How Do You Pronounce "Porsche"?

"Rosco458" (Rosco458) 04/23/2016 at 22:55 • Filed to: porsche, 911, boxter, cayman

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Almost everyone I talk to says it as one syllable, but sometimes I hear it pronounced like “Porsché” with two syllables.

Is one way more correct than the other? I was talking with someone about the brand once and the second I said the name he retorted, “Oh no, it’s Porsh- aaaa .”

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 22:56

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I say Pour-shuh

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 22:57

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Like borscht but with a P.

jkm7680 > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 22:58

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Por-shhhh

dogisbadob > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 22:58

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Both pronunciations are accepted

LongbowMkII > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 22:59

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Bee-tle

interstate366, now In The Industry > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 22:59

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Por-shuh. But literally everyone I know pronounces it Porsh.

Urambo Tauro > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:00

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It’s a German name. The Germans get to decide the proper pronunciation.

Two syllables it is, then.

Birddog > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:00

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I say Porch-eee because I’m 1/4 Redneck.

GE90man > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:01

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it's pronounced PORSH-AHH

Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:01

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porsche-UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH

whoarder is tellurium > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:02

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Porsh-a

Similar to how Sabine is really pronounced like Sabine-a

(auf Deutsch)

etc. etc.

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:02

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porsh-uh

lone_liberal > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:02

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Two syllables, not because I'm fancy but because that's how I first heard it pronounced by the announcer in the ads for a local dealer when I was a kid.

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:06

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I’ve learned it as PorsCHHHH and I’m going to say it that way for the rest of my life even though I think it’s supposed to be PORSHUH?

Same with Honda Odyssey. I’m from Hong Kong and my dad always called it AW-DISS (lol) so that’s what I’ll call it forever.

not for canada - australian in disguise > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:08

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Car brand, and last name: Poor-shh

Female first name: Poor-sha

Don’t ask why.

McChiken116 - Patrick H. > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:11

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Por scha is the correct pronunciation. While the other is “Accepted” it’s wrong, and will mark you as an American.

Alfalfa > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:13

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For me, it honestly depends on present company and/or how uppity I’m feeling. Although just about any Porsche employee will correct you if you say the ‘merican pronouncuation.

wafflesnfalafel > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:13

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scoob > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:15

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It’s “Porsh-uh.” I think pronouncing it as “Porsh”, a non-German way, is like pronouncing “Chevrolet” in a non-French way, with a hard “ch” (cheese) and “let” as “let” (let me go) instead of “lay.”

Does that sound stupid or what? Lol.

Hot Takes Salesman > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:17

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In America, where everyone is a redneck, you say “Porrrsh.” In literally any other country, say “Por-sha”

fhrblig > wafflesnfalafel 04/23/2016 at 23:18

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I like this one better.

Brickman > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:20

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Poursh-Uh

dogisbadob > scoob 04/23/2016 at 23:22

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Wouldn’t it just be more like saying Chevy instead of Chevrolet? :p

dogisbadob > LongbowMkII 04/23/2016 at 23:23

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I knew someone would ;)

facw > dogisbadob 04/23/2016 at 23:25

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This is what I always assumed, but no, apparently the people who say it with one syllable aren’t doing it as a shortened nickname, they just suck at pronouncing things.

CRider > LongbowMkII 04/23/2016 at 23:27

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Volks-wag-en*

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:30

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Definitely two syllables, but don’t go all “Porshaaa”. The e is more a brief vocalization to finish the “sh” than anything else. Hmm. Another way to describe it is like “sh-bang”... Por sche-Boxter.

facw > Urambo Tauro 04/23/2016 at 23:31

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Names are kind of funny though. Obviously the brand gets to pick their name, but it always strikes me as profoundly weird that we say things like Rome instead if Roma, or to keep it more German, Cologne instead of Köln, or for that matter, that we say German instead of Deutsche (which incidentally is pronounced with two syllables)

dogisbadob > Hot Takes Salesman 04/23/2016 at 23:33

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Supposedly the British say one syllable too.

I know forum posts aren’t a good source to cite, and that “everything on the net isn’t true” but according to this guy , the one-syllable Porsche is more common in the UK than in the US.

Jerry Seinfeld and all three Golden Era Top Gear hosts used to say it as one syllable as well.

dogisbadob > Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. 04/23/2016 at 23:34

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second syllable for when you see the repair costs ;)

LOREM IPSUM > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:46

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Almost completely unrelated, but Mazda is pronounced differently in the US and Canada. Even the commercials have the different pronunciations.

In the US, the first A in the word Mazda is pronounced with the same sound as the second A. (Like, ahhh, that was a relieving piss)

In Canada, the first A in the word Mazda is pronounced more like the a in Apple, or Appetite.

US Mazda Commercial:

Canadian Mazda Commercial:

I guess at the end of the day, different people in different regions of the world pronounce things differently... and that’s ok.

for Michigan > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:56

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“Por-shuh” is proper. When referring to the branding itself, that’s the pronunciation I use.

While “Porsh” is a common mispronunciation of Porsche, I’ve also heard it used (and use it) as a shortened version of the name. Sort of like Merc, Lambo, or Chevy.

Flavien Vidal > LOREM IPSUM 04/23/2016 at 23:57

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Mazda is supposed to be pronounced “ma-tsu-da” which is the correct Japanese pronunciation.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Rosco458 04/23/2016 at 23:57

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If I’m speaking to a car nut, family, friends or fancy setting 2 syllables.

redneck: 1 syllable.

