Both the 'California Gurls' singer's parents Keith and Mary Hudson are Christian pastors and it wasn't unusual for Katy to hear her mother and father talk in the 'spiritual language' – which usually involves a Christian believer talking uncontrollably in non decipherable words.
She told Rolling Stone magazine: "Speaking in tongues is as normal to me as, 'Pass the salt.'
"A lot of religions use meditation or chanting. It's a secret, direct prayer language to God. My dad speaks in tongues and my mom interprets it. That's their gift."
Katy and her brother and sister had a very religious upbringing which involved them being banned from saying seemingly harmless everyday words.
The 25-year-old pop star – who is engaged to Russell Brand - explained: "I wasn't ever able to say I was 'lucky' because my mother would rather us say that we were blessed, and she also didn't like that lucky sounded like Lucifer.
'Devilled eggs were called 'angeled' eggs. I wasn't allowed to eat Lucky Charms cereal, but I think that was the sugar. I think my mom lied to me about that one."