How to Roll Your R's, Step-by-Step [Spanish Pronunciation]
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Don't give up on learning Spanish because you can't roll your R's. You can - it just takes consistent practice. In this video, you'll learn why you can't roll your R's yet and how to learn, step-by-step.
Practice, but don't stop here - it's not all about the R. This guide shows you how to make even more progress in your Spanish pronunciation: • Spanish Pronunciation ...
More videos that simplify Spanish so you can speak confidently faster: / breakthroughspanish
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - What you'll learn
0:58 - When do I roll my R's?
2:01 - Why can't I roll my R's?
5:44 - How to roll your R's
I've been speaking Spanish for 12 years but actually gave up on the rr and just accepted I had a speech impediment 😅Came back to it recently because I also need it for Arabic and found this video really helpful. Funnily enough, I can now do it, but only if I sing the word! I think this helps me control the airflow - if I try to trill normally, I still seem to be forcing the air too hard. I'll keep practicing!
Singing is a great tip! Wish I'd thought of that 😅 . Glad the video was helpful, good luck with your Arabic
did you ever get it fluently?
I empathize with you. I haven't spoken Spanish for real in like 12 or more years. I am trying to pick it back up again with my new job. Lord help us all! Please BTW thank you for this video! Blessings to you!
I'm a native speaker and can't roll my r's (25 yo) :(
Does your speech impediment bother you now with the foreign language? I have one too, and when my anxiety kicks in, everything goes crazy. I was hoping that Spanish would make a difference.
This was the best explanation of why it's difficult for English speakers to roll the r's. I never would have guessed tongue placement on the preceding letters would be a factor. A little late on commenting, but thank you so much for this.
As a Spanish speaker I can confirm similar exercises are used when we're learning to speak properly as a toddler or primary student. At school, in Castellano classes they spent hours teaching the position of the tongue and lips, believe it or not even for Spanish speakers is tricky. More importantly, this is how we spot non-spanish speakers we can hear the accent if they can't use the 'r'.
Been trying to learn it for years and I still can’t 😂 I find it really hard especially as we don’t use any trills in English
I doubt it is a reliable way. I speak r's "wrong" way in my mother tongue. It is called a speech impediment, but no one thinks they are foreigners
This video is a bit old now but I just wanted to say that your “ara” trick is what got me to finally start rolling! I was doing the whisper “ara” all day for only a day and already got a small roll. I even was able to do it with the word “arriba”. After the whisper I’ve gradually brought the volume up until now I have the voice included! I can say those words and others like “carro” no problem. The er words like “perro” still present trouble for me so I’m still practicing a lot every day. After watching a ton of videos I just wanted to thank you for your tips that helped!
That’s awesome ! It’s so funny how it sometimes takes forever and then something clicks and it’s not nearly as hard as it was. It’s hard to train our mouths to make new sounds - I’m glad my video could help. Keep it up 👍
@@BreakthroughSpanish I’m now already able to do er sounds such as “erre” and “perro”, so I’m quickly improving. Apparently I was trying too hard before and the skill was on the tip of my tongue, no pun intended
@@landoncopenhaver nice! yeah strangely, it's key to not try too hard
That's what did it for me. I still don't know why that worked but it did.
As a native speaker, the rolling r's came naturally as a toddler. Your technical advice is outstanding and exactly how I roll the r's. Now, when people ask me how I make the sound, I can explain it instead of just demonstrating it. Thank you!
Oh my goodness!!!!!!!!!! I am 38 years old and have never been able to do this. I figured I would never be able to do it. BUT, with your video I figured it out. WOW! No joke! I can do it now. Thank you so much for this video. I just ran across it looking for something else and decided to click on it. I'm so glad I did. 😂
Here's a little ditty I was taught in Kindergarten in Cuba: "Erre" con "erre" cigarro, "erre" con "erre" barril. Rapido corren los carros, por las lineas del ferrocarril.
I think I've tried something like 4 different 'how to roll your r's' videos on KZhead, and this was the only one that actually worked for me. It took time, but I can finally roll my r's. Thank you.
