌ Indians say: CURRY-culum

✅ Correct: kuh-RIK-yoo-lum

🇮🇳 Hindi: क-रिक-यू-लम

💡 Stress on RIK

“The curriculum was updated.”

#24

algorithm

❌ Indians say: ALGO-rithm

✅ Correct: AL-guh-rith-um

🇮🇳 Hindi: ऐल-ग-रिद-अम

💡 4 syllables, TH = voiced

“Google uses complex algorithms.”

#25

documentary

❌ Indians say: DOCU-mentary

✅ Correct: dok-yoo-MEN-tuh-ree

🇮🇳 Hindi: डॉक-यू-मेन-ट-री

💡 5 syllables, stress on MEN

“We watched a wildlife documentary.”

#26

synonym

❌ Indians say: SYNO-nym

✅ Correct: SIN-uh-nim

🇮🇳 Hindi: सिन-अ-निम

💡 3 syllables, Y = short I

“‘Happy’ and ‘glad’ are synonyms.”

#27

anonymous

❌ Indians say: a-NON-ymous

✅ Correct: uh-NON-ih-mus

🇮🇳 Hindi: अ-नॉन-इ-मस

💡 4 syllables

“The donor remained anonymous.”

#28

archaeology

❌ Indians say: ARCHA-eology

✅ Correct: ar-kee-OL-uh-jee

🇮🇳 Hindi: आर-की-ऑल-जी

💡 CH = K! AE = EE

“Archaeology reveals ancient cultures.”

#29

aesthetic

❌ Indians say: AES-thetic

✅ Correct: es-THET-ik

🇮🇳 Hindi: एस-थेट-इक

💡 AE = E, stress on THET

“The café has a nice aesthetic.”

#30

rhetoric

❌ Indians say: RHE-toric

✅ Correct: RET-er-ik

🇮🇳 Hindi: रेट-अर-इक

💡 RH = R only, H silent

“His speech was full of rhetoric.”

🌍

Food, Fashion & Culture (10 Words)

#31

genre

❌ Indians say: JEN-ner

✅ Correct: ZHON-ruh

🇮🇳 Hindi: ज़ॉन-रा

💡 French! Soft ZH, not hard J

“What genre of books do you like?”

#32

caramel

❌ Indians say: KARA-mel

✅ Correct: KAR-uh-mul / KAR-mul

🇮🇳 Hindi: कार-मल

💡 2 or 3 syllables, both OK

“Caramel popcorn is delicious.”

#33

debris

❌ Indians say: DEB-ris

✅ Correct: duh-BREE / DEB-ree

🇮🇳 Hindi: ड-ब्री

💡 French! S is silent!

“Clear the debris after the storm.”

#34

cache

❌ Indians say: CASH-ay

✅ Correct: KASH

🇮🇳 Hindi: कैश

💡 Sounds exactly like ‘cash’!

“Clear your browser cache.”

#35

amateur

❌ Indians say: AMA-teur

✅ Correct: AM-uh-tur / AM-uh-chur

🇮🇳 Hindi: ऐम-अ-टर

💡 3 syllables

“He’s an amateur photographer.”

#36

unique

❌ Indians say: YOO-neek

✅ Correct: yoo-NEEK

🇮🇳 Hindi: यू-नीक

💡 Stress on NEEK, not YOO

“Every child is unique.”

#37

prestigious

❌ Indians say: pres-TIG-ious

✅ Correct: pre-STIJ-us

🇮🇳 Hindi: प्रे-स्टिज-अस

💡 3 syllables, TIGI = ‘stij’

“IIT is a prestigious institute.”

#38

accessory

❌ Indians say: ak-SESS-ory

✅ Correct: ak-SES-uh-ree

🇮🇳 Hindi: अक-सेस-अ-री

💡 4 syllables

“She loves fashion accessories.”

#39

opaque

❌ Indians say: oh-PAYK

✅ Correct: oh-PAYK

🇮🇳 Hindi: ओ-पेक

💡 Actually correct! QUE = K

“The glass is opaque — you can’t see through.”

