Pot of Tea...or Ladder

Question

When I first started learning Spanish, I informed my instructor that I wasn't sure I'd be able to "do this", because I couldn't roll my tongue. She advised me to stick with it, that she was sure I'd be glad I did. Then, she gave me the following to help me overcome my concern (okay, what I really mean is 'fear').

In order to help, she said to practice saying (one or both of) the following several times fast:

Pot of Tea

or

Ladder

Oh my goodness...it really worked!

I still cannot roll my tongue 'at will', but because of that simple exercise, I can now roll my tongue for Spanish pronunciation!

Am I the only one who can only roll my tongue en español?

Or, is there anything you're having difficulty with that may be holding you back from progressing in the Spanish language?

Answer 1

I can only roll it when speaking Spanish, and it took me months of practicing the word 'tres' and 'traer' over and over and over and over, literally for months.

• Oooo...good one! :-) - Dee914 Jan 10, 2010
• Those are 'single-tap' (not multi-tap' "r's"). - samdie Jun 14, 2010

Answer 2

Well, I can roll my tongue just fine, but, being British, I'll gladly still join you with a pot of tea

Not the ladder though - I don't like heights.

• Only if it's Earl Grey tea! Love it...and Loved my time in England!! ;-) P.S. Same here on the 'heights' thing! :-) - Dee914 Jan 10, 2010

Answer 3

I like the pot of tea thing though rolling my r's has never been a problem, I think it's my French background.

• I took 3yrs of French in high school. :-) Such a romantic language!! - Dee914 Jan 10, 2010

Answer 4

I can say things like pelirrojo and roto pretty well I think but I can't say things like carro or perro properly at all, I am sure. I practice loads too :( I'm not sure what my problem is!

• It's good that you're practicing...keep it going! I bet you're better at it than you think and I'm sure your efforts are understood by Spanish-speakers! :-) - Dee914 Jan 10, 2010

Answer 5

Not too much of a problem. When I was young a zillion years ago, as a kid we play "war" and our choice of weapon was a machine gun. To quickly make the sound of a rapid fire machine gun by mouth, it replicates the rolling "R" in Spanish.

My problem as told by my Spanish speaking friends is sometimes I roll the R when NOT appropriate and sometimes i don't roll the R when it should. In other words I must think if I should roll the R on some words which distracts the flow of my sentence.

• I have a native Spanish-speaking friend who drives me crazy with all those Rrrrolls with her Rs. I could choke her (with love, of course)! I think she trills unnecessarily just to watch me 'roll' my eyes at her! :-) At least Yours has a purpose! :-) - Dee914 Jan 21, 2010

Answer 6

It still takes conscious effort on my part. My natural tendency is for the r-trills to be at the back of the tongue (or in my throat). But hey, I have no problem at all with the German "ch" sound!

• Okay~~Now I'm curious! I'm going to have to investigate the German 'ch' sound (hoping it doesn't have anything to do with trilling the tongue)! :-) :-) - Dee914 Jan 21, 2010
• Depending on the part of Germany, it´s more or less similar to the "j" of Spanish (the pronunciation of which also varies, depending on the region). - samdie Jan 21, 2010
• Stick your finger down your throat, and right before you throw up, that's the German "ch" sound. - dogbert Jan 21, 2010
• jajaja! Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor! Oh my goodness~~that is So incredibly funny to me! And yet at the same time, I'm so sorry to hear it. :-) Well, that's certainly Dedication~~~and I applaud your commitment!! :-) - Dee914 Jan 21, 2010