Show off 😂😂😂 (joke)
I've seen so many videos on how to do this, and none of them helped except this one
One of my professors once told me that I just speak with an Argentinian accent😅 My rr sounds have never been reliable, throughout the ~15 years I've been speaking Spanish. I hugely appreciate your ability to get back to basics!
It really helped me how you mentioned that we need to be using the Spanish consonants rather than English consonants! While I can't make the RR sound by itself, I can make a sound that almost passes as RR when it's in a word. I will keep practicing. I'm a nursing student and I am relearning spanish since there are spanish-speaking patients at the hospital. Thanks for your helpful video!
For sure, getting the consonants down is key. Glad that helped. I bet your Spanish will come in handy all the time at the hospital. Keep it up!
Out of all the videos out there, this is the only video that had me trilling within 15 minutes of practicing! That "ara" exercise really works! Also, I love how you explain it's not just about relaxing your tongue and how other consonants can affect how you trill; I haven't seen any other person explain that in their videos. I'm almost 30 and I get made fun of from my family that I still don't know how to roll my r's. You gave me hope that I can do it. Thank you so much!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Glad it worked for you
I like your patient and gentle approach.
Wow. Best video I’ve ever found on this. Thanks for the useful advice
Thank you! This is actually the only video that helped me a lot in understanding what I'm doing wrong all this time and now, I could roll my r just need a lot more practice to do.
Love the whispered "ara" tip and it's not one I've found elsewhere. Thanks! Subscribed!
Love the way you speak, so calm and relaxing.
I was getting so stressed not being able to do it and this video was such a calmer take to it. I love the fact that it emphasizes that it is something you have to practice and not something you can get right away.
THIS is what I’ve been needing! Ahra was the start and everything else was just amazing!! Thank you for including the position of the tongue and air flow/breath too! Just everything in this video I needes
Thank you, so much!!!!! This helped me tremendously!
Omg thank you so much for this video! Within a few minutes, I've already improved!! Incredibly helpful!!!
Omg, I have just done it first time since I learned how to do ‘rrr’ sound. Thank you so much for your tutorial and tips, It helps me a lots.🎉🎉
Thank you! I can finally feel the vibration on my tongue! :D This is huge progress for me
This helped a lot really helped me understand.
This is super helpful!!! Especially the "hadda" part! Immediately get my tongue working!
You're a legend. This is the only technique that's ever worked for me. Thank you!
I started my duolingo Spanish journey a couple a weeks ago. It was almost derailed because I could not roll my R's to save my life. This video has restored my hopes. I can't roll my R's at will yet But after a couple of days of practice while driving to and from work, I've been able to bang out a few R rolls. From 0 to a few has me thinking, there's still hope out there for me yet. Thank you so much for your simple break down.
Thank you for this fantastic video. I watched a lot videos, but no video helped me. With your method I learned it in nearly 2 weeks. Thanks!
this was amazing! thank you so much! I've been struggling with the r in the middle of words after a consonant sound, and I think I finally got it!
I SWEAR I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE THIS SOUND FOR 3 YEARS AND I HAVE AN EXAM TOMOROW AND I SOMEHOW MANAGED TO DO IT THANKS TO YOU
the 'ara' made the trick for me! It's a great exercise to make the tounge vibrate and get used to it. Muchas gracias!
This is incredible advice.
I had watched A LOT of videos about rolling RRs. I was pretty frustrated. This one, and one other, were the ones that finally did the trick. I still have work to do on words like "sonreir," but I'm basically there. Much thanks.
Thank you so much for this! I know quite a bit of Spanish, but I am struggling with rolling my rs correctly, so I'm not very comfortable holding a conversation. Will keep practicing! 🤗
Very helpful and good explanations that are easy to understand. Thank you!
This is my first day so I don't know yet if it works for me, but I've watched lots of videos about it and the way you break it down makes it feel achievable and now I feel like I have some starting blocks! Thank you! I'll update after I put in the work!
