How "native-sounding" is my accent?

Question

Hi everyone! I've been studying Spanish for a couple years now, and have been working on sounding more "native" in my pronunciation.

Here's a short recording of me reading an article from El Pais: http://vocaroo.com/i/s1j8M83cxISE

I was wondering what are some aspects I should focus on improving?

Thanks!

Well done. - ian-hill, Oct 12, 2015

Very nice. Now please fill out your profile, the language part. Thanks - rac1, Oct 12, 2015

I heard you, and you are doing well. I can help you to sound native, I ave done it before. See my site: http://nurturespanish.weebly.com/ And commit a class. - NurtureyourSpanish, Oct 13, 2015

Answer 1

He escuchado tu grabación y aunque no suenas como un hispanohablante, creo que lo haces francamente bien.

Creo que nadie pierde del todo su acento nativo y es tremendamente difícil hablar en una lengua foránea y hacerlo sin que se note que se es extranjero, aunque cometa menos errores hablándola que los propios nativos. En tu caso particular, te repito que lo haces bien, suena correcto, y no desentona. Solo te daré un par de consejos; Primero, tienes suficiente fluidez y cuando quieres imprimirle un poco mas de velocidad al texto tiendes a pronunciar las consonantes con mayor fuerza de la necesaria( ve un poquito mas despacio), y segundo y mas importante, no le des tanta importancia a la pronunciación, suenas bien, y se te entiende perfectamente.

Un saludo.

:) - ian-hill, Oct 12, 2015

Answer 2

I think you sound very good and I think you're very brave, it's horrible to record things on Vocaroo and put them up for the world and his wife to listen too! It's even worse than talking on the telephone, which is saying a lot. So well done! I could understand you perfectly which is good as I can't understand the natives down here in darkest Andalucía very well.

I agree Annie - and - they didn't understand me in Andalucia nor me them. :)) - ian-hill, Oct 12, 2015

Answer 3

I think chileno's suggestions for improving your accent are good ones. I plan to try them myself. That said, I think you sound closer to native speech than most English speakers I've heard who have studied Spanish for two years. I'd be thrilled if I sounded that good.

Answer 4

Although you sound fluent, you don't sound native at all.

Do yourself a favor. Listen to yourself.

That means recording yourself and listening to the recording. Do not erase previous recording. When you repeat the same paragraph and pay attention to the errors you found in your previous recording, make a point to "imitate" better and see what happens.

Pay attention to the intonation also.

It would be great if you can get one of those tales that are recorded by natives, any book, and once you listen to that imitate that. Once you listen to yourself you will know what's wrong with your recordings....

Once you hear some improvement, try again your fir reading, now and compare it with your first recording.

It isn't difficult really.