Every reporter winces at how much time can be lost looking for the spelling of a word whose root source is not English. Arizona has many Native American and Spanish names as well as many Spanish-root words in its social culture and nomenclature.
We have compiled a list of words and names common to Arizona which are phonetically alphabetized on the left, and then correctly spelled on the right. We've also included a few notes to help you confirm contextually that you have what you're looking for.
Below the list is a group of additional names of institutions and sites that do not need a phonetic rendering, but are listed simply for spelling verification.
We truly hope this helps cut your research time. If you do not find the Arizona-specific word you're looking for below, send us an email with your question and we'll try to help you out. Arizona Spellings With inquiries from our visitors, we expect the list to become more complete over time.
Be sure to bookmark this page for future reference.
To search the list below, scroll down or click Control+F, and type in your best stab at a phonetic spelling.
PHONETIC LIST OF SPELLINGS for Arizona |
ay = Pay; a = Bad; air = Hair; aw & ah = Raw; ee = Free; i = Bit; pye = Pie;
oe = No; oo = Shoe; ou = You; ow & au = Now; uh = Fun
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PHONETIC
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correct spelling (and sometimes definition)
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| |
|
ah-bah-NER-oe |
habanero (chili pepper) |
ah-dee-OES |
adios (Spanish: good bye) |
ah-DOE-bee |
adobe (earth-brick building material; architectural style) |
ah-GAH-vee |
agave (succulent desert plant with tall-stemmed flowers) |
AH-gwah Cahl-YEN-tay |
Agua Caliente river |
AH-gwah FREE-ah |
Agua Fria river |
ah-koe-TEE-yoe |
Ocotillo (desert cactus – street names, parks, schools, library, etc) |
ah-MEE-goe, ah-MEE-gah |
amigo, amiga (Spanish: friend) |
ahn-ah-SAW-zee |
Anasazi (extinct Indian tribe) |
ahn-chi-LAW-dah, or:
en-chi-LAW-dah |
enchilada (Mexican food) |
ah-PATCH-ee SIT-grāves |
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest |
ah-wah-TOO-kee |
Ahwatukee (community east of & adjacent to Phoenix) |
ar-koe-SAWN-tee |
Arcosanti (campus of architect Paolo Soleri) |
auk-CHIN |
Ak-Chin (Indian Community southwest of Phoenix) |
AW-gee-lah |
Aguila (town northwest of Phoenix) |
AW-hoe |
Ajo (Spanish: garlic; town southwest of Phoenix) |
| BAH-hah |
baja (Spanish: lower; Baja California) |
BAH-ree-oe |
barrio (Spanish: district, neighborhood) |
BIZ-bee |
Bisbee (town in southeastern; seat of Cochise County) |
BOE-tahz |
botas (Spanish: boots, shoes) |
BROE-fee |
Brophy (Jesuit college prep school in Phoenix) |
bur-EE-toe; boor-EE-toe |
burrito (Mexican food) |
BYE-oe-sfeer |
Biosphere 2 (near Oracle) |
cheer-ah-COW-ah |
Chiricahua(s) (mountain range in southern Arizona) |
chee-WAH-wah |
Chihuahua (dog breed, state in Mexico) |
| CHILL-ee |
chili or chilli or chile. (a hot pepper or a Mexican meat sauce made with hot peppers) |
chi-mee-CHAWN-gah |
chimichanga (deep fried burrito) |
CHIN-lee |
Chinle (city, Navajo reservation) |
choe-REE-soe |
chorizo (spicy Mexican sausage) |
CHOY-ah |
cholla (cactus; name for streets, schools, parks, etc) |
dul-say-REE-yah |
dulceria (Mexican candy store/snack shop) |
EE-loy |
Eloy (town) |
en-chi-LAW-dah, or:
ahn-chi-LAW-dah |
enchilada (Mexican food) |
en-KAN-toe |
encanto (Spanish: “enchanted;” name for streets, schools, parks) |
es-koo-DEE-yah |
escudilla (Spanish: bowl) |
es-TAHN-see-yah |
estancia (Spanish: mansion, estate) |
es-TRAY-yah |
Estrella(s) (Spanish: “star”; mountains southwest of Phoenix, name for street, schools, parks, library, etc.) |
faw-HEE-tahs |
fajitas (Mexican food) |
FEE-nix |
Phoenix (city, central AZ; state capitol) |
fee-YES-tah |
fiesta (Spanish: party) |
FLAUW-tah |