I've always been able to roll my r's but never after a consonant - this is the most helpful lesson I've ever had. Thanks!
Muchas gracias!
Today I finally got it! I have been practicing daily for around 5 weeks or so , but have been wishing for this since I was a kid. I wished for it so much and it felt impossible. This video was the one that taught me to do the right thing to finally be able to trill! Muchísimas gracias Breakthrough Spanish !!!!
Awesome! Well done sticking with it for 5 weeks
Thanks to you I know I'll be able to master rolling my 'r's and I'm so excited! The 'ara' trick is what the secret is. I have NEVER been able to figure this out, but now thanks to your excellent tutorial there's hope for this 62 year old Hispanic who's trying to learn Spanish!!!! Thanks so so much!
aaaah thank you so much, this video is what made it click for me!!! i can now roll pretty well :)
Great ideas, thanks!
I did it!! For the first time in all videos and clips this is my first success! Thank you!❤
helped me a lot
dude! this is first video that helped! breathing "ara" was the key to my first time ever rolling my r
Made more progress in 30 minutes than I did in 30 years... muchas grrrrrracias!
This is by far one of the most effective videos I watched. The 'ara' trick worked very fast after a few trials, surprisingly, and adding the air pressure even made it better to get a few more rolls. I still can't keep it as long as I want, but thank you for this great video.
that is a really useful tip, thank you
this helped so much thank you
Omg. This is amazing. Muchas gracias.
Thank you so much for breaking down the trill r sound. Coming from Texas and getting rid of that Texas twang + getting the trill down has been very difficult, since most teachers do not explain the placement of the tongue. Maybe there is still some hope!
From 2:25 to 4:25! Adjusting the consonants from the English pronunciation to the Spanish seems to be the key for me. That is the part of this video that is most helpful to me, thanks!! (Also... three to six months? I've been studying and practicing for two years, and I think I'm *starting* to get there with rolling my rrrrr's!!) Just don't give up! Even if you never get there - there's more to learning and speaking another language than the pronunciation of a single consonant sound. Imo.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
Yep just looked at this video, slept on it & I can now trill a bit. Found it v difficult because it's difficult not to do the uvular trill but practicing using this advice definitely helped
This is really helpful................ Thank you for your detailed explanation 😭
gracias😊
I think this is the best video I have watched on how to roll your rs so far because, based on simple examples, I noticed a very tiny but big difference!
Holly cats! That did the trick! I'm not there yet, but like a few folks here I gave up on trying to roll my 'r's. But changing the way I pronounce t in 'tres' like you said, makes all the difference. Remarkable...thank you!
Just wanted to say , thank you ..The things you are saying are actually resonating very well. I speak French and Farsi, so have had a hard time rolling my Rs for the longest time.Graciasss!
Omg I did it! Thank you!
Great videos. You're definitely giving the confidence to actually adapt into it, big appreciation💪🏽🏆💯
I actually already speak to languages that need that rolled “r”: Ukrainian and Russian, but could never do it. Now when I decided to learn Spanish, I it’s finally time for it, though I know there some difference to them. (I saw how Chinese people on TikTok learned it simply because some Russian song got viral and got embarrassed)
You are wonderful as a pronunciation coach! The "ara" practice is invaluable! After living in Oaxaca for 10 years and having intermittent problems with rolling "r" sounds, the burst-of-air practice helped me identify the problem and correct it.
that's great to hear! thank you :)
WOW, I did it while watching your video. I've been trying for months! When you said change position. I was already lying in bed on my laptop. I just tilted my head back so my tongue would relax against the top of my mouth. It worked basically instantly.