#40

antique

❌ Indians say: AN-teek

✅ Correct: an-TEEK

🇮🇳 Hindi: ऐन-टीक

💡 Stress on TEEK

“This is an antique clock.”

🔬

Science & Tech Words (10 Words)

#41

genome

❌ Indians say: JEE-nome

✅ Correct: JEE-nohm

🇮🇳 Hindi: जी-नोम

💡 O sounds like ‘oh’

“Scientists decoded the human genome.”

#42

data

❌ Indians say: DAA-ta

✅ Correct: DAY-tuh (UK) / DAT-uh (US)

🇮🇳 Hindi: डे-टा / डैट-अ

💡 Both accepted!

“Analyse the data carefully.”

#43

nuclear

❌ Indians say: NOO-kyoo-lar

✅ Correct: NOO-klee-ur

🇮🇳 Hindi: न्यू-क्ली-अर

💡 NOT ‘nucular’! LEE not LU

“Nuclear energy is powerful.”

#44

vaccine

❌ Indians say: VAK-seen

✅ Correct: vak-SEEN / VAK-seen

🇮🇳 Hindi: वैक-सीन

💡 Both stress patterns OK

“The vaccine saved millions of lives.”

#45

meme

❌ Indians say: MEE-mee

✅ Correct: MEEM

🇮🇳 Hindi: मीम

💡 One syllable! Rhymes with ‘seem’

“That meme was hilarious!”

#46

GIF

❌ Indians say: JIFF

✅ Correct: GIF (hard G) / JIFF

🇮🇳 Hindi: गिफ़ / जिफ़

💡 Both accepted! Creator said JIFF, most say GIF

“She sent me a funny GIF.”

#47

cache

❌ Indians say: CASH-ay

✅ Correct: KASH

🇮🇳 Hindi: कैश

💡 Sounds like ‘cash’, NOT ‘cash-ay’

“Clear the cache to fix the problem.”

#48

algorithm

❌ Indians say: ALGO-rithm

✅ Correct: AL-guh-rith-um

🇮🇳 Hindi: ऐल-ग-रिद-अम

💡 4 syllables

“AI uses machine learning algorithms.”

#49

WiFi

❌ Indians say: WY-fy

✅ Correct: WY-fy

🇮🇳 Hindi: वाइ-फ़ाइ

💡 Correct! Short for Wireless Fidelity

“Is there WiFi in this café?”

#50

Bluetooth

❌ Indians say: BLUE-tooth

✅ Correct: BLOO-tooth

🇮🇳 Hindi: ब्लू-टूथ

💡 Named after a Viking king!

“Connect your phone via Bluetooth.”

📏 Rules & Patterns

Greek CH = K (Always!)

In Greek-origin words, CH always sounds like K: chaos, character, chemistry, chronic, archive, echo.

chaos (KAY-os), archaeology (ar-kee-OL), chronicle (KRON), echo (EK-oh)

Words Ending in -E: Silent or Not?

Most English words have silent final E (cake, time). But Greek/French words sometimes pronounce it: epitome, catastrophe, hyperbole.

Silent E: cake, time | Spoken E: epitome (ih-PIT-uh-mee), catastrophe (kuh-TAS-truh-fee)

NUN Not NOUN in ‘Pronunciation’

One of the most ironic mistakes: mispronouncing ‘pronunciation’. It’s pruh-NUN-see-AY-shun, not pro-NOUN-ciation.

pronunciation = pruh-NUN-see-AY-shun (NUN, not NOUN!)

Silent G Before M

In words ending in -GM, the G is silent: paradigm, diaphragm, phlegm.

paradigm (PAR-uh-dyme), diaphragm (DY-uh-fram), phlegm (FLEM)

French Words Keep French Sounds

Many advanced English words are French: genre (ZHON-ruh), debris (duh-BREE), rapport (ra-POR), niche (NEESH).

genre, debris, rapport, niche, cache, amateur, unique, prestige

🎮 Quiz — Test Your Knowledge!