flauta (Mexican food, taquito) |
free-HOE-lays |
frijoles (Spanish: beans) |
fuh-NEE-shun |
Phoenician (Phoenix resident; a resort) |
gah-NAH-doe |
Ganado (Trading Post on Navajo reservation) |
GECK-oe |
gecko: lizard, often striped. (name streets, etc.) |
gwah-daw-LOO-pay, or:
wah-daw-LOO-pay |
Guadalupe (town near Phoenix, names streets, schools, parks, etc) |
gwah-kah-MOE-lay; or
wah-kah-MOE-lay |
guacamole (avocado dip) |
hah-lah-PAYN-yoe |
jalapeño (hot chilli pepper) |
hah-MYE-caw |
jamaica (Mexican hibiscus flower beverage) |
HAR-keh-hal-ah |
Harquahala Valley, Harquahala Mtns |
has-ah-YAMP-paw |
Hassayampa river |
hav-ah-LEE-nah |
javelina (collared peccary; wild boar) |
HAVE-ah-soo |
Havasu (Lake Havasu) |
have-ah-SOO-pye |
Havasupai (Indian tribe, reservation, northwestern AZ at Grand Canyon) |
HAV-ee-yer, or:
ZAY-vee-yer |
Xavier: San Xavier del Bac (historic mission, Tucson) |
HAY-den |
Hayden; Carl Hayden (names streets, schools, parks,libraries, etc.) |
HEE-kah-maw |
jicama (tuber vegetable) |
HEE-lah |
Gila: Gila Indians; Gila County, county seat = Globe; town of Gila Bend; Gila monster = poisonous reptile; Gila River |
HERD |
Heard Museum (Indian museum, Phoenix) |
hoe-HOE-bah |
jojoba (small tree/shrub, cultivated for its seed oil) |
hoe-HOE-kahm |
Hohokam (Indian tribe, names for streets, parks) |
HOE-pee |
Hopi (Indian tribe, reservation in northeastern AZ, street names) |
JOOT-n-hoops |
Jutenhoops (retail establishment Phoenix) |
kah-baw-YER-oes |
caballeros (Spanish: cowboys) |
kah-CHEE-naw |
Kachina (Indian god, Kachina dolls) |
KAN-yun dah-SHĀY |
Canyon de Chelly (location on Navajo Reservation) |
KARCH-ner KAV-erns |
Kartchner Caverns (near Benson, AZ) |
kar-nee-say-REE-yah |
carniceria (Mexican butcher shop, meat store) |
kar-NEE-tahs |
carnitas (Spanish: pork) |
KAS-aw GRAND, or:
KAH-saw GRAWN-day |
Casa Grande (city between Phoenix and Tucson, AZ) |
kat-ah-LEE-nah |
Catalina(s) (city near Tucson; mountains) |
KAWR-nay ah-SAW-dah |
carne asada (Mexican meat/chilli stew) |
kay-sah-DEE-yah |
quesadilla (cheese melted on tortilla) |
KAY-soe |
queso (Spanish: cheese) |
KEET seel |
Keet Seel ruins, NM (Indian ruins) |
koe-CHEECE |
Cochise (county in southern AZ, seat = Bisbee) |
koe-koe-NEE-noe |
Coconino (county in Northern AZ, seat=Flagstaff) |
KOE-koe-pah |
Cocopah (Indian tribe, descended from Hohokam tribe) |
koe-koe-PEL-ee |
kokopelli (mischievious pueblo fertility god) |
KOELS |
Kohls Ranch |
KWART-zyte |
Quartzsite, (city in western AZ, 20 miles out of Blythe, CA) |
kye-YEN-tah |
Kayenta (town in Navajo reservation, northern borrder of AZ) |
KYE-yōt, or kye-YOE-tee |
coyote (wild canine, smaller than a wolf) |
lah PAWZ |
La Paz (county in AZ, seat = Parker) |
lah-VEEN |
Laveen (town in Maricopa County, sw of Phoenix) |
LOE-mah |
loma (Spanish: small hill); Loma Linda (name streets, schools, etc.) |
mahn-YAWN-ah |
mañana (Spanish: tomorrow, morning) |
mair-i-COE-pah |
Maricopa (Indian tribe, county in southcentral AZ, seat= Phoenix) |
man-zah-NEE-tah |
manzanita (red-barked desert shrub; raceway) |
mawn-te-ZOOM-ah |
Montezuma Castle (ruins) |
MAWS-itz-ahls |
Mazatzals (mountain range AZ) |
may-NOO-doe |
menudo (Mexican food: tripe stew) |
| MAY-sah |
Mesa (a suburb of Phoenix, east of Tempe) |
mes-KEET |
mesquite (desert tree, street names, etc) |
MING-es |
Mingus Mountain (Jerome ghost town) |
MOE-guh-yahn |
Mogollon Rim (geographical ridge, central/eastern AZ) |
moe-HAW-vee |
Mohave (Indian tribe, county in northwestern AZ, seat = Kingman) |
moe-HAW-vee |
Mojave (California's Mojave Desert) |
mōn-TAHN-yahs |
montañas (Spanish: mountains) |
more-EN-see |
Morenci |
NAV-ah-hoe |
Navajo (Indian tribe, county in northeast AZ, seat = Holbrook) |
NAW-choes |
nachos (tortilla chips covered with melted cheese) |
noe-GAL-iss |
Nogales (border town with Mexico, county seat = Santa Cruz County) |
OE-lah |
