You walk into an American supermarket and suddenly realize you need to ask where the quinoa is, or you want to order a salmon filet at the deli counter. The vocabulary is everyday English, but many food words have surprising pronunciations that can trip up even advanced learners. Silent letters, unexpected stress patterns, and borrowed words from other languages all make grocery shopping a pronunciation minefield.
This guide covers the most common grocery items organized by section of the store. You will learn the correct American English pronunciation for each word, discover which letters are silent, and practice the sounds that matter most. Whether you are reading labels, asking for help, or chatting with the cashier, these are the words you need to know.
Fruits and Vegetables (Produce Section)
The produce section is usually the first area you see when you walk in. Many fruit and vegetable names come from other languages, which means their English pronunciation can be very different from what you expect.
Vegetables
Here are key vegetables with pronunciation notes:
- lettuce /ˈlɛtɪs/: Only 2 syllables (LET-is). The second syllable is reduced. Do not say "le-TOOSE" or "LET-yoos."
- tomato /təˈmeɪtoʊ/: Americans say /eɪ/ in the second syllable (tuh-MAY-toe), not /ɑː/ as in British English.
- potato /pəˈteɪtoʊ/: Same pattern as tomato. The first syllable is reduced to a schwa: puh-TAY-toe.
- onion /ˈʌnjən/: Starts with the /ʌ/ sound (like "up"), not /oʊ/. Two syllables: UN-yun.
- cucumber /ˈkjuːkʌmbər/: Three syllables with stress on the first: KYOO-kum-ber.
- avocado /ˌævəˈkɑːdoʊ/: Stress is on the third syllable: av-uh-KAH-doe. Four syllables total.
- broccoli /ˈbrɑːkəli/: Stress on the first syllable, three syllables total: BROK-uh-lee. The second syllable is a schwa.
- celery /ˈsɛləri/: Three syllables with stress on the first: SEL-uh-ree. Do not say "cel-ER-ee."
- jalapeño /ˌhɑːləˈpeɪnjoʊ/: In English, the initial J is pronounced as /h/, not as the Spanish /x/ or English /dʒ/. Say hal-uh-PAIN-yo.
- zucchini /zuːˈkiːni/: Italian origin, three syllables: zoo-KEE-nee. Stress on the second syllable.
- spinach /ˈspɪnɪtʃ/: Ends with /tʃ/ (the "ch" sound), not /k/ or /ʃ/. Two syllables: SPIN-itch.
Fruits
- strawberry /ˈstrɔːbɛri/: Starts with the consonant cluster /str/, which requires careful tongue placement. Three syllables: STRAW-beh-ree.
- raspberry /ˈræzbɛri/: The "p" is completely silent! Say RAZ-beh-ree, not "RASP-beh-ree."
- blueberry /ˈbluːbɛri/: Three syllables: BLOO-beh-ree. Straightforward but practice the /bl/ cluster.
- banana /bəˈnænə/: Stress on the second syllable: buh-NAN-uh. The first and last vowels are reduced schwas.
- orange /ˈɔːrɪndʒ/: Only 2 syllables (OR-inj), not three. Many learners add an extra syllable.
- lemon /ˈlɛmən/: Two syllables: LEM-un. The second syllable is reduced.
- peach /piːtʃ/: One syllable. Make sure the vowel is the long /iː/ and it ends with /tʃ/.
- pear /pɛr/: Sounds exactly like "pair." One syllable with the /ɛr/ sound.
- apple /ˈæpəl/: Two syllables: AP-ul. The /æ/ sound (as in "cat") is important here; do not substitute /ɑː/.
Meat and Seafood (Deli and Butcher Section)
The meat and seafood section has some of the trickiest pronunciations in the entire store. Silent letters and French-origin words make this section a pronunciation challenge.
- chicken /ˈtʃɪkɪn/: Two syllables: CHIK-in. Starts with the /tʃ/ sound.
- beef /biːf/: One syllable with a long /iː/ vowel.
- pork /pɔːrk/: One syllable. The vowel is /ɔːr/ as in "or."
- salmon /ˈsæmən/: The L is completely silent! Say SAM-un, never "SAL-mun." This is one of the most commonly mispronounced food words.