Question 1 of 10

‘Chaos’ — CH sounds like:

ACH (church)

BK (KAY-os)

CSH

Question 2 of 10

‘Mischievous’ has how many syllables?

A3 (MIS-chuh-vus)

B4 (mis-CHEEV-ee-us)

Question 3 of 10

‘Epitome’ — is final E silent?

AYes — EPI-tome

BNo — ih-PIT-uh-mee (4 syllables)

CDepends

Question 4 of 10

‘Pronunciation’ — correct middle sound:

ANOUN

BNUN

CNON

Question 5 of 10

‘Genre’ is said as:

AJEN-ner

BZHON-ruh

CJEN-ree

Question 6 of 10

‘Paradigm’ — G is:

APronounced

BSilent

CHalf-heard

Question 7 of 10

‘Et cetera’ starts with:

AEK

BET

CECK

Question 8 of 10

‘Cache’ sounds like:

ACASH-ay

BKASH (like cash)

CCATCH

Question 9 of 10

‘Hierarchy’ has how many syllables?

B4 (HY-uh-rar-kee)

Question 10 of 10

‘Debris’ — is S pronounced?

AYes

BNo — duh-BREE (French!)

CSometimes

🧠 Parent Tips

📅

One Word Per Day

Pick one word each morning. Use it in 3 sentences during the day. Consistent practice beats cramming!

🎯

Learn the Patterns

Don’t memorize each word separately — learn the rules above. Once you know “K before N = silent K”, you’ll get ALL those words right!

📺

Watch & Listen

English cartoons and movies help kids hear correct pronunciation naturally. Turn on subtitles so they connect spelling with sound.

💛

Encourage, Don’t Correct Harshly

Say “Actually, this word is said like…” gently. Never mock a child for mispronouncing — confidence matters more than perfection.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Part 2 harder than Part 1?

▼

Part 2 focuses on academic, professional, and French-origin words that Indians encounter in higher education and workplaces. These words have more syllables, unusual stress patterns, and silent letters.

Why do so many English words come from French?

▼

After the Norman Conquest in 1066, French became the language of English courts and government for 300 years. About 30% of English words come from French, especially in law, food, fashion, and culture.

Is it ‘NEESH’ or ‘NITCH’ for niche?

▼

NEESH is the original French pronunciation (preferred in UK). NITCH is the anglicized American pronunciation. Both are accepted in modern English. Use whichever feels natural.

Why does the -E in ‘epitome’ get pronounced?

▼

Epitome comes from Greek ‘epitome’ where the final E was always pronounced. Unlike native English words where final E is silent (cake, time), Greek words often keep the E sound: epitome, catastrophe, hyperbole.

What’s the most embarrassing mispronunciation?

▼

Probably mispronouncing ‘pronunciation’ itself (saying pro-NOUN-ciation). Other cringe-worthy ones: saying ‘EK-cetera’ for et cetera, ‘CHAY-os’ for chaos, and ‘EPI-tome’ for epitome.

📚 All Pronunciation Guides — 50 Topics

50 MORE Words Indians Pronounce Wrong

💡 Why Learn 50 MORE Words Indians Pronounce Wrong?

Office & Professional Words (10 Words)

Everyday Words Indians Get Wrong (10 Words)

Academic & Exam Words (10 Words)

Food, Fashion & Culture (10 Words)

Science & Tech Words (10 Words)

📏 Rules & Patterns

Greek CH = K (Always!)

Words Ending in -E: Silent or Not?

NUN Not NOUN in ‘Pronunciation’

Silent G Before M

French Words Keep French Sounds

🎮 Quiz — Test Your Knowledge!

🧠 Parent Tips

One Word Per Day

Learn the Patterns

Watch & Listen

Encourage, Don’t Correct Harshly

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Part 2 harder than Part 1?

Why do so many English words come from French?

Is it ‘NEESH’ or ‘NITCH’ for niche?

Why does the -E in ‘epitome’ get pronounced?

What’s the most embarrassing mispronunciation?

📚 All Pronunciation Guides — 50 Topics

Silent Letters

Sound Patterns

By Topic

India-Specific

Word Types

Fun & Viral