Spanish pronunciation guide
How to pronounce the Spanish rolled R
Spanish has two R sounds. The tap /ɾ/ is a single quick flick of the tongue, as in pero (but). The trill /r/ is a fast series of taps, the “rolled R”, as in perro (dog). Mixing them up changes the word. The trill is the one sound many adult learners believe they will never get, and most of them can, with the right starting point.
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Tap
One quick flick of the tongue tip against the ridge behind the top teeth.
pero, caro, para, hora
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Trill (rolled R)
The tongue tip vibrates against the same ridge two or more times.
perro, carro, rojo, Enrique
How to make the sounds
- Start with the tap. Say “butter” or “ladder” quickly, the American way: the middle sound is almost exactly the Spanish tap. Now say para the same way.
- For the trill, rest the tongue tip loosely on the ridge behind your top front teeth. Keep the tongue relaxed, not pressed.
- Blow air over the tip so it flutters, the way a flag flutters in the wind. Tension stops it; loose muscles let it vibrate.
- If nothing happens, use a run-up: say tr or dr words with a strong puff of air, like tres and drama. The t or d puts your tongue in the right place and the air does the rest.
- Practice a minute or two at a time. Many people need a few days before the first real trill appears.
Spelling tells you which one. rr between vowels is always a trill. A single r is a trill at the start of a word (rojo) and after n, l or s (Enrique, alrededor, Israel). Everywhere else, a single r is a tap.
Minimal pairs
One flick or a roll: in each pair, only the R changes, and so does the meaning.
- pero perro but · dog
- caro carro expensive · cart
- cero cerro zero · hill
- para parra for · grapevine
- coro corro choir · I run
- foro forro forum · lining
Practice with real sentences
Tap Practice to open the sentence in Tono, listen to it, and say it.
- El perro de Roberto corre muy rápido. Roberto’s dog runs very fast.Practice
- Pero el carro rojo es muy caro. But the red car is very expensive.Practice
- Ramón compró arroz en el mercado. Ramón bought rice at the market.Practice
- La guitarra de Rosa suena muy bien. Rosa’s guitar sounds very good.Practice
- Enrique regresa a Madrid el martes. Enrique comes back to Madrid on Tuesday.Practice
- Mi hermano trabaja en una tienda de ropa. My brother works in a clothes shop.Practice
- La carretera está cerrada por la nieve. The road is closed because of the snow.Practice
- ¿Prefieres el café o el té? Do you prefer coffee or tea?Practice
Common mistakes
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An English or French R
English speakers bunch the back of the tongue; French and German speakers use the throat. The Spanish R is made only with the tip of the tongue.
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A tap where a trill belongs
Pero instead of perro is the most common mix-up, and it changes the meaning. Give rr at least two or three vibrations.
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A trill everywhere
Rolling every R sounds forced. Between vowels, a single r is just one quick tap: pero, para, hora.