How do you roll your ''r'' in Spanish? What do you do?

Question

• Popl please don't forget to use proper punctuation and capitalization on the forum ;) - HotChickCD Jul 15, 2011

Answer 1

Popl- you're a guy. You already know how to roll your Rs. Seriously!

I know you played "machine guns" when you were a kid. That noise you made with your tongue on the roof of your mouth just behind your teeth? That's the rolling R sound.

Some of us also used the same sound for trucks or bulldozers.

If you're a guy- you probably did it. If you're a girl- sorry, can't help you!

• Jejeje good grief you hit it! and revived and old memory at the same time. - pacofinkler Apr 26, 2011
• Airplanes. Maybe on strafing runs. (btw I'm a girl. *blows raspberry at goyo*) Or pretending to sing like an opera singer. - Valerie Apr 26, 2011
• Do rrrrrrasberrys rrroll Valerie :-) - pacofinkler Apr 26, 2011
• Hahahaha absolutely, paco. Much more impressive that way. - Valerie Apr 26, 2011
• Jejeje Valerie :-) - pacofinkler Apr 26, 2011
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Answer 2

Here is what I did. I practiced "Trrres trriste tigrres trragaban trrigo en un trrigal until my tongue hurrrt. It worked (along with the GOYO method.

• I love that one. :) - Valerie Apr 26, 2011
• Yo tambien.Please post the whole thing. - heliotropema Apr 26, 2011
• This worked for me too!! :) - IndianaChris Jul 15, 2011

Answer 3

Stuff about Rolling RRs

Lazarus explains how to make the RR sound.

Issa explains RR.

Webdunce explains RR.

For some reason, webdunce explains RR again.

Most important thing, it is all about the tongue's tip resisting air flow and a balancing of those two opposing forces resulting in the vibration of the tongue's tip. There is no way a person can move their tongue fast enough by way of muscular up-and-down movements. I feel most people who struggle with this sound are trying to move their tongue fast enough some kind of way, which not even the most gifted Spaniard can do.

Cheers.

• I now just copy-n-paste this answer to all such threads. - webdunce Jul 14, 2011
• There is a condition known as tied tongue, which can prevent proper RR rolling (it is a rare condition and you will know if you have it as it prevents tongue mobility in general). - webdunce Jul 14, 2011
• It's not so rare webdunce - estimates vary and there are differing degrees of it, but roughly 1 in 20. I, my mother and my son have it. My mother's was cut when she was newborn. - galsally Jul 16, 2011
• But they stopped doing that before I was born. The tip of my tongue can only reach to the lower edge of my bottom lip, but it can sometimes be fully tied. - galsally Jul 16, 2011
• I have tried physically pulling and stretching the stupid tie, and considered surgery, however I can get a pretty short trill now after beating my tongue up a lot of times! (JJ) and mucha práctica. :D - galsally Jul 16, 2011
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Answer 4

link text

I came across this video the other day and thought it might be useful. One of her examples is to say in English, 'put it on' faster and faster until you slur the words and your tongue will then be in the proper position for the trill.

Answer 5

My favorite practice phrase (that someone posted on this site) is " El perro corre in el ferrocarril". The dog runs on the railroad tracks . My apologies to whoever posted this first. I use it alot. El perrrro corrrre in el ferrrocarril.

Answer 6

Learn Spanish - How to Roll your r's - 4 Steps Tutorial - RR Alveolar Trill pronunciation 480p

Julian shared this link with me on Tuesday when we were practicing. It is funny but, it really helps. Good luck!!!

• Excellent hotchick! Made me shriek with laughter. In reality though, the diagrams are very helpful. I've marked it as a "favourite" :) - nonombre Jul 15, 2011
• And now your "rr" pronunciation is getting better!!! Regards my beautiful princess :) - fjfuentesh Jul 15, 2011
• Hi this is "Uglyteeth" just posted an update to this video, thanks for sharing !!! Please comment in Youtube I need feedback to improve my next tutorials - EduaroRadica Jul 16, 2011

Answer 7

Welcome to the forum.

