Do you use any of these often?

Very few manage to spell these 12 words correctly: What about you?

Image: Markus Winkler

As great as it is, the English language can be tricky. If all of its words were easy to spell, there would be no spelling bee contests. But they do exist. The downside of having words for almost everything is that the level of complexity usually grows as the word becomes more specific. Take a look at the following 12. Do you use any of these?

Image: Stéfano Girardelli

This tricky word means "indigenous" or "native" and often trips people up. Its Greek origin, length, and three "th" sounds make it a tough one in spelling bees.

A good idea for children looking to master complicated words is to get familiar with Greek-derived words and their patterns, such as "auto," meaning self.

Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya

A tricky medical term used to define a drug replacement, this word throws spellers off with its double "c" and odd suffix. Remembering the root "succeed" can help with the start.

As not all double letters are pronounced differently from single ones, this is one of the biggest challenges anyone at a spelling bee contest faces.

Image: Element5 Digital

"Cymotrichous" is a rare word that means wavy-haired and comes from the Greek language.

The spelling bee aficionado should remember that the first part, "cymo", means wave, and the second part, "trichous," means hair.

Image: Tania Malréchauffé

This incredibly complicated word, one of the longest in the English language, means describing something as worthless. It often stumps spellers with its length and complexity.

To tackle it successfully, break it into smaller parts and take it syllable by syllable.

Image: Online Marketing

This long word refers to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. Its Greek roots and length make it tough to spell.

A spelling aficionado should break it into parts like "oto," "rhino," "laryngo," and "logist" to make it easier.

Image: weston m

This word describes a musical term. It is a sixty-fourth note and is tough due to its length and structure.

To make it easier on themselves, spelling bee contestants should break it into parts: "hemi," "demi," and "semi."

Image: joan m

Asceticism means avoiding indulgences or temptations, often for religious reasons. It’s about living simply and with discipline.

While not as long as some of the previous examples, this word can be tricky due to the "sc" at the start and the use of "s" and "c" within different syllables of the word.

Image: Helle Gade

Crustaceology is the study of crustaceans like crabs and shrimp. It’s a branch of marine biology.

As with many of the examples above, the spelling difficulty of this word is given by the fact that it is very seldom used, unless you are a specialist in the matter.

Image: George Johnson

The word hydrophyte refers to a plant that grows in or on water. These plants thrive in aquatic environments.

The complexity of its spelling lies in the two "y" and two "h" letters, which should be placed correctly by the spellers.

Image: Vitor Monthay

This word is used to describe the specific items needed for an activity. It’s often misspelled because of how people pronounce it.

This common mistake happens when it is pronounced "para-fa-NEEL-ia," dropping the second "r" and changing the vowel sounds. Spellers should pay attention to this to avoid the same mistake.

Image: Kelsey Todd

This word can refer either to a county in England or a tangy sauce made with vinegar, sugar, and spices.

It’s tricky because it’s pronounced "wu-stur-shr," which doesn’t really match its long spelling. Anyone attempting to spell it correctly should pay attention to its complex lettering.

Image: Amador Loureiro

This ridiculously complex word is an apt closer to our list, since it describes the fear of long words. And, while probably no spelling bee contestant has this kind of fear, he or she would probably have a hard time spelling this one.

This word has 36 letters in total. Among them, 6 "p", 7 "o", and 2 "h". How’s that for a spelling bee word?

Tidy up!

15 things you’re forgetting to clean (but really should)

Image: Tima Miroshnichenko

Our home is our refuge, the place where we should be able to feel safe. And to make it a pleasant and cozy place, we must work hard. Vacuuming, mopping the floors, cleaning the bathrooms or the kitchen are probably part of your regular cleaning routine. However, there are certain places or objects that we all usually neglect and can become a source of filth and germs. In this article, we have selected 15 "corners of shame" that you are probably forgetting to clean but should pay more attention to. Be honest, how many of the items on this list do you really keep spotless?

Image: Joseph Gonzalez

Surely, whenever you do a quick cleaning of your house, you forget about the baseboards. Don't worry, it happens to the best of us! This simple strip of wood that helps protect your walls can end up building up a lot of dust. Clean them every two or three weeks with a damp cloth to prevent allergies and respiratory problems.

Image: feey

Plants, natural or artificial, especially those with large leaves, collect a lot of dirt that can harm them. You can spray your plants with water regularly and gently clean them from time to time with a cloth. For natural clay pots, wipe with a damp rag periodically, and for plastic pots, wipe with soap and water.

