We've all wondered exactly how to pronounce an L.A. street name, food or something our yoga teacher mentioned. And don't even get us started on the non-Spanish pronunciation of Spanish words. But if you want to fit in like real Angeleno, here's a starter list of how to say stuff, SoCal-style.
9 Los Angeles Words You Are Probably Mispronouncing
Are you saying “Los Feliz” right?
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Published Jul 22, 2016
The Broad Museum
The Wrong Way: Rhymes with Maude
The Right Way: With a long "o," like go
It only just opened, but its moneybags namesake Eli Broad has been funding arts in L.A. for years.
Chakra
The Wrong Way: Shock-rah
The Right Way: “Chuckra” with a hard “ch” and an “uh” sound
Maybe hearing everyone say it wrong while maintaining inner peace is the universe’s way of teaching us to be yogis.
Doheny
Wrong Way: DOUGH-enny
Right Way: Dough-HE-nee
It’s the family name of an important Los Angeles oil baron from the 1890s, so show some respect.
Rodeo Drive
Wrong Way: Ro-dee-oh
Right Way: Row-day-oh
You’re probably already saying this one correctly, with its Spanish pronunciation.
Cañon Drive
Wrong Way: Canyon
Right Way: Cannon
If you’re L.A. born and bred, you know we dropped that tilde years ago.
San Pedro
The Wrong Way: San-PAY-droh
The Right Way: San-PEE-droh
This charming rough-and-tumble seaport to the south is its own little world, and has its own little pronunciation.
Poke
The Wrong Way: Rhymes with “bloke”
The Right Way: Rhymes with “okay”
This Hawaiian dish made up of chunks of raw fish is showing up on fine-dining menus, at fast-food joints and even at Ralphs.
Pho
The Wrong Way: Foh (as in “fo sure”)
The Right Way: Fuh
This popular Vietnamese noodle soup’s correct pronunciation isn’t helped by restaurants with misleading (and just plain bad) pun names like 9021Pho and Phorage.
Los Feliz
The Wrong Way: Los Fey-LEASE
The Right Way: Los FEE-lus
Chichi residential neighborhood, represent: You rated an entire Los Angeles Times article about whether to pronounce your name with the rarer, original Spanish pronunciation or the more common, Anglicized way.
