Practice Rolling The R Spanish Phrases

Phrases to Practice Rolling the R

If you do a quick web search for the most difficult Spanish sound for an English speaker to make, a large percentage of the results refer to the Spanish r and rr sound. All the Spanish rr's have a very pronounced rolling sound. Although it's true you can read pronunciation guides on how to make this sound, the best way to learn is by listening to native Spanish speakers make the sound. You can compare the sound you make, to the sound they make, and correct as needed until it sounds the same.

While a lot of the sounds we make to speak Spanish have similar sounds in our mother tongue, English doesn't really have anything like this 'rolling r' type of sound. So it turns out to be an area where we will spend extra practice time in order to get it right.

Use the Spanish phrases on this page to learn the correct way to make the rolling r sound in Spanish. The rolling r sound is a Spanish sound that is not made when speaking English but the phrases and sentences on this page will teach you the exact way to make the rolling r sound.

If you find yourself getting frustrated while learning to make the rolling r sound, here are a few things you ought to keep in mind. First, it might take more time than you originally thought. Depending on how much Spanish you are speaking every day, it could take many months or years to get this sound the way you want it. Aim to improve as the months go by, instead of thinking of nailing it perfectly. Because it is a sound foreign to English speakers, plan to devote extra attention to it. Use the phrases on this page, and find other lists of Spanish words with the rr sound.

Keep in mind that in Spanish the double r sound has a longer duration than the single r. The basic form of the sound is similar and the rolling is done for a little more time.

While you learn to make the rolling r sound, here are some of the thoughts you'll learn to express on this page. Talk about the position of one thing being on top of another, talk about running in the street and what color car you are driving. You'll hear quite a variety of topics in these phrases, but the common theme they all have is the rolling r. Let's get rolling!

• Pongo esta caja arriba de la otra.
• I put this box on top of the other one.
Some of the most common Spanish words contain the double r sound. It's worth taking extra time to practice this sound. This sentence contains a word with the double r and a word with the single r sound. Compare these two sounds to see the difference.
• El perro esta corriendo en la calle.
• The dog is running in the street.
This phrase has 2 words with the double r sound.
• Tengo un carro de color verde.
• I have a green car.
• Yo prendi la BBQ y ahora voy a poner la carne en la parrilla.
• I lit the BBQ and now I'm going to put the meat on the grill.
• Tengo que amarrar los arbustos para ponerlos en la basura.
• I have to tie up the bushes to put then in the trash.
This phrase has a good combination of words with single and double r for you to practice with.
• Ocupamos tener hierro en las dietas.
• We need iron in our diets.
• La mesa esta hecha de fierro.
• The table is made of steel.
• Tengo ganas de comer arroz con carne.
• I have a taste for rice with meat.
Sometimes it's helpful to think of the single and double r as two separate letters with two distinct sounds.
• Mis zapatos estan llenos de tierra.
• My shoes are full of mud.
• La carta tiene tres párrafos.
• The letter has three paragraphs.
It's easy to assume the Spanish word carta is the word for card. This is a false cognate. The word carta is usually translate to letter.
• La llave goteando fue una irritación.
• The dripping faucet was an irritation.
• Esperé porque no te quize interrumpir.
• I waited because I didn't want to interrupt you.
Purposely use Spanish words that contain the double r to give yourself extra practice with this letter.

Practice the Rolling R Sound

Rolling the r in speaking Spanish might be the most challenging sound you have to make. This can be an intimidating part of learning Spanish but it doesn't have to be. By listening to the included audio recording that goes with this page you will be able to imitate and practice the rolling r sound until it sounds just like the native speaker making the audio recording.