Are you having trouble pronouncing the Spanish vowels?

Question

I have noticed on our other audio threads that the most frequent error made by those learning Spanish is that they try to say Spanish words using English vowels - which will never work :( I thought it might be helpful to get back to basics and to start with the correct pronunciation of the Spanish vowels. Really they are much easier than the English ones as they are much more consistent

I hope these links will help and encourage all to practice their vowel sounds

You Tube Spanish Vowels Spanish vowels

If you would like to post an audio of yourself saying the vowels and the following words as a practice exercise I would be happy to check them for you and I'm sure if we ask some of our lovely, kind Spanish native speakers here they will do the same Recording & Uploading Audio Files to Sd

Name Country of residence Level of Spanish Word list:

Padre

Madre

anda

este

mente

cerdo

entregar

esa

era

verte

hincha

idea

rendir

pedir

ojo

foto

montar

montamos

Hugo

sumo

súper

PS This one is not by a native Spanish speaker but he does help to explain how to pronounce the whole alphabet and how some letters change their pronunciation before certain other letters (eg c & g etc) Spanish letter pronunciation vowels and consonants

Have you even wondered how you know where to put stress on Spanish words?

This link may help Where to put the stress on Spanish words but the key is if it doesn't have an accent to tell you differently remember these two things:

1 - if it ends in a vowel, an n or an s - put the stress on the second to last syllable

2 - if it ends in a consonant (other than n or s) put the stress on the last syllable

Yayyyyyyyyyyy! Mwah :P lol - Destroyed99, Jun 27, 2011

looool! me estoy acostumbrando a escuchar mi voz en grabaciones y no está tan mal! - fjfuentesh, Jun 28, 2011

Super! - galsally, Jun 28, 2011

Hope it helps guys, the explanations are not all perfect as Laz pointed out but heck it's hard to find perfection je je :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 28, 2011

Answer 1

Ok, aquí les dejo la pronunciación de las palabras para que practiquen

Gracias :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 28, 2011

Nice! ;) - Jason7R, Jun 28, 2011

Answer 2

The "a" in "water" in English is a sound that does not exist in Spanish. The tongue is placed more towards the back of the mouth (/?/), and in British English, more raised (/?/). The "e" in "pen" is also a sound that does not exist in Spanish: it is similar to the Spanish "e" (/e/), but the tongue positioned lower (/?/). "Seen" and "moon" are indeed the same as the Spanish "i" and "u", but longer. "Floor" seems to be the same for American English, but not for British English (/?/).

Thanks Laz! :) - Jason7R, Jun 28, 2011

Agreed thanx Lax - it was hard to find a you tube which gave a perfect explanation :( so I had to go with something I hope would at least offer some help - hey there's an idea Laz, how would you like to make a recording to describe the vowels and have - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 28, 2011

some example words :) That would be an awesome resource! - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 28, 2011

The RFE transcribes the "e" in 'tener' as /ę/, more open than /e/. To my ear, it sounds closer to the /ε/ in 'pen' than to the /e/ in 'sé'. By the way, what's that /ę/ labializada that RFE uses? - jlupine, Jun 30, 2011

Answer 3

I need the practice, thanks! Here's my try.

link text

Good try Swampy, let's start at the beginning - have another listen to this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFDxQ0akTWA&feature=related Can you hear how Padre sounds more like pah-dre but when you say it, it sounds more like par-dre? - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 27, 2011

the same thing seems to happen with madre (mah-dreh) - yours sounds like mar-drey and try ahn-dha for anda :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 27, 2011

LIsten carefully my recording and try to mimic the following words "cerdo, entregar, era, verte, rendír, pedir, foto, montar, hugo, súper" - fjfuentesh, Jun 28, 2011

Gracias Julián :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 28, 2011

Answer 4

Muy bien, Kiwi. ¡Muchas gracias!

de nada Sandy, any time je je :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 27, 2011

Answer 5

Okay, I did 2 just in case I am not consistent (especially since I am trying to change, but tend to revert to old habits).

Try 1

Try 2

Thanks very much for your help.

