Oklahoma is notorious for having places with some difficult to pronounce names. This article is dedicated to showing how a local pronounces the names of these towns and cities. I attempted to provide phonetic spellings or approximations for each one.

If you are a not an Oklahoman, study this list and be prepared to impress locals with your knowledge.

If you are an Oklahoman, share this article to teach your non-Okie friends and families the proper way to say these names.

If your town did not make the list, please leave a comment below.

Achille

A-chill-EE

Ada

AY-da

Albion

Al-BEE-un

Anadarko

AN-ah-dar-koh

Atoka

ah-TOH-kuh

Bache

BAY-ch

Boise City

Boy-s City. (Not like the capital of Idaho.)

Bokchito

Boke-chee-toh. (I also heard Boke-chee-tah.)

Bokoshe

Boh-koh-SHEE

Caddo

Cad-OH

Calera

Cuh-lair-uh. (Not “cholera”.)

Cashion

CA-shun

Catoosa

Cuh-TOO-suh

Checotah

Sheh-COH-tuh

Chouteau

Sho-TOH

Coweta

Co-WEE-tuh

Durant

Dure-ant. (I also heard DOO-rant, but I think most people say it this way.)

Eufaula

You-FAW-luh

Fanshawe

Fan-SHAW

Foraker

For-AY-ker

Geary

Like Gary

Gotebo

Go-TEE-bo

Hartshorne

Harts-HORN

Idabel

I-dah-bel

Inola

I-NO-luh

Kiowa

Ki-OH-waw. (Not to be mistaken with the Kiowa [Ki-o-wuh] tribe of Oklahoma.)

Konawa

Kon-ah-wuh

Lequire

LEE-kwire

Lima

LI-muh

Madill

Muh-dil

Mangum

Man-gum

Miami

My-AM-uh. (If you say this like the city in Florida, people will laughed at you.)

Minco

Meen-KO

Muskogee

Mus-KOH-gee

Nowata

No-WAW-tuh

Ochelata

O-chuh-LAW-tuh

Okmulgee

Ok-MUHL-gee

Oktaha

Ok-TUH-haw

Oologah

Oo-LOH-gaw. (I also heard O-lo-gaw.)

Owasso

Oh-WAW-so

Panola

Pah-NOH-luh. (From the Choctaw word for coal.)

Pawhuska

Paw-HUS-kuh

Pocola

Puh-COH-luh

Poteau

Poh-DOH

Prague

Pray-g. (Not like the capital of the Czech Republic.)

Quapaw

Kwaw-paw

Rattan

Ruh-TAN

Sallisaw

Sal-IH-saw

Sayre

Say-er

Seminole

SEM-uh-nohl

Skiatook

Sky-uh-took

Tahlequah

Tal-uh-kwaw

Talala

Tuh-LAW-luh

Talihina

Tal-i-HEE-na. (Like in the Kings of Leon song “Talihina Sky”. Some locals say Tal-uh-HEE-na or Tal-HAY-na.)

Tecumseh

Teh-cum-suh

Tishomingo

Tish-MEAN-goh. (Locals omit the first “o”.)

Tonkawa

Ton-kuh-wuh

Vian

VI-ann. (Not Vee-ann.)

Vici

Vice-eye

Vinita

Vin-EE-tuh

Watonga

Wuh-TON-guh

Waurika

War-EE-kuh

Weleetka

Wuh-LEET-kuh

Wetumka

Wuh-TUM-kuh

Wewoka

Wee-WOH-kuh

Wilburton

Wil-BUR-ton. (You can spot a non-local if they say “Will Burton".)

Wynnewood

Win-ee-wood

Disclaimer: These are the ways I learned to say these names. If I didn't capture the correct pronunciation of your town, I apologize.