The Flow of Spanish
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    • Sound System Primer >
      • Vowel Awareness
      • Spanish Vowels
      • English Speaker Vowel Mistakes
      • Spanish Consonants
      • Spanish R Sounds
      • Phonetic Notation Key
    • Course Tutorials >
      • Your First Recording
      • Benchmark Exam #1
      • Primer Submission Page
    • Phonetic Training >
      • Introduction
      • Basics
      • Construction
      • Memorization
      • Mimic & Meaning
      • Benchmark Exams
    • Song Lessons >
      • Unit 1 - La Negra >
        • La Negra Lesson 1 >
          • Basics (La Negra Chorus)
          • Construction (La Negra Chorus)
          • Memorization (La Negra Chorus)
          • Submission Page (La Negra Chorus)
        • La Negra Lesson 2 >
          • Basics (La Negra V1L1-4)
          • Construction (La Negra V1L1-4)
          • Memorization (La Negra V1L1-4)
          • Submission Page (La Negra V1L1-4)
        • La Negra Lesson 3 >
          • Basics (La Negra V1L5-8)
          • Construction (LA Negra V1L5-8)
          • Memorization (LA Negra V1L5-8)
          • La Negra Lesson 3 Submission
        • La Negra Lesson 4 >
          • Basics (La Negra V2L1-4)
          • Construction (La Negra V2L1-4)
          • Memorization (La Negra V2L1-4)
          • La Negra L4 Submission
        • La Negra Lesson 5 >
          • Basics (La Negra V2L5-8)
          • Construction (La Negra V2L5-8)
          • Memorization (La Negra V2L5-8)
          • La Negra L5 Submission (La Negra V2L5-8)
        • La Negra Mimic >
          • Mimic Practice (La Negra M&M)
          • Meaning Practice (La Negra M&M)
      • Unit 2 - Clandestino >
        • Clandestino Lesson 1 >
          • Basics (Clandestino V1L1-4)
          • Construction (Clandestino V1L1-4)
          • Memorization (Clandestino V1-4)
          • Final Activity (Clandestino V1L1-4)
        • Clandestino Lesson 2 >
          • Basics (Clandestino V1L5-8)
          • Construction (Clandestino V1L5-8)
          • Memorization (Clandestino V1L5-8)
          • Final Activity (Clandestino V1L5-8)
        • Clandestino Lesson 3 >
          • Basics (Clandestino V2L1-4)
          • Construction (Clandestino V2L1-4)
          • Memorization (Clandestino V2L1-4)
          • Submission Page (Clandestino V2L1-4)
        • Clandestino Lesson 4 >
          • Basics (Clandestino V2L5-8)
          • Construction (Clandestino V2L5-8)
          • Memorization (Clandestino V2L5-8)
          • Submission Page (Clandestino V2L5-8)
        • Clandestino Mimic >
          • Clandestino Meaning
      • Unit 3 - Pies Descalzos >
        • PD Lesson 1 >
          • Construction (PD Chorus 1-5)
          • Memorization (PD Chorus 1-5)
          • Submission Page (PD Chorus 1-5)
        • PD Lesson 2
        • PD Lesson 3 >
          • Basics (PD Refrain)
          • Construction (PD Refrain)
          • Memorization (PD Refrain)
          • Submission Page (PD Refrain)
        • PD Chorus Mimic >
          • PD Chorus Meanings
      • Unit 4 - Shakira Rap >
        • PD Rap Lesson 1 >
          • Basics (PD Rap V1L1-4)
          • Construction (PD Rap V1L1-4)
          • Memorization (PD Rap V1L1-4)
          • Submission Page (PD Rap V1L1-4)
        • PD Rap Lesson 2 >
          • Basics (PD Rap V1L5-8)
          • Construction (PD Rap V1L5-8)
          • Memorization (PD Rap V1L5-8)
          • Submission Page (PD Rap V1L5-8)
        • PD Rap Lesson 3 >
          • Basics (PD Rap V2L1-4)
          • Construction (PD Rap V2L1-4)
          • Memorization (PD Rap V2L1-4)
          • Submission Page (PD Rap V2L1-4)
        • PD Rap Lesson 4 >
          • Basics (PD Rap V2L5-10)
          • Construction (PD Rap V2L5-10)
          • Memorization (PD Rap V2L5-10)
          • Submission Page (PD Rap V2L5-10)
        • PD Rap Mimic >
          • PD Rap Meanings
      • Unit 5 - Lo que Pasó (Speed Training) >
        • LQP Lesson 1 >
          • Basics (LQP V1)
          • Construction (LQP V1)
          • Memorization (LQP V1)
          • Submission Page (LQP V1)
          • Speed Training
        • LQP Lesson 2 >
          • Basics (LQP V2)
          • Construction (LQP V2)
          • Memorization (LQP V2)
          • Submission Page (LQP V2)
          • Speed Training (LQP V2)
        • LQP Lesson 3 >
          • Basics (LQP V3)
          • Construction (LQP V3)
          • Memorization (LQP V3)
          • Submission Page (LQP V3)
          • Speed Training (LQP V3)
        • LQP Lesson 4 >
          • Basics (LQP V4)
          • Construction (LQP V4)
          • Memorization (LQP V4)
          • Submission Page (LQP V4)
          • Speed Training (LQP V4)
        • LQP Mimic >
          • LQP Meaning
  • Drills & Practice
    • Phonetic Notation Key
    • Alveolar Bootcamp >
      • Tap in Isolation
      • Easy Combos
      • Tricky Combos
      • Difficult Combos
    • Bonus Content
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The Spanish Vowels