Ok Sean, well done, you seem to be doing the same thing as Swampy - your padre and madre pah-dreh and mah-dreh sound like par-drey and mar-drey - also I have added a note up the top about knowing where to put the stress on words which might be useful - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 27, 2011

So much to think about lol - but if you put the effort in now with your vowel and letter pronunciation and your stress you won't even need to think about it soon but you will start to be mistaken for a native - if not you may become fluent and still sound - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 27, 2011

like this is definitely your second language rather than your first so I think it really will be worth the effort :) Have another listen to this one - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFDxQ0akTWA&feature=related Repeat the words after them and would you - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 27, 2011

mind having another go? I might not be able to check it for a while but I will be back (said in an Arnie voice) :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 27, 2011

Thanks, I think what I might do is practice for a day or so, then retry, so it sets in a little better. I can wait for the corrections after that if I don't time it when you are on. - Stadt, Jun 27, 2011

ok kewl bananas - feel free to PM me if I lose track of you :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 27, 2011

Las vocales en español tienen un sonido seco y directo, y siempre se pronuncian de la misma manera(quisiera que así fuera en inglés), escucha mi grabación para que te des cuenta. - fjfuentesh, Jun 28, 2011

Lo hiciste bien y espero que sigas practicando las vocales en español! :) - fjfuentesh, Jun 28, 2011

Gracias - Stadt, Jun 28, 2011

Answer 6

I have been practising a little with the vowels..here is my attempt. I hope it is not too awful..any corrections will be appreciated. Jenny's Audio

Great try Jenny I fixed your link for you - have a listen to Julian's and try to imitate him as this will really help - as I said on a couple of other posts try pah-dreh instead of pah dreY, mah-dreh etc :) Keep up the good work - Kiwi-Girl, Jul 8, 2011

Answer 7

I did come across this yesterday....
The Alphabet

Gracias por este Jason - teasip, Aug 4, 2011

Answer 8

Gracias Kiwi

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link text-Word list for Spanish vowels

Answer 9

Ok, so I have made an audio...but please DO NOT LAUGH!!!

My Audio

(P.S. sorry, you might have to turn your volume up a notch, it is a bit quiet)

Jejejejeje Koala!! la "R" debes de practicarla. Escucha mi grabación, creo que es clara, para que te bases en la pronunciación. Saludos y besos! :) - fjfuentesh, Jun 29, 2011

Jeje, Julián, is that the only thing I got wrong? I actually copied you on this!!! jeje - Destroyed99, Jun 29, 2011

Koala: Good job on era (very good), pedir (very good), cerdo, esa, sumo. The t's need some work, they are not supposed to be voiced. You also pronounced "anda" with schwas. Also avoid the "ow" sound, like in foto. What happened w/ "montamos"?:) - Deanski, Jun 29, 2011

You are doing fine. Just continue to record yourself. I recomend you reading a paragraph instead of isolated words, so you can also work on your intonation and fluidity. :) - chileno, Jul 1, 2011

Answer 10

Gracias por la oportunidad de practicar las vocales españolas.

Vowels

Well done, my suggestions would be pah-dreh and mah-dreh rather than than pah-dreY and mah-dreY and just a little more of a trill on 'r's at the beginning of words 'rrendir' but you have the one at the end really well - bien hecho :) Sigue así! - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 28, 2011

Thank you! - LaBurra, Jun 29, 2011

woooow tu voz y pronunciación es muy clara! :). - fjfuentesh, Jun 29, 2011

Practica la "R" - fjfuentesh, Jun 29, 2011

Answer 11

I have been listening and speaking along but have not yet managed to make a recording. It has been good practice listening to everyone´s recordings. one day i´ll get it figured out and post my own.

kewl bananas, let us know if we can help at all - have you seen this? http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/195735/how-to-record-and-upload-audio-files - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 28, 2011

Answer 12

Thanks Marie for the info!! I definitely have a ways to go and this will help out tremendously!!

Good on you Jason :) My pleasure! - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 28, 2011

Answer 13

Good advice, Kiwi!

el placer es mío :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 27, 2011

Answer 14

For those of you who would like some more practice with your vowels and consonants why not join Heidi and friends on Skype Skype pronunciation practice