- shrimp /ʃrɪmp/: Starts with the consonant cluster /ʃr/. One syllable.
- sausage /ˈsɔːsɪdʒ/: Two syllables ending in /dʒ/: SAW-sij. Do not pronounce it like "sau-SAH-geh."
- filet (or fillet) /fɪˈleɪ/: The T is silent (French origin). Say fih-LAY, not "FILL-et." In American English, both spellings are common.
- thigh /θaɪ/: As in "chicken thigh." Starts with the /θ/ (voiceless TH) sound and rhymes with "sky."
- breast /brɛst/: As in "chicken breast." Consonant cluster /br/ at the start and /st/ at the end. One syllable.
Dairy and Bakery
The dairy and bakery aisles are full of everyday words, but several of them have sounds that are not obvious from their spelling.
- yogurt /ˈjoʊɡərt/: Starts with /j/ (like the Y in "yes"). Two syllables: YO-gurt.
- cheese /tʃiːz/: Starts with /tʃ/ and ends with /z/. One syllable.
- butter /ˈbʌtər/: In American English, the T becomes a flap (sounds like a quick D): BUH-der. Two syllables.
- bread /brɛd/: Rhymes with "head," not "breed." One syllable with a short /ɛ/ vowel.
- dough /doʊ/: The "-ough" combination here is pronounced /oʊ/. Sounds exactly like "doe." One syllable.
- flour /flaʊr/: Sounds exactly like "flower" (/flaʊr/). One syllable with the /aʊ/ diphthong.
- sugar /ˈʃʊɡər/: Starts with /ʃ/ (the "sh" sound), not /s/. Two syllables: SHUG-er.
- cinnamon /ˈsɪnəmən/: Three syllables with stress on the first: SIN-uh-mun. Both unstressed syllables reduce to schwas.
- cereal /ˈsɪriəl/: Sounds almost identical to "serial." Three syllables: SEER-ee-ul.
- biscuit /ˈbɪskɪt/: The "ui" is completely silent. Two syllables: BIS-kit. (Note: in American English, a biscuit is a soft, flaky bread roll, not a cookie.)
Pantry Items and Condiments
These are the items you find in the middle aisles of the store. Many of these words have tricky stress patterns or silent letters that catch learners off guard.
- ketchup /ˈkɛtʃʌp/: Two syllables: KETCH-up. The "tch" represents the /tʃ/ sound.
- mustard /ˈmʌstərd/: Two syllables: MUS-terd. Stress on the first syllable.
- vinegar /ˈvɪnɪɡər/: Three syllables: VIN-ih-ger. Stress on the first.
- recipe /ˈrɛsɪpi/: Three syllables ending in /i/, not a silent E: RES-ih-pee. Many people mistakenly treat the final E as silent.
- herbs /ɜːrbz/: In American English, the H is completely silent! Say "ERBZ," not "HERBZ." This surprises many learners because in British English the H is pronounced.
- quinoa /ˈkiːnwɑː/: Only two syllables: KEEN-wah. Not three syllables like "KWIN-oh-ah."
- Worcestershire /ˈwʊstərʃɪr/: This sauce name is extremely compressed. Only three syllables: WOOS-ter-sher. The word looks like it should have five or six syllables, but native speakers compress it dramatically.
At the Checkout: Useful Phrases
Once you have your groceries, you need to get through the checkout line. Here are common phrases you will hear and use, along with pronunciation tips.
Phrases You Will Hear
| Phrase | IPA | Pronunciation Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Paper or plastic? | /ˈpeɪpər ɔːr ˈplæstɪk/ | "Paper" has a long /eɪ/ sound; "plastic" stress on first syllable |
| Do you have a rewards card? | /duː jə hæv ə rɪˈwɔːrdz kɑːrd/ | "Rewards" stress on second syllable; "card" with American /ɑːr/ |
| Can I get a bag? | /kæn aɪ ɡɛt ə bæɡ/ | "Bag" uses the /æ/ vowel, same as "cat" |
| Where is the produce section? | /wɛr ɪz ðə ˈproʊduːs ˈsɛkʃən/ | "Produce" (noun) is PRO-doose, stress on first syllable |
| Is this on sale? | /ɪz ðɪs ɑːn seɪl/ | "Sale" rhymes with "mail," one syllable |
| Can I pay with a card? | /kæn aɪ peɪ wɪð ə kɑːrd/ | "Pay" with the /eɪ/ diphthong |
Phrases You Will Say
- "Where can I find the [item]?": This is the most useful question in any store. Practice inserting different food words after "find the."
