Taming my trilled R's

Question

Hola

I can trilll my r's just fine, but when I say a word with a trilled r, and especially a sentence with multiple words with trilled r's, I find r's become rough and overpowering. Example, when I say perro, it comes out more like pe-RRRRR-o. I try to say the rr quieter and smoother, but I'm just not getting it. Has anyone else had problem like this?

Gracias

If anyone has suggestions I would love to hear them, I have the same issue, except always (and too low frequency)- and sometimes it just fails. - bosquederoble, Sep 24, 2015

I know it is due to my tongue not relaxing enough- the more relaxed I am, the better. But fine control is not there. I just keep practicing and it slowly (very slowly) is improving. - bosquederoble, Sep 24, 2015

If there were a way you could transfer some of your trilling ability to me, I would pay dearly for it!! ;-) - Winkfish, Sep 25, 2015

Answer 1

Record yourself saying words like that and then listen to yourself.

When you say something out loud, you think you hear yourself, but that's is in your mind. You need to listen to the real sound of what you are saying.

That might help you.

Yes, I need to do that too. :) - bosquederoble, Sep 24, 2015

That's a really good idea. I hadn't thought of that at all. - ilovenxstage, Sep 25, 2015

I know. I should do it (I never did it), but I really like my accent. :) Maybe some day I'll follow my own advice. - chileno, Sep 25, 2015

Okay I recorded myself, and my trill still sounds coarse and horrible. Not like a Spanish speaker. : ( - bosquederoble, Sep 25, 2015

Do not erase those recordings. Instead keep retrying until you notice a change. Then at that time re-listen the first recordings and see if there is any change. ;) - chileno, Sep 25, 2015

Answer 2

I find this guy helpful:

https://spanishobsessed.com/spanish-pronunciation/

The formatting tools are gone again. I tried to make your link active by following: [](weblink name) format but it didn't work. sad face and :-p - Jubilado, Sep 24, 2015

I didn't try I thought anyone keen could copy and paste, but thanks for having a go - Mardle, Sep 24, 2015

I think I got it to work. :) - bosquederoble, Sep 24, 2015

Great - Mardle, Sep 24, 2015

Answer 3

Trrrilling your R's can be fun, but just don't make an R's of yourrrself...

Lol - rac1, Sep 27, 2015

Answer 4

I reckon it's fine to have a foreign accent when speaking a foreign language, so long as you can still make yourself understood, and so long as you don't wish to engage in employment as a spy, in which case you might need to be able to emulate a native accent.

If you do need to be able to emulate a native accent, then you had better hope one of your parents is a native-Spanish speaker and taught you from birth, otherwise I really can't see how anyone could attain this level of pronunciation.

Anyway, with well trilled R's you might be mistaken for Scottish or Russian, which is fine since these accents are widely regarded as being among the most attractive in the world.

Provided you're not mistaken for a Russian spy (I don't think Scotland has any spies)...

The funny thing is I;m from Panama, but I came to United States when I was young and the Spanish that I knew then is long gone. So it's important to me to speak with a proper accent as I re-learn Spanish. - ilovenxstage, Sep 25, 2015

Agreed. Could it be that Scottish spies are SO good that nobody even suspects there is such a thing as a Scottish spy? ;) - Manity, Sep 25, 2015

If there were any Scottish spies, they would be the best spies in the world... ;-) - Faldaesque, Sep 25, 2015

He was acting! - Mardle, Sep 25, 2015

Shoorrrly not !! - Faldaesque, Sep 25, 2015

Answer 5

I've recorded my voice (Oh boy do I hate hearing my voice on recording) and I've been practicing, practicing, and some more practicing, and I'm noticing some improvement, especially for trilled r's at the beginning of words. but especially when I'm speaking kind of fast, the ones in middle of words still come out a little overpowering. But when I started all this, I knew it wouldn't come back to me overnight. I know I'll get better if I keep at it.

You will, absolutely. :) - rac1, Sep 27, 2015