pronouncing rr's

Question

This isn't really a vocab question but a request for help with a diction problem. Anybody have any clues on how to get one's tongue loosened up to roll those rr's ? I feel like mine is just thick and gets stuck and what should be a nice smooth rolled r just isn't. I drive around in my car going rrrrrrr and it still doesn't help.
(Not to mention people look at me funny when I do that.)

Answer 1

snork, yes he does!

Answer 2

This man always knows everything!!!

Answer 3

There has already been a long discussion regarding this topic. Try this Thread. There are four pages of different ways to do this.

[url=http://my.spanishdict.com/forum/topic/show'id=1710195%3ATopic%3A75290&page=3&commentId=1710195%3AComment%3A76397&x=1#1710195Comment76397]http://my.spanishdict.com/forum/topic/show'id=1710195%3ATopic%3A752...[/url]

Answer 4

Put the tip of your tongue very close to, but not touching, the palate right behind the front teeth. There should be just the tiniest crack. When you blow air over your tongue, it causes the tongue to vibrate and flap against the palate, which is what creates the RR sound. The sound is created by the same mechanism as that of a reed instrument, in which the reed is vibrated by rushing air. The key is that the tongue has to be relaxed, or it won't flap. The sides of your tongue may (or may not) rest lightly against your upper molars.

If you do it right, it should sound like a cat purring. (BTW, to purr is ronronear in Spanish, which is my favorite Spanish verb.)

Answer 5

Efectivamente, but you obtain more vibration the tongue if you put it in the intersection of the teeth and the palate and out air

Answer 6

I don't know if this helps, wait for a non-native to help, probably they explain this better:

put your tongue on the palate...now, if you sort of let out air, strongly, from the throat, the tongue vibrates.. This is the Spanish r