English-speaking students usually have a hard time when they try to pronounce the letter r in Spanish. So our post today will be for you to practice this pronunciation.

Here are some rules:

1. If the letter r comes at the beginning of a word it has a trilled sound. The same happens when there is a double rr.

rabia (anger) – raíz (root) – reloj (clock, watch) – remar (to row) – río (river) – rico (rich) – rosa (rose) – ropa (clothes)

perro (dog) – guerra (war) – berro (watercress) – barro (mud) – burro (donkey, stupid) – cerrar (to close) – arriba (up) – arroz (rice) – zorro (fox) – cigarro (cigar) – hierro (iron) – barrio (neighborhood)

2. If it comes in the middle of a word (between two vowels or a vowel and a consonant) or at the end of a word it has a softer sound, like a flap d in English.

hablar (to speak) – cantar (to sing) – comer (to eat) – beber (to drink) – partir (to leave) – salir (to go out) – señor (sir) – señora (ma’am) – portada (cover) – muerto (dead) – trabajo (work) – trabajar (to work) – prisión (prison) – cara (face) – aire (air) – abrir (to open) – otro (other)

Here’s a little tongue twister!

“Erre” con “erre” guitarra,
“erre” con “erre” barril.
Rápido corren los carros,
Cargados de azúcar del ferrocarril.

Por hoy es todo, nos vemos prontito.

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