How to learn to roll R's...??

Question

I have been taking Spanish for almost 6 years now...and I STILL can't roll my R's!! It's very frustrating, and I can't correctly pronounce words and sounds in Spanish because of it. Many people have tried to teach me how to do it and I guess I just don't know what my tongue is supposed to be doing. Can anyone give me some tips or a little tutorial on how to accomplish this? Best would be a clear description of exactly what the tongue is supposed to be doing and what it is supposed to feel like. Many thanks!!

Answer 1

Hi Crosby-

This thread has my foolproof advice for guys. You, being a female, may not have experienced this as a kid, but maybe you had a brother that made the sound.

For now, forget Spanish words, just work on the tongue movement and making the sound I describe in the thread.

Loosen your tongue, it pretty much has to go limp, and press it lightly against your upper palate just behind your teeth, then blow air. If you hold your tongue in the right position and keep it loose, your tongue will flap like crazy from the expelled air.

You'll feel it as a vibration. Once you can do that, you can begin to incorporate it into Spanish words. But you have to be able to make the sound at will first.

Answer 2

Someone told me to practice making that motor purring sound that cats make when they are at rest.

Answer 3

I take it you cannot imitate an Irishman "me friend"

Not at all ;) I have been able to kind of fake it and flick my tonge to sort of replicate the sound, but it's just not the same. - crosby_33, Apr 29, 2011