LOREM IPSUM > Flavien Vidal 04/24/2016 at 00:16

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Domo arigato

Hot Takes Salesman > dogisbadob 04/24/2016 at 01:18

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Is Golden Era what we’re calling Clarkson-Hammond-May now? Good title, but I’d call it something befitting of them, like the “Juvenile Era” or the “Dickhead Era”

Chasaboo > Rosco458 04/24/2016 at 01:47

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Years ago I met one of the Porsche family members. He said it as two syllables.

Svend > LOREM IPSUM 04/24/2016 at 01:49

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We say it in the U.K. the same way as Canada.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gUIZFPoeFw

As does South Africa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJNYK2piPr8

Shoop > Rosco458 04/24/2016 at 03:36

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It’s correctly porshaa

I say poorsh

Probably for the same reason I say Le Mans instead of Le mah

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > CRider 04/24/2016 at 03:45

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Shouldn’t it actually be Wolks-Vag-En since it’s German?

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Urambo Tauro 04/24/2016 at 03:47

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100% agree. The origin of the name should dictate how things are pronounced. Crepe should be “crep”and not “cray-p.” Gangnam Style is “gungnam style” not “gang-nam style.” Porsche is “porsh-uh” not “porsch.”

Stef Schrader > Rosco458 04/24/2016 at 04:00

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“Por-sha.” Or more accurately for maximum ragepoints, “PARSH.”

DIS GOOD PARSH.

I LIEK PARSH.

GIVE PARSH NAO.

Please, correct anyone who corrects you on the pronunciation of Porsche that you’re totally certain that it’s “PARSH.”

Stef Schrader > Urambo Tauro 04/24/2016 at 04:12

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Oh, man. You should live here in Austin. We had an airport named after a man named Mueller (likely from the umlaut’d Müller), but he pronounced it “Miller.” Some families tried to sound less German after they came to the U.S., so yep.

Now that there’s a subdivision/shopping area in place of the former airport and an influx of newcomers into the city, “Mew-ler” is becoming more popular as the pronunciation of the neighborhood’s name.

Both are technically wrong—very English pronunciations of a not-English name. I’ve accepted that we’re all gonna botch this name until the end of time, self included. What comes out of my mouth is usually something I probably think in my head sounds like the name of half the Porsche Supercup field, but probably really sounds more like “Mooler,” “Mewler” or “Moler.” Because Texas. I’mma botch the crap out of this name like the rest of y’all. We don’t really have that exact vowel sound in English, hence the issue.

There’s even a radio ad now making fun of the Unpronounceable Subdivision. Help. Part of me thinks we should honor the original “Miller” pronunciation of Mueller the Dude’s name even if it confuses out-of-towners. Send currywurst and spätzle, regardless. Mmmm. Spätzle. (Also a word I tend to botch. Also very tasty.)

Stef Schrader > scoob 04/24/2016 at 04:21

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dat’s chebby.

u got dis chebby camero

needs fuel pomp soon ignition coials change lees emaculent inside good project car

$3500. NO LOWBALERS I KNOW WAT I HAVE

no trades unless dually sportbike ur mom

Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief > Hot Takes Salesman 04/24/2016 at 04:29

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While you might mean to critique (one syl) the show, it reads as if you were a bit caustic to the person who used a clever bit of wit and made us all aware of exactly what they meant. If you don’t like Clarkson, that’s fine, but let’s not lose the spirit over the details. Pump the brakes, as it were.

pImpOfThePerverse > Rosco458 04/24/2016 at 04:49

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Porch. Whatever is most likely to cause apoplexy in their owners.

CRider > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/24/2016 at 05:07

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Three syllables is barely German, it needs at least fifteen to count.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Rosco458 04/24/2016 at 08:14

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I generally say Porsche in one syllable because I learned it that way and to avoid sounding like a snob, but the correct pronunciation is Porsch-uh. In German you always pronounce the vowel at the end of the word.

Cé hé sin > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 04/24/2016 at 08:16

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Folksvaagen, to be more accurate.

Hot Takes Salesman > Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief 04/24/2016 at 10:11

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I mean it with love. I don’t mean to hate on Clarkson- that’s the BBC’s job lol

Jayvincent > LOREM IPSUM 04/24/2016 at 10:11

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The Canadian version sounds Aussie to me... and the Japanese version blows my mind. Good work, internets

dsigned001 - O.R.C. hunter > Rosco458 04/24/2016 at 10:59

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I’m going to go against the grain here and say insisting on two syllable pronunciation is silly. We have legion words in the English language that we don’t (and often can’t) pronounce the way they are in the language of origin. It is completely normal for a word and name to have a different pronunciation in different languages. So unless you’re going to pronounce Volkswagen “Folksvagen” (actually, especially if you’re going to do that), kindly drop the pretense.

coqui70 > Rosco458 04/24/2016 at 11:17

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übrig gebliebene Tank und Käfer Teile

benchslap > Rosco458 04/24/2016 at 13:09

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I own a 911 and a Boxster, and I pronounce it with one syllable. I know it’s incorrect but I don’t like being labeled as one of “those people” who say it with two syllables.

That said, if I'm at a Porsche dealership or car show, I do pronounce it correctly.

derf > Rosco458 04/24/2016 at 14:06

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I won’t give you the hairy eyeball if you don’t want to attempt German pronunciation, but if you do want to hear it just search for a Ferdinand Porsche documentary on Youtube in German.

Clown Shoe Pilot > Stef Schrader 04/27/2016 at 23:22

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We both know that it’s Austin tradition to completely butcher the pronunciation of any imported word being used as a place name.

Clown Shoe Pilot > Hot Takes Salesman 04/27/2016 at 23:25

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I know a guy who has held senior management positions at 2 major race tracks in the USA and is now attached to a major US based LeMans effort and he is INCAPABLE of pronouncing Porsche correctly.