​In this educational video, I try to teach my good friend Louise all about Spanish vowels. Her experience teaches valuable lessons that will help you with your own pronunciation over this sound primer.

In it, you'll learn about Spanish vowels and the most common English-speaker vowel mistakes. You can always refer back to this section later in the course.

a...i...u...e...o


/a/

  • This sound is slightly more OPEN (tongue lower in mouth) and FRONT (tongue closer to teeth) than the vowel sound in the American English words "not", "pot", "hot", and "tot".
  • There is a strong tendency to CLOSE this vowel (as explained in the next section). Be sure to exaggerate its openness by lowering your jaw as much as possible.   
Picture
This audio first reviews this Spanish vowel sound and then compares the English and Spanish Pronunciation of the name "Ana." Mimic my pronunciation so that you can feel the difference.

/i/

  • This sound has the exact same tongue position as the vowel sound in the English words "see", "knee", "he" and "she." 
  • When this sound occurs in Spanish, it is shorter in length than in English.  The audio reviews this vowel sound then compares the pronunciations of "see" and "sí."

/u/

  • This sound has the exact same tongue position as the vowel sound in the English word "who", "shoe", "two", "zoo."
  • When this sound occurs in Spanish, it is shorter in length than in English.
  • Typically, this sound is rounded in English, meaning you will curl your lips at the end of the sound. Rounding does NOT occur in Spanish.

/e/

  • This sound is slightly more OPEN (tongue lower in mouth) than the vowel sound in the English words "hey", "bay", "say", "lay."
  • This sound is more CLOSED (tongue higher) than the vowel sound in words "head," "bed," "said"
  • English speakers typically turn the /e/ into /ei/ (like the word "hey" in English). This does NOT occur in Spanish.
Picture
This audio first reviews this Spanish vowel and compares the English and Spanish pronunciation of the words "se" and "sed." Notice the errors with the English "say" and "said." Mimic my pronunciation so that you can feel the difference.

/o/

  • This sound is more OPEN (tongue lower) than the vowel sound in the English words "so", "go", "toe." 
  • English speakers tend to turn the /o/ into /oʊ/ (like the word "no" in English). This does NOT occur in Spanish.
  • The English sound is rounded, meaning you will curl your lips at the end of the sound. Rounding does NOT occur in Spanish.
Picture
This audio first reviews this Spanish vowel and compares the English and Spanish pronunciation of the words "no." Mimic my pronunciation so that you can feel the difference.
Do not fret if you are unable to recreate or understand all these sounds yet. It will come with practice and exposure to these Spanish sounds. I recommend that you refer to these sections regularly as you begin to make sense of these insights. 

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Vowel Mistakes>>>

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