# An R's problem



## Derek H (Dec 7, 2008)

No! Not a, "down there" issue. Smutty.

How did you learn to pronounce your "R's"

Even in English, I had problems with the "Rugged Rascal Ran"

Still looking for Spaniards who understand the Norrf London accent.

Derek


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## Derek H (Dec 7, 2008)

Saving on talcum powder then!


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## LILTRBO (Dec 30, 2014)

Someone once told me about holding a pen in your mouth, but I don't remember the details. I am also very clumsy with R's. I'll see if I can find that trick in detail to share, or perhaps just mentioning it will jog someone's memory.  Good luck!


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## Derek H (Dec 7, 2008)

Gracias, Hermano Menor.

I thought this thread had died.

Derek


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## alborino (Dec 13, 2014)

Derek H said:


> Gracias, Hermano Menor.
> 
> I thought this thread had died.
> 
> Derek


_Tense your tongue, but leave the tip loose to vibrate. This sound is known as a trill because it is created with multiple vibrations._

_Breathe out, allowing your tongue to vibrate with the passing air. This should produce somewhat of a "purring" sound._

Derek make sure you practise this stuff in private or you may find yourself in serious trouble


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Derek H said:


> No! Not a, "down there" issue. Smutty.
> 
> How did you learn to pronounce your "R's"
> 
> ...


Imagine there's a soft "d" before each "r", so it becomes "(D)Rugged (D)Rascal (D)Ran".

It won't sound right to begin with but it gets your tongue into the right position which is half the battle.

Also don't worry about it too much - the French and the Germans have far more difficluties with the Spanish "r", but they get by.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Chopera said:


> Imagine there's a soft "d" before each "r", so it becomes "(D)Rugged (D)Rascal (D)Ran".
> 
> It won't sound right to begin with but it gets your tongue into the right position which is half the battle.
> 
> Also don't worry about it too much - the French and the Germans have far more difficluties with the Spanish "r", but they get by.


They also have great difficulty differentiating between "th" and "f" - the Spanish don't even bother to try (or at least they don't in my lessons).


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Come and live in Cádiz where they don't say their R's - _calor_ becomes _caló_, _para_ becomes _pa_ etc.

Problem is they don't say their D's or S's either ... to the untuned ear it's just a stream of random vowel sounds.


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## Pokerface (Dec 22, 2014)

snikpoh said:


> They also have great difficulty differentiating between "th" and "f" - the Spanish don't even bother to try (or at least they don't in my lessons).


day do dow don´t day?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Pokerface said:


> day do dow don´t day?


Sounds like pure Scouse to me.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)




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## Derek H (Dec 7, 2008)

Chopera said:


> Imagine there's a soft "d" before each "r", so it becomes "(D)Rugged (D)Rascal (D)Ran".
> 
> Trying this, it does seem to work.
> Thank you for taking my query seriously. I knew if I waited long enough, some one would give me an idea how to do it.
> ...


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## Derek H (Dec 7, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> Come and live in Cádiz where they don't say their R's - _calor_ becomes _caló_, _para_ becomes _pa_ etc.
> 
> Problem is they don't say their D's or S's either ... to the untuned ear it's just a stream of random vowel sounds.


Is this why, just up the coast in Torremolinos, my request for "un botella de agua" ( practised for weeks) was served with a little uncertainty until later in the week, I was corrected with "un botella de _awer"_?

Derek


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Derek H said:


> Chopera said:
> 
> 
> > Imagine there's a soft "d" before each "r", so it becomes "(D)Rugged (D)Rascal (D)Ran".
> ...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Derek H said:


> Is this why, just up the coast in Torremolinos, my request for "un botella de agua" ( practised for weeks) was served with a little uncertainty until later in the week, I was corrected with "un botella de _awer"_?
> 
> Derek


it's because the G, although a 'hard' G, isn't quite as hard as in English - it's there, but sort of 'swallowed'


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## Derek H (Dec 7, 2008)

Chopera said:


> Derek H said:
> 
> 
> > Glad it helped - I stumbled on it when I heard the names "Raquel" and "Dracula" spoken in Spanish in quick succession, and I noticed the first syllables sounded the same (to me at least).
> ...


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Here's a great video to explain how to pronounce the Spanish r. The tutor is sweet and really thorough. I hope this helps...


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> it's because the G, although a 'hard' G, isn't quite as hard as in English - it's there, but sort of 'swallowed'


And why they say (and write!) _wapa_ for _guapa_ when they are paying you a compliment.


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## Derek H (Dec 7, 2008)

Dead easy, this Spanish lark. Innit

Derek


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

AllHeart said:


> Here's a great video to explain how to pronounce the Spanish r. The tutor is sweet and really thorough. I hope this helps...
> 
> How to say the Spanish 'r' - YouTube


I had a quick look but it seems she only covers the pronunciation of the single 'r' in the middle of a word. When the 'r' is at the beginning of the word the pronunciation is closer to 'rr'. i.e. with more of a roll to it.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Chopera said:


> I had a quick look but it seems she only covers the pronunciation of the single 'r' in the middle of a word. When the 'r' is at the beginning of the word the pronunciation is closer to 'rr'. i.e. with more of a roll to it.


Indeed, sometimes you can actually hear a D in front of it. I was once introduced to someone I thought was called "Drosa" who turned out to be "Rosa".


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