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Commonly Misspelled Loanwords in English

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Espresso (not "Expresso")

The correct spelling is "espresso," from the Italian for "pressed out." "Expresso" is a very common mistake, likely influenced by the English word "express," but it is not a recognized variant in most style guides.

Connoisseur (not "Conniseur")

Connoisseur, borrowed from French, keeps its double "n" and "ss." Dropping either β€” as in "conniseur" or "connosieur" β€” is a frequent misspelling.

Entrepreneur (not "Entreprenuer")

This French loanword is often misspelled by swapping the final "e" and "u," producing "entreprenuer" β€” a mix-up that trips up even experienced writers.

Restaurateur (not "Restauranteur")

Despite coming from "restaurant," the person who owns one is a "restaurateur" β€” with no "n" before the final syllable. "Restauranteur" is extremely common but considered nonstandard.

Camaraderie (not "Camraderie")

This French-derived word for friendly team spirit keeps an "a" between the "m" and "r" β€” many writers drop it when typing quickly.

Sauerkraut (not "Sourkraut")

Borrowed directly from German, "sauerkraut" is often anglicized in spelling to "sourkraut" based on its pronunciation, but that form is incorrect.

Hors d’oeuvre (not "Ordeurves")

This French term for an appetizer is one of the most commonly misspelled loanwords in English, since its written form does not match how it sounds at all.

Why Loanwords Are So Easy to Misspell

Words borrowed from other languages often keep spelling conventions that do not follow normal English patterns, so people naturally default to spelling them the way they sound β€” which is exactly how mistakes like "expresso" and "restauranteur" become so widespread.

A Quick Trick for Remembering the Right Spelling

Where possible, linking a tricky loanword back to a related word in its original language can help β€” for example, remembering that "restaurateur" is built the same way as the French verb "restaurer," without an "n," makes the correct spelling easier to recall.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does spell-check catch these mistakes?

Often, yes β€” modern spell-checkers usually flag common variants like "expresso" or "entreprenuer." However, they can miss a mistake if the misspelling happens to match a different real word.

Are any of these misspellings becoming accepted over time?

Language does shift, and some informal or regional dictionaries note common variants, but most style guides and formal writing still treat these as errors, so it is safest to use the standard spelling in professional contexts.