Spanish (Spain) minimal pairs

Minimal pairs: peso and beso

/p/vs/b/

Hard for speakers of Arabic, whose language has no p, and for English speakers, whose b at the start of a word has little voice, so Spanish ears can hear it as p.

The difference. Spanish p has no puff of air after it; b has voice from the very start, so your throat hums before the lips open. Between vowels, b and v soften: the lips come close without closing.

Practice all pairs

11 word pairs

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

peso beso Practice
pala bala Practice
poca boca Practice
pino vino Practice
pelo velo Practice
paño baño Practice
pesar besar Practice
pan van Practice
pista vista Practice
pasta basta Practice
peca beca Practice

Contrast sentences

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

Dame un beso, no un peso. Practice
Basta de pasta por hoy. Practice
Desde la pista hay buena vista. Practice
Tengo poca agua y la boca seca. 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.

Step-by-step help with these sounds: How to pronounce B and V in Spanish (they are the same sound)

More minimal pairs

English minimal pairs French minimal pairs German minimal pairs