Image: Linus Belanger

Who even bothers to clean light switches, you ask? Well, we know it's a chore, but you should consider starting to do it from now on. Your hands are in constant contact with all sorts of dirty objects and can harbor lots of bacteria, so when you touch the switches at home with your grimy fingers, they become a hotbed of germs.

Image: Phillip Goldsberry

Coins, crumbs, tiny toys, popcorn, animal hair, TV remotes... There is a wide variety of objects that can be found between the cracks of the sofa. It is advisable to vacuum regularly through all the nooks and crannies to prevent dirt from accumulating and sticking to the fabric, making it impossible to remove afterwards.

Image: Photo By: Kaboompics.com

Even if you don't see it, after each use, small drops of water mixed with toothpaste residue end up at the bottom of your toothbrush holder, causing grime. At least once every two weeks, rinse it and put it in the dishwasher for better cleaning and disinfection. Pro tip: Be sure to store it in a place in your bathroom away from the toilet to avoid getting bacteria on it.

Image: David Lezcano

Have you ever thought that every day you take your shoes in and out of the closet without paying the slightest attention, even though the soles are covered with all the dirt they pick up on the street? Yes, we're probably adding a new concern you didn't want to have, but trust us, it's better for your overall health to clean your shoe rack once in a while.

Image: Photo By: Kaboompics.com

Did you know showerheads should be cleaned at least six times a year? It is recommended to wash it periodically to ensure proper water flow and avoid the accumulation of residues like scale that then fall onto your body. And you don't even need to resort to toxic cleaning products. White vinegar is an excellent natural cleaner and disinfectant that will leave your shower looking like new. You can thank us later!

Image: Onur Burak Akın

If only we had self-cleaning refrigerators by now, but we're not there yet. For the time being, it's up to us to clean them. Fridge drawers tend to accumulate leftover food and other debris, generating dirt and bad odors that can affect the rest of your food. As mentioned above, you can use vinegar to avoid intoxication. Oh, and don't forget the freezer!

Image: Point3D Commercial Imaging Ltd.

When cleaning the bathroom, we often forget about the smallest and most inaccessible corners. Let's be honest, we live busy, fast-paced lives. But the truth is that spots like behind the toilet build up a lot of dirt and bacteria. It's a tedious task, don't think we don't know that, but it would be a good idea to start incorporating the cleaning of this area in your weekly routine.

Image: Kimberley Alpuerto

We recommend washing the curtains about twice a year. To remove dust regularly, you can vacuum them or use a lint roller. While cleaning the curtains, don't forget the curtain rods. Although not visible to the naked eye, they get quite dusty from daily contact with sunlight and air from open windows. They can be cleaned with a feather duster or the extendable brush of your vacuum cleaner. Much better than cleaning the bathroom!

Image: cottonbro studio

You probably already have the habit of sweeping and vacuuming your rugs and carpets regularly. But the truth is, sometimes this is not enough. It is advisable to disinfect them from time to time. To do this, you can sprinkle them with baking soda, leave for an hour, and then remove with a vacuum cleaner. Your allergic relatives and friends will be grateful!

Image: Daniel Galíndez M.

This is very important and most people don't know it: you shouldn’t let dust and dirt build up inside your air conditioner because it can ruin it. In addition, clean equipment improves air quality, optimizes system performance, avoids breakdowns, and reduces energy consumption. You can clean it easily with the help of a vacuum cleaner!

Image: StockSnap

Because they are difficult to access, ceiling lamps tend to accumulate much more dust —and spider webs!— than any other part of your house. It’s true, you probably need a ladder to do it, but we recommend that you clean them frequently to avoid respiratory problems. Being careful not to break the bulbs, you can clean them with an extendable duster.

Image: cottonbro studio

We all love to collect precious objects, memorabilia, and, above all, books. But the truth is, they accumulate a lot of dust. At least twice a year, take out your book collection and give it a duster; yes, one by one. Before putting them back, clean the shelves with a cloth. Use this thorough cleanup as an opportunity to get rid of the books you no longer need!

Image: luigicora

Cleaning a mattress can be an exhausting and expensive task. But you should know that the accumulation of dirt, dust mites, and other germs can affect your allergies or even trigger new ones.

The good news is that you can follow these simple steps to avoid having to do a deep cleaning too often: When you get up, don't make the bed immediately; leave it unmade so it can air out. Take advantage of the weekly bedsheet change to ventilate your mattress, dust it off, and vacuum it. As mentioned above, you can also use baking soda to disinfect and eliminate bad smells.