Two different R sounds
Spanish has two r sounds: a quick tapped r and a rolled rr. Both are made with the tip of the tongue touching the ridge behind the upper teeth. Neither is the English r, where the tongue pulls back and touches nothing.
The tapped r is a sound you already own: in American English it is the tt of butter and the dd of ladder. The tongue flicks the ridge once. For the rolled rr, keep the tongue in the same spot and let a steady stream of air make it flutter two or three times.
When strong, when soft?
Strongly rolled
rr between vowels
r at the start of a word
r after n, l or s
perro
dog
rosa
rose / pink
Enrique
Enrique (first name)
Lightly tapped
r between vowels
r at the end of a word
r in clusters such as br, dr, tr
caro
expensive
hablar
to speak
tres
three
Minimal pairs: one R decides
Hear the difference
pero
but
perro
dog
caro
expensive
carro
cart / car (Latin America)
cero
zero
cerro
hill
In full sentences
Listen and repeat
El perro corre rápido.
The dog runs fast.
El carro es muy caro.
The car is very expensive.
Como arroz con pollo.
I eat rice with chicken.
El río es muy largo.
The river is very long.
