A guide to saying it correctly
How to Pronounce Bourguignon
Master the French pronunciation of 'bourguignon' for classic beef stew and wine.
bourguignon
boor-ghee-NYOH(N)
/buʁ.ɡi.ɲɔ̃/ · boor · ghee · nyon
Native US English · Kokoro neural TTS · 0:01
It's also a common topic in cooking shows and culinary articles discussing classic French cuisine.
Where the word comes from
The dish is named after the Burgundy region of France, 'Bourgogne' in French. The suffix '-on' is common in French place names and culinary terms.
Common ways people get it wrong
- bur-GUN-yun This common mistake comes from trying to pronounce the 'gu' like in 'gun' and the 'gn' like 'ny' in 'canyon', but it misses the French nasal vowel sound.
- BOR-gwee-non This mispronunciation treats the 'g' as hard and the 'gn' as two separate sounds, ignoring the French 'ny' sound and the nasal 'on'.
Frequently asked
How do you pronounce the 'gn' in bourguignon?
The 'gn' in French, like in 'bourguignon', makes a 'ny' sound, similar to the 'ni' in 'onion' or 'ny' in 'canyon'. It's a single blended sound.
What does the (N) at the end mean in the respelling?
The (N) indicates a nasal vowel sound, common in French. It means you pronounce the 'on' sound without fully closing off the airflow through your mouth; some air should escape through your nose.
Is it beef bourguignon or just bourguignon?
While 'beef bourguignon' is the full name of the classic stew, people often shorten it to just 'bourguignon' when discussing the dish, assuming the context of beef and wine.