I guess probably everyone who ever visited this site has asked that question. Your best bet is to go to the search box at the top of the page and enter ** how to roll**. This will find how to roll your r's, how to roll your rr's, how to roll your R, etc.

Answer 8

Put the tip of your tongue on the ridge behind your teeth. Push air through. Forcefully.

In any case, this is how I do it. From my experiences, everyone has a different way to describe it, to learn it, and maybe even to do it. Search every way possible and try each. Remember that you can't learn to do it unless you actually make some NOISE! :D

• Not forcefully. I can make a very faint and distinct thrilled R sound using a minimum amoung of air flow. - lazarus1907 Apr 26, 2011
• Well, I can do that now, but when I first started I could only do it when I did it forcefully... - Felixlynx Apr 29, 2011

Answer 9

The phrase that I was taught (and still gives me trouble, hehe) is:

"Erre con erre cigarro, erre con erre barril. Rapido corren los carros por la línea del ferrocarril."

PS. I have bolded all the r's that require a hard roll.

Answer 10

I don't know why I never thought to do this before, but I did a Google search for adult native Spanish speakers who have problems pronouncing 'r' (It's common for little kids not to manage it)

My search sentence was: ¿Por qué no pronuncio bien la r? (Why don't I pronounce 'r' well?)

There are plenty of native speakers asking (and answering) this question.

Tongue tie is frequently mentioned, among other suggestions. (bad habits learned as children and not corrected, need to see a speech therapist, do exercises etc)

Here's a sample answer...

.la causa mas común es porque algunas personas tienen el frenillo de la lengua muy grande, eso se puede ver si tratas de levantar tu lengua con la boca muy abierta si no logras tocar tu paladar o si tu lengua se ve como dividida en dos es muy probable que sea esta la causa.

The most common cause is that some people's tongues have a thick frenulum, it can be seen if you try to raise the tongue with your mouth open, if you can't touch your palate or if your tongue looks as if it's divided into 2 parts then this is probably the cause. (I wouldn't describe it that way, but I know what he means, I can clearly see the centre of the tongue firmly held down, with the sides lifting up.)

The good news - unless the tongue-tie is very severe you can, like I have, practise like mad with tongue-twisters and exercises, and get close enough to pronounce many 'r's' better than when you started.

Don't give up!!

Answer 11

For what it's worth, I can't do it. I've been trying all my life. Because I wanted a machine gun when I was little playing cops and robbers..... but instead all I could have was a pistol. Now, as an adult, when I'm alone in the car I practice. I can get my tongue to vibrate/trill but I'm forcing so much air out that I get light headed. Soon as I try to make a sound on top of that, it's over. :(

Answer 12

Practice alot and have a healty snack of meat balls, doughnuts, and cherry tomatoes.

• Contra la quitakilos? - pacofinkler Apr 26, 2011

Answer 13

Soy un hablante nativo de español y creo que se aprende a rodar la lengua de manera natural, desde nuestra primera infancia, haciendo ruidos raros como "rrrrrr", imitando el sonido de los coches, camiones o motocicletas, como dijo Goyo. Para mí, por ejemplo, es muy difícil pronunciar el sonido gutural de la 'r' como lo hacen los franceses o los alemanes. No sé si alguna vez podré ser capaz de hacerlo.

Todavía disfruto mucho imitando el sonido que hacen los tráilers cuando frenan con motor: ¡Prrrrrrr.....!

I am a native Spanish speaker and I think we learn to roll our tongue naturally, from our early childhood, making funny noises like 'rrrrrr', imitating the sound of cars, trucks or motorcycles, as Goyo said. For me, for example, it is very difficult to pronounce the guttural sound of 'r' as do the French or the Germans. I do not know if I will ever be able to do that.

I still like to imitate the noise made by the 18-wheelers when using jake brakes: ¡Prrrrrrrrrrrr....! It is very funny for me.

Answer 14

Rolling my r's isn't that much of a problem for me, it's just that I forget to do it most of the time, especially when I'm speaking quickly. I can't believe how many times I get away with it... but I shouldn't.