Oh, Canada. The country is known for its diversity and vast landscapes, so it’s understandable that the names of our many towns and cities can trip up visitors.
You might think you know how to pronounce the name of a Canadian town or city, but apparently, pronouncing even the name of the most popular places is a veritable minefield. Just because that’s how it’s spelled doesn’t mean you’re pronouncing it correctly.
And that’s evident in the deluge of answers after one Redditor asked, “What’s a town name everyone from away pronounces wrong?”
So, if you’re planning to visit a city or town in Canada, you might want to listen to people’s advice so you won’t seem like an outsider.
Here are some mispronounced places in each province, according to Canadians on Reddit.
British Columbia
With its beaches and hiking trails, it’s no wonder BC is a popular destination for outdoorsy types. But it can be tough for tourists to get the right pronunciation of the town or city that they’re visiting.
Think you’re saying Vancouver correctly?
“Vancouver. Tourists always forget to pronounce the invisible G,” said u/irwtfa.
One commenter agreed. “Ahhhh yes, Vang-goover,” they stated.
Another commonly mispronounced place is the town of Tsawwassen in Delta.
While it might technically be pronounced as “Tah-wah-sen,” one Redditor provided helpful advice on how to say it like a local.
“It’s supposed to be pronounced ‘sah-wah-son,’” stated u/ExportMatchsticks.
Another place that confuses people is the city of Coquitlam.
Can’t figure out how to say it?
“Koe-quit-lum,” states u/saidthewhale64.
Redditor u/bangonthedrums commented, “Co-kwittle-um was one I heard some people in Toronto say. Hilarious.”
Saskatchewan
Home to around 226,000 people, Regina is the sixteenth largest city in Canada. But tourists often don’t realize that they’re saying it wrong.
“Usually, people will pronounce it “Re-gee-na.” And then laugh when they’re told the correct pronunciation. Sigh,” said u/muggs87.
“And it doesn’t help that Siri says ‘Re-gee-na’ no matter how you say it,” added u/Yellow-Camp-7151.
An older Reddit thread reveals that the way you pronounce the province’s name also reveals if you’re from there or not.
“In Saskatchewan, they say you’re really from there if you say the name of the province with one syllable. ‘Skatchwn’ is for locals, ‘Sas-kat-chew-wan’ is for everyone else,” wrote u/purpl3r3dpod.
Ontario
If you’re visiting Canada’s most populated province, you might want to keep some of these pronunciations in mind. It turns out that Etobicoke tends to confuse visitors who tend to pronounce it exactly the way it’s spelled.
“A friend of mine pronounced it Eti-bi-co-kee, and I was like, “Yes, that’s what it’s called (from now on),’” stated one Redditor.
So, jokes aside, what’s the correct pronunciation?
“Ih-toe-bih-co,” answered one commenter.
Perhaps not surprising to those who live there, someone pointed out that visitors also tend to mispronounce Toronto.
Reddit user u/Strain128 shares the one way to say it a local: “Chronno.”
“If you’re FROM Toronto, then you call it ‘tronno,’ but if you aren’t, you more likely call it toron-To,” said u/ExperienceWilling288.
North of “Chronno” is the town of Penetanguishene, which, according to one commenter, is pronounced “Pen-ah-tang-wish-een.”
Ever been to Sault Ste. Marie? There’s a reason residents of this city call it “The Soo.”
“It’s francophone, and Sault is pronounced like So-sainte-Marie,” stated one helpful Redditor.
Alberta
If you’re in Alberta and visiting Calgary, the way you say it might be a dead giveaway that you’re far from home.
“I’ve heard people throughout the country mispronounce it as ‘Cal Gary,’ as in two different guys’ names,” said u/Dalminster.
As for the correct way to say Calgary, u/Easy-Garlic6263 stated, “Two syllables: Cal-gree.”
Waskatenau is the epitome of a small village in Alberta with just 260 residents. The village name is a Cree word meaning “opening in the bank.”
If you want to say it right, according to one person, it’s pronounced “Was-ET-Na with a silent k.”
Quebec
Montreal is another popular tourist spot, but it seems that locals have almost about every other possible pronunciation.
“Montreal… nothing worse than hearing an American butcher it by saying, ‘Mooonnn-treal,’” stated u/MarMatt10.
In another Reddit thread, someone stated, “Mun-treeyall in English, Moh-ray-al in French. Anything else deserves a trial at the Hague.”
And it’s not just the city — visitors mispronounce Quebec, too.
“Quebec comes out Qweebeck,” said u/oddlotz.
For confused tourists, the correct way to say it is “K-bek,” according to u/sebastopol999.
Nova Scotia
Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings was in hot water when he mispronounced the name of a Nova Scotia town.
In one episode, Jennings reads the following clue from the “Small town America and Canada” category:
“For more than 150 years, traditional festivities have come to Antigonish in this province for the annual highland games.”
Jennings pronounced it as “Anneteagonish,” much to the annoyance of locals.
According to one Reddit thread on this subject, the pronunciation varies slightly among residents.
One commenter stated, “Drop the T in Antigonish while pronouncing, and then you’ll sound like a local. ”
Nova Scotians also often hear people mispronounce Dartmouth and Yarmouth.
“Colloquially, they’re ‘Dart-mith’ and ‘Yar-mith,’” stated u/gooin12.
What’s a Canadian town or city that’s often mispronounced? Let us know in the comments.