5.1 /r/ vs. Spanish Tapped

1.

rain
Emphasize the retroflex /r/ by curling the tongue slightly back. Avoid tapping the tongue as in Spanish.


2.

around
Focus on maintaining the /r/ sound in the middle of the word without letting it become a tap.


3.

car
In American English, the /r/ is pronounced even at the end. Spanish speakers often drop or tap it—practice sustaining the /r/ sound.


4.

“The red car raced around the corner.”
Practice maintaining the /r/ sound in multiple positions within a sentence.


5.

Say “rrrrr” while holding the tongue bunched in the middle of the mouth.
Build muscle memory for the English /r/ articulation.