The most difficult brands to pronounce, according to Brazilians

The pronunciation of foreign brand names has been a frequent source of doubt among Brazilians. According to a survey by Preply, a platform specializing in language learning, foreign words have generated more than 6.5 million searches on the internet in the last twelve months, as internet users tried to clarify the correct phonetics of e-commerce, fashion, electronics, and other brands.

Most challenging brands for Brazilians

At the top of the list of brands that most confuse Brazilians is Shein (see table below). Known for its popularity in the imported goods sector, the correct pronunciation is “xi-in”, derived from the English expression “She inside”. Other brands such as NuBank, Apple and AirBnB also appear frequently in searches for pronunciation, with many people “Portuguese-ing” the names.

Brands of English origin, such as Burberry and Budweiser, are also points of doubt. Burberry, often pronounced as “burbéri”, should be pronounced “bôrbeuri”. Budweiser, which originated from a beer from the city of Budweis, ends up being called “bôduaiser”.

Challenges with brands in other languages

It’s not just English-language brands that cause confusion. French names are also a challenge, especially luxury and cosmetic brands. Sephora, for example, is often pronounced “séfora” in Brazil, although the correct pronunciation is “séforá.” Brands like Louis Vuitton (“Luí Vitón”) and Yves Saint Laurent (“Iv san lôrran”) also made the list of most-searched names.

To help clarify doubts, Preply’s research analyzed millions of online searches related to “pronunciation of”, “how to say” and “how to speak”. Based on the most frequent searches, the research highlighted the brands that most challenge Brazilians in the correct pronunciation.

If you’re still unsure about how to pronounce some of these brands, check out the official research page to hear the correct pronunciations with the help of explanatory videos.

These are the most difficult brands to pronounce, according to Brazilians.
Ranking based on national internet searches in the last 12 months