Texas is rich in cultural diversity. While standard and intuitive pronounciation is often used, mispronouncing colloquial names is a dead give away that you aren't familiar with the local area.
Want to blend in?
Step 1: Don't listen to your GPS. It doesn't know how to speak Texan.
Step 2: Read this list of commonly mispronounced names of Texas places, and practice!
Humble |
Suburb of North Houston -- Locals call it "um-bull" |
Mexia |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "muh-hay-uh" |
Tuam Street |
Street in Houston -- Locals call it "two-um" |
Manchaca Road |
Street in Austin -- Locals call it "man-shack" road |
Fuqua Street |
Street in Houston -- Locals call it "few-kway" |
Nacogdoches |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "nak-ah-doh-chuss" |
Kuykendahl Road |
Street in Houston -- Locals call it "kerr-kun-doll" |
Refugio |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "re-fury-oh" |
Manor Road |
Street in Austin -- Locals call it "main-er" road |
Palacios |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "pah-lay-shus" |
Pedernales |
State Park in Texas -- Locals call it "purd-nah-liss" |
Elgin |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "el-gun" |
Buda |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "byoo-dah" |
Bosque |
County in Texas -- Locals call it "boss-key" |
Boerne |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "burn-knee" |
Waxahachie |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "wox-uh-hatch-ee" |
Bowie |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "boo-ee" |
New Braunfels |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "new brawn-fulls" |
Guadalupe |
River in Texas -- Locals call it the "gwa-dah-loop" |
Bexar |
County in Texas -- Locals call it "Bear" |
Study Butte |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "stew-dee byoot" |
Gruene |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "green" |
Burnet |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "burn it" |
Nevada |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "nuh-vay-duh" |
Balmorhea |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "bal-more-ray" |
Pflugerville |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "flu-gur-ville" |
Palestine |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "pal-ess-steen" |
Waco |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "way-co" |
Llano |
City and County in Texas -- Locals call it "lan-oh" |
Miami |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "my-am-uh" |
Leakey |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "lay-kee" |
Iraan |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "ira-ann" |
Dumas |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "doo-miss" |
Goldthwaite |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "goalth-wait" |
Amarillo |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "am-ah-rill-oh" |
Marathon |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "mare-uh-thun" |
Pecos |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "pay-cuss" |
New Berlin |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "new burr-luhn" |
Jourdanton |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "jer-den-tuhn" |
San Marcos |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "san mar-cuss" |
Salado |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "suh-LAY-doe" |
Lake Buchanan |
Lake in Texas -- Locals call it "lake Buck-CAN-nun" |
Blanco |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "blank-oh" |
Agua Duce |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "ah-wuh DEWL-sih" |
Quitaque |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "KIT-uh-kway" |
Bolivar |
Community in Texas -- Locals call it "BALL-ih-vur" |
Natalia |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "Nuh-Tal-yuh" |
Knippa |
Town in Texas -- Locals call it "kuh-NIP-uh" |
Erath |
County in Texas -- Locals call it "EE-rath" |
Luckenback |
Town in Texas -- Locals call it "LEW-kin-bock" |
Montague |
County in Texas -- Locals call it "mahn-tayg" |
Lorena |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "loh-ree-nuh" |
Aquilla |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "uh-KWILL-uh" |
Uvalde |
City and County in Texas -- Locals call it "you-vhal-dee" |
Tivoli |
Community in Texas -- Locals call it "tih-VO-luh" |
Alvarado |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "al-vuh-ray-doe" |
Seguin |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "si-GHEEN" |
Anahuac |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "AN-uh-wack" |
Bedais |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "BEE-dice" |
Celina |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "suh-LIE-nuh" |
Nocona |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "nuh-COE-nuh" |
Marquez |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "mar-KAY" |
Latexo |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "luh-TEX-oh" |
Lillian |
Community in Texas -- Locals call it "LIL-yun" |
Tulia |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "TOOL-yuh" |
Jiba |
Community in Texas -- Locals call it "HEE-buh" |
Santa Elena |
Community in Texas -- Locals call it "san-tuh LEE-nuh" |
Quemado |
Community in Texas -- Locals call it "kuh-MAY-doh" |
Cibolo |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "See-o-lo" |
Coahoma |
Town in Texas -- Locals call it "kuh-HO-muh" |
Muenster |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "MYEWNS-ter" |
Carmine |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "kar-MEEN" |
Levita |
Town in Texas -- Locals call it "luh-VIE-tuh" |
Italy |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "IT-lee" |
Lamesa |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "La-MEE-suh" |
San Jacinto |
Street in Houston -- Locals call it "San Juh-SIN-toe" |
Kamay |
Town in Texas -- Locals call it "KAY-im-ay" |
Lancaster |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "LANG-kus-ter" |
Plano |
City in Texas -- Locals call it "plane-oh" |
For more fun, check out the Texas Almanac Pronounciation Guide. You too can learn to speak Texan and sound like a local no matter where you kick off your boots at night.
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