Spanish (Spain) minimal pairs

Minimal pairs: cada and cara

/ð/vs/ɾ/

Hard for English speakers, above all Americans: the quick d of American “ladder” is exactly the Spanish r, so a d said that way turns cada into cara and todo into toro.

The difference. For d between vowels the tongue tip rests lightly against the back of the upper teeth and the air keeps flowing, like a soft th in “this”; for r the tongue tip taps once on the ridge behind the teeth.

Practice all pairs

9 word pairs

Say both words in each pair. If Tono colors one of them amber or red, that is the sound to work on.

cada cara Practice
todo toro Practice
codo coro Practice
lodo loro Practice
mido miro Practice
mudo muro Practice
dudo duro Practice
moda mora Practice
mide mire Practice

Contrast sentences

Both sounds in one sentence: the real test of whether you can switch between them.

Cada cara es distinta. Practice
El toro lo mira todo. Practice
Dudo que sea tan duro. Practice
Mido el muro con cuidado. Practice

How to practice minimal pairs

Listen to both words in Tono first, one after the other, until you can hear the difference.
Say the pair slowly and exaggerate the difference. Check that both words come back green.
Say the contrast sentences at normal speed. That is where the mix-up usually comes back.

More minimal pairs

English minimal pairs French minimal pairs German minimal pairs