- "How much does this cost?" /haʊ mʌtʃ dʌz ðɪs kɔːst/: Note the /ʌ/ in "much" and "does."
- "I'd like a pound of..." /aɪd laɪk ə paʊnd ʌv/: Useful at the deli counter. "Pound" uses the /aʊ/ diphthong.
- "Is this gluten-free?" /ɪz ðɪs ˈɡluːtən friː/: "Gluten" is GLOO-ten, two syllables.
Pronunciation Traps for All Learners
Regardless of your first language, certain food words are universally tricky. Here are the top traps to watch out for:
Silent Letter Foods
| Word | Silent Letter | Correct IPA | Common Mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| salmon | L | /ˈsæmən/ | Saying "SAL-mun" |
| herbs | H | /ɜːrbz/ | Saying "HERBZ" (this is British, not American) |
| raspberry | P | /ˈræzbɛri/ | Saying "RASP-berry" |
| filet | T | /fɪˈleɪ/ | Saying "FILL-et" |
| biscuit | UI | /ˈbɪskɪt/ | Saying "bis-KOO-it" |
Stress Pattern Surprises
- Produce: As a noun (the store section), stress is on the first syllable: /ˈproʊduːs/ (PRO-doose). As a verb (to make something), stress is on the second: /prəˈduːs/ (pruh-DOOSE).
- Dessert vs. desert: Dessert (sweet food) is /dɪˈzɜːrt/ with stress on the second syllable. Desert (dry land) is /ˈdɛzərt/ with stress on the first. The double S in dessert is your clue: "you always want more dessert, so it has more S's."
False Friends from Other Languages
- Pie /paɪ/: In English, this is a baked dish with a crust, not "foot" (as in Spanish). Rhymes with "sky."
- Preserves /prɪˈzɜːrvz/: Fruit jam, not chemical preservatives. Stress on the second syllable.
- Chips /tʃɪps/: In American English, these are thin, crunchy snacks (like Lay's). Not French fries (which the British call "chips").
Quick Reference Table: 60+ Food Words
| Word | IPA | Syllables | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|
| lettuce | /ˈlɛtɪs/ | 2 | Second syllable is reduced |
| tomato | /təˈmeɪtoʊ/ | 3 | American /eɪ/, not British /ɑː/ |
| potato | /pəˈteɪtoʊ/ | 3 | First syllable is a schwa |
| onion | /ˈʌnjən/ | 2 | Starts with /ʌ/, not /oʊ/ |
| cucumber | /ˈkjuːkʌmbər/ | 3 | Starts with /kj/ |
| avocado | /ˌævəˈkɑːdoʊ/ | 4 | Stress on third syllable |
| broccoli | /ˈbrɑːkəli/ | 3 | Stress on first syllable |
| celery | /ˈsɛləri/ | 3 | Stress on first syllable |
| jalapeño | /ˌhɑːləˈpeɪnjoʊ/ | 4 | English uses /h/, not Spanish /x/ |
| zucchini | /zuːˈkiːni/ | 3 | Italian origin, stress on second |
| spinach | /ˈspɪnɪtʃ/ | 2 | Ends with /tʃ/ |
| strawberry | /ˈstrɔːbɛri/ | 3 | /str/ consonant cluster |
| raspberry | /ˈræzbɛri/ | 3 | Silent P |
| blueberry | /ˈbluːbɛri/ | 3 | /bl/ cluster |
| banana | /bəˈnænə/ | 3 | Stress on second syllable |
| orange | /ˈɔːrɪndʒ/ | 2 | Only two syllables |
| lemon | /ˈlɛmən/ | 2 | Second syllable reduced |
| peach | /piːtʃ/ | 1 | Long /iː/ vowel |
| pear | /pɛr/ | 1 | Sounds like "pair" |
| apple | /ˈæpəl/ | 2 | The /æ/ vowel |
| chicken | /ˈtʃɪkɪn/ | 2 | Starts with /tʃ/ |
| beef | /biːf/ | 1 | Long /iː/ vowel |
| pork | /pɔːrk/ | 1 | /ɔːr/ vowel sound |
| salmon | /ˈsæmən/ | 2 | Silent L |
| shrimp | /ʃrɪmp/ | 1 | /ʃr/ cluster |
| sausage | /ˈsɔːsɪdʒ/ | 2 | Ends in /dʒ/ |
| filet | /fɪˈleɪ/ | 2 | Silent T (French origin) |
| thigh | /θaɪ/ | 1 | /θ/ sound |
| breast | /brɛst/ | 1 | /br/ and /st/ clusters |
