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How to fix a mispronounced word or name in a recording

You said a guest's name wrong, stressed the wrong syllable of a brand, or read a technical term the way it's spelled instead of the way it's said. Listeners notice, and the person you mispronounced notices most. Here is how to find the right pronunciation, and how to fix the sentence without re-recording the whole take.

Fix a sentence in your own voice: try Respeak free →

Step 1: Find out how it should be said

• Names of people: ask them. Many guests are happy to send a short voice note. Their own podcast, talks or introduction videos are the next best source.
• Brands and products: check the company's own videos or ads. Many brands are said differently from how they look.
• Places and technical terms: online dictionaries with audio, or recordings of people from that place or field.
• Write it down the way it sounds (for example “NWEN” or “win” for Nguyen, depending on the person), with the stressed syllable in capitals. You will need this for any of the fixes below.

Step 2: Choose how to fix it

If you said it right somewhere else

Did you say the word correctly later in the recording, maybe after someone corrected you? Then you can copy that word over the wrong one, cutting in the small gaps between words and smoothing the edges with short crossfades. This works best when both instances sit in a similar place in the sentence, so the intonation matches.

Re-record the sentence

Record the whole sentence again with the right pronunciation and replace the old one. Use the same microphone, room and distance, and read the sentence before it too, so you come back to the same pace and energy. Our guide on re-recording one line so it matches covers this step by step.

Regenerate the sentence in your own voice

If you can't record again in the same conditions, Respeak can read the corrected sentence in a voice made from your recording:

1. Upload the recording. Respeak transcribes it into sentences (Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German or Portuguese).
2. Open the sentence and type it the way it should sound. For a tricky name, use the phonetic spelling you wrote down, split it into syllables with hyphens if needed, and write numbers in words.
3. Generate and listen. Respeak listens back to each version and marks words that may have been read differently from what you typed, so you know where to listen closely. You get 3 free generations per sentence.
4. Replace the sentence (1 credit) when it sounds right, and export the recording as WAV or MP3.

Try it on your recording. 10 free credits when you sign up →

Limits: Respeak only works with your own voice, and a name from another language is read with the sounds of the recording's language. Phonetic spelling gets close, but check it by ear. If a version still isn't right, record that one sentence yourself in Respeak and drop it in. That doesn't use a credit.

Tips so it doesn't happen again

• Keep a pronunciation list for each episode or lesson: names, brands and terms, each with a phonetic spelling.
• Ask guests at the start of the recording to say their name and company once. You can listen back later, and it's often a nice opening.
• Say difficult words slowly once before you record, and mark them in your script.
• Listen to names and numbers first when you review a recording. They are the most common mistakes, and the ones people care about most.

FAQ

How do I make sure the new line uses the right pronunciation?

Write the word the way it should sound. Spell an unusual name phonetically, split it into syllables with hyphens, and write numbers in words. Then listen to the new version before you replace the old one.

Can it read names from other languages?

Respeak works with recordings in Chinese (Mandarin), English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese. A name from another language is read with the sounds of the recording's language, so a phonetic spelling usually gets closest. Check the result by ear, ideally with someone who says the name correctly.

Does the transcript show my phonetic spelling?

Yes. The text you type is what is read, and it becomes the sentence in the transcript. If you also publish a transcript, correct the spelling there.

What does it cost?

Transcribing, previewing and exporting are free. You pay 1 credit for each sentence you replace, and you get 10 free credits when you sign up. See Pricing.