hola (Spanish: hello) |
oe-RYE-bee |
Oraibi (oldest inhabited city in the United States, located on the Hopi reservation) |
or-CHA-tah |
horchata (Mexican rice beverage) |
PAL-oe VUR-dee |
palo verde (desert tree, street, park, school names, etc) |
PAP-ah-goe |
Papago (Indian tribe; names – highways, streets, schools, parks, etc.) |
pat-ah-GOE-nee-yah |
Patagonia (town, southern AZ) |
pee-KAW-choe |
Picacho (Picacho, AZ, town; mountain peak) |
PEE-mah |
Pima (Indian tribe; county in AZ – seat = Tucson) |
pye-YES-te-wah |
Piestewa (Piestewa Peak – formerly Squaw Peak in Phoenix) |
pi-NAL |
Pinal (county in AZ; seat = Florence) |
poe-BLAW-noe |
poblano (chili pepper) |
PRES-kit |
Prescott (city, mid-Arizona, seat of Yavapai county) |
PUN-kin |
Punkin Center (town in Gila County) |
PWEB-loe |
pueblo (Indian adobe village) |
PYE-yoot |
Paiute (Indian tribe) |
ray-YAW-tah |
Reata Pass (North Scottsdale, steakhouse) |
REE-oe |
rio (Rio Grande, Rio Verde, Rio Salado, Rio Rico) |
REE-oe REE-koe |
Rio Rico, town in Southern AZ, south of Tucson |
REE-oe sah-LAW-doe |
Rio Salado (Salt River) |
ree-YEE-toe |
Rillito (town near Tucson) |
REZ |
res (or rez) ((short for reservation) |
RIG-lee |
Wrigley Mansion (Phoenix) |
RING-kawn |
Rincon(s) Mountains (near Tucson) |
ROE-pah |
ropa (Spanish: clothes) |
sa-BEE-noe |
Sabino Canyon (Tucson) |
sair-VAY-saw |
Cervesa (Mexican beer) |
SCHNAY-blee |
Schnebly Hill (Sedona) |
see-AIR-ah VIS-tah |
Sierra Vista (town in southeastern Arizona) |
see-EN-e-gah |
cienega (Spanish: marsh, wetland) |
SHAY |
Shea (names streets, schools, etc.) |
SHIP-rock |
Shiprock, NM |
SHō Lō |
Show Low (town in northeastern AZ) |
si-BOE-lah |
Cibola (town in western Arizona) |
sin-AH-gwah |
Sinagua (Spanish: without water; extinct Indian tribe mysterious disappearance) |
suh-WAHR-oe, or:
suh-GWAR-oe |
Saguaro (cactus, street names, parks, schools, etc) |
suh-DOE-nah |
Sedona (town in midArizona, known for its red rocks) |
suh-NOY-tah |
Sonoita (Southern AZ) |
tah-HOE-naw ah-AUT-um |
Tohono O'odom Tribe |
tahl-ee-AY-sin |
Taliesin West (Frank Lloyd Wright home & studio, north Scottsdale) |
TANK-e VUR-dee |
Tanque Verde (Tucson) |
taw-KEE-toe |
taquito (Spanish: little taco) |
TAW-koe |
taco (Mexican food) |
taw-MAHL-ee |
tamale (Mexican food) |
te-KEE-lah |
tequila (alcoholic beverage made from agave plant) |
Te-LAW-kee-PAW-kee |
Tlaquepaque (retail establishment, Sedona, AZ) |
tem-PEE |
Tempe (city adjacent to Phoenix, home of Arizona State University) |
TOE-nah-paw |
Tonopah (town in Maricopa County on Interstate 10) |
toe-STAW-doe
toe-STAW-dah |
tostado, tostada (Mexican food) |
TOO-bah |
Tuba City (on Navajo reservation) |
TOO-bak |
Tubac (town in southern Arizona below Tucson) |
too-mah-KAH-kor-ee |
Tumacacori (ruins) |
TOO-sawn |
Tucson (city in Southern AZ, seat of Pima county, Arizona's second largest city) |
tore-TEE-yah |
tortilla ( Mexican food; Tortilla Flat, etc.) |
TUZ-i-goot |
Tuzigoot National Monument |
VUR-dee |
verde (Spanish: green) Verde Valley, Camp Verde, Verde River, Palo Verde, Tanque Verde, Rio Verde |
wah-CHOO-kah |
Huachuca (army Ft. Huachuca, southern AZ near Sierra Vista) |
wah-daw-LOO-pay; or
gwah-daw-LOO-pay |
Guadalupe (town near Phoenix, names streets, schools, parks, etc) |
wah-kah-MOE-lay; or
gwah-kah-MOE-lay |
guacamole (avocado dip) |
WAHL-pye |
Hualapai Indian tribe, Hualapai Reservation in Northern AZ |
WIL-cox |
Willcox (city in Southern Arizona) |
woo-PAWT-key |
Wupatki National Monument |
WYE |
Why (town west of Phoenix, AZ) |
YAV-uh-pye |
Yavapai (Indian tribe, county in AZ, seat=Prescott) |
YOU-mah |
Yuma (Indian tribe also called Cocopah Indians; a city; also a county in southwestern AZ, city of Yuma = county seat) |
YUCK-ah |
yucca (succulent desert plant) |
ZAY-vee-yer or HAV-ee-yer |
Xavier: San Xavier del Bac (historic mission, Tucson) |
ZOO-nee |
Zuni (Indian tribe) |