| yogurt | /ˈjoʊɡərt/ | 2 | Starts with /j/ |
| cheese | /tʃiːz/ | 1 | Ends with /z/, not /s/ |
| butter | /ˈbʌtər/ | 2 | American flap T |
| bread | /brɛd/ | 1 | Short /ɛ/, rhymes with "head" |
| dough | /doʊ/ | 1 | -ough = /oʊ/ |
| flour | /flaʊr/ | 1 | Sounds like "flower" |
| sugar | /ˈʃʊɡər/ | 2 | Starts with /ʃ/, not /s/ |
| cinnamon | /ˈsɪnəmən/ | 3 | Unstressed schwas |
| cereal | /ˈsɪriəl/ | 3 | Sounds like "serial" |
| biscuit | /ˈbɪskɪt/ | 2 | Silent "ui" |
| ketchup | /ˈkɛtʃʌp/ | 2 | /tʃ/ in the middle |
| mustard | /ˈmʌstərd/ | 2 | Stress on first |
| vinegar | /ˈvɪnɪɡər/ | 3 | Stress on first |
| recipe | /ˈrɛsɪpi/ | 3 | Final E is not silent |
| herbs | /ɜːrbz/ | 1 | Silent H in American English |
| quinoa | /ˈkiːnwɑː/ | 2 | Only two syllables |
| Worcestershire | /ˈwʊstərʃɪr/ | 3 | Extremely compressed |
Practice Strategies for Food Vocabulary
1. Practice While Shopping
Turn your weekly grocery trip into a pronunciation exercise. As you pick up each item, say its name out loud (or quietly to yourself). The physical context of holding the item while saying the word creates a strong memory connection.
2. Read Labels Out Loud
Ingredient lists on food packages are excellent pronunciation practice. Try reading the ingredients of your cereal box, yogurt container, or soup can. You will encounter many of the words from this guide, plus new ones to look up.
3. Practice in Phrases, Not Isolation
Words are easier to pronounce when they are part of natural phrases. Instead of just practicing "salmon," say "I'd like a pound of salmon" or "The salmon is on sale today." This builds natural rhythm and linking between words.
4. Use the Word Practice Cards
The interactive cards throughout this guide let you hear the correct pronunciation and practice each word. Go through them multiple times, focusing on one or two tricky sounds each session.
5. Cook with English Recipes
Follow a recipe in English and read each ingredient and instruction out loud. This gives you real-world practice with food vocabulary in context. Pay attention to words like "dice," "mince," "sauté," and "simmer" while you are at it.
Key Takeaways
- Silent letters are everywhere: The L in "salmon," the P in "raspberry," the T in "filet," and the H in "herbs" (American English) are all silent. Memorize these; there is no rule that predicts them all.
- Stress patterns matter: Words like "avocado" (stress on third syllable) and "broccoli" (stress on first syllable) need correct stress to be understood.
- Borrowed words change pronunciation: Words borrowed from French (filet), Spanish (jalapeño), and Italian (zucchini) are pronounced differently in English than in their original languages.
- The schwa is your friend: Unstressed syllables in words like "banana" (/bəˈnænə/), "lettuce" (/ˈlɛtɪs/), and "lemon" (/ˈlɛmən/) use reduced vowels. Do not over-pronounce them.
- American vs. British differences: Watch out for "tomato" (American /eɪ/ vs. British /ɑː/) and "herbs" (American silent H vs. British pronounced H).
For more pronunciation practice, explore our interactive pronunciation exercises where you can work on the specific sounds that appear in food vocabulary, from the /æ/ in "apple" to the /θ/ in "thigh."