The sounds of English that do not exist in Spanish
English has sounds that Spanish does not have. Learning to recognize them is the first step!
Sonidos clave
| Symbol | Ejemplo | Description |
|---|---|---|
| /θ/ | think | Tongue between teeth, blow air |
| /ð/ | this | Like /θ/ but with vibration |
| /æ/ | cat | Between the Spanish "a" and "e" |
| /ʌ/ | cup | A short and relaxed "a" |
| /ɪ/ | ship | "i" corta y relajada |
| /iː/ | sheep | "i" larga y tensa |
| /ɹ/ | red | The tongue does NOT touch the palate |
Minimum Pairs
Two words that only differ in one sound:
- ship /ʃɪp/ vs sheep /ʃiːp/
- cat /kæt/ vs cut /kʌt/
- think /θɪŋk/ vs sink /sɪŋk/
Intonation
- Affirmations ↘️ — the voice drops at the end: "I like coffee."
- Yes/no questions ↗️ — the voice rises at the end: "Do you like coffee?"
💡 You don't need perfect pronunciation. The important thing is that they understand you!