Let’s face it — tea is a trend that will never go out of style. From Kombucha to English breakfast tea, there’s a flavor for every occasion. Rooibos, also known as red bush, is an herbal tea which is said to have numerous health benefits, such as curing headaches, allergies and hypertension, while simultaneously boosting your immune system. Although I can list the various benefits of the tea, it’s taken me a while to figure out how to order it without sounding like an idiot. Here’s a guide on how to pronounce rooibos.
Don’t pronounce it like I did
I’ve only really become a tea-drinker in the past few years, and even now, I rarely drink what people would often class as “normal” tea (sorry to all the other Brits out there — don’t hate me, please!). So when I first tried rooibos, without the benefit of being told by an expert what it was, I was convinced that it was pronounced “roo-ih-boos”. (Spoiler alert: I was totally wrong.)
Say it like a pro
It turns out that if you just take a moment to stop and actually look at the word rooibos, it’s very easy to pronounce. Minus the extra o in there, you say it as you see it: “roy-boss”. If you overthink it, you end up panicking and if your barista’s in the know, you’ll probably be the brunt of a few jokes later on.
The easy option
If you’re still scared of sounding like you don’t know what you’re ordering when you ask for rooibos tea, you can substitute “rooibos” for “red bush,” which is the literal translation of the word. You’ll find this written on most boxes of rooibos tea you find in supermarkets, and any barista worth their salt will know what you mean. And if rooibos isn’t something you’ve ever ordered before, this is your chance to try out your new favorite tea (and new favorite word).