thank you really good guide
This is very well explained. One factor that makes it unusual for English speakers, is that the 'r' in English is a soft sound, sometimes almost inaudible, and never rolled. I am half Spanish and English, and when I was a young boy I was taught to say the following Spanish sentence by my cousins to help with "rolling" the Rs (apical-alveolar trill) El perro de San Roque no tiene rabo, porque Ramón Ramírez se lo ha cortado. My advice is, as well as following the tips in this video, to focus on the sound production with a bit of forced air explusion at the same time, at least until the trill becomes easy and natural to produce. Eventually, you'll be able to let it "roll off your tongue". This requires concentration and effort at the time of producing the sound, but it will get easier and more natural over time. Listen to how Spanish people say it and imitate the sound as close as possible. Not all Spanish speakers choose to make the 'R'' sound as strong as others, as there are regional variations, but it's always clearly audible. An often confusing thing for Spanish speakers is when they don't hear the clear "R" sound at all, because that could sound like another word, a different verb conjugation or a nonsensical word. So, effort in making both the R sounds is important to be clearly understood in conversations. Have fun with it, it's a great sound really!
Great tips! Thank you
That sentence helps a lot!
Tank you. It’s a real help
This is the first video on this (incredibly difficult for me) subject that actually makes sense. Thank you.
That’s great!
Appreciate the video!
I have always thought that I had a speech impediment, I am not alone I see! I am going to start practising, your explanation is brilliant.
I’ve been trying for years and finally watched this video and I can do it perfectly. Thanks man!
well done! congrats
Thank you!!!
This man the goat I’m getting really close🙏🏼💪🏼 Tnx OG!
As a viejito English teacher, I really admire you for analyzing this seemingly hopeless sound and giving us a way to relearn "r" in a Spanish context. I have to use similar methods as I try to correct adult learners with engraved pronunciation errors. I totally believe you when you say it took 14 months to develop your teaching platform. Good job!
Hey I learned after this video!
Only video that helped me after years of trying!
That’s awesome!
Gracias! Helped a lot. Speaking Spanish many (20+) years. I mostly mastered short r. I can roll my long “rr” sometimes and accepted that as my personal best. Now that I live in Mexico, not USA, wanting to improve. Frustrated I can’t pronounce my husbands name better too! Anyway this video got me over the hump. I little more practice and I’ll be there.
oh my god this was super super helpful! i got it through a mixture of saying butter and ara
Muchas gracias por este video Connor! I didn’t know about the rule of the R after the consonants in a new syllable and so glad you shared all these rules with us. Alrededor is a tough one for me. Splitting the r like you explained in the video has been especially helpful for me and I practice with: El carro es caro. Earlier when I would pronounce the r’s it sounded exactly the same 😂. It helps me to listen to how you pronounce the words and then try to replicate. Awesome video! 🙏😃
Thanks Trang! Appreciate the comment. Alrededor is definitely a hard one to say, I hope that tip helps. Good luck and keep working on it!
I’ve been trying to trill my Rs for a very long time. And this is by far the best explanation! Thank you !
Muy buen video. I just shared it with an American guy who I correct every day.
Excellent vid Connor! I’ve been trying to roll r’s forever. Even paid for a program that did not work for me. But after following your instructions I now can see hope that I’m not hopeless. Thanks!
your channel is really helpful! thank you
thank you!
I'm Spanish but I'm always interested in phonetics. The way you explain everything feels super useful. And made me extra aware of my tongue positioning when speaking Spanish versus English. Like the "L" and chaining those sounds with the R. It's impossible to say things correctly! No wonder some people have a really hard time with the Spanish R. Great video!
thanks! I agree, phonetics is a fascinating topic. There is a lot we don't notice about our native language until we compare it to another language
thank you for addressing the positioning of your tongue when pronouncing consonants in English- that is 100% my problem and hardly anyone speaks to it!
OMMMMMMG ARA practice works！！！！Thank you
The ara trick works!! I was able to get a small R trill in about 15-20 minyof trying. I can now say erre, and carro. I'm still struggling on perro, but I will get there.
Very helpful! Thank you! I hum the trill to the tune of Jingle Bells and it seems to help my tongue get the hang of it.
I only started taking up the practice recently. I have absolutely zero patience and have been binging videos and sounding like a lunatic trying to get this down... it wasn't until that very last tip at the end with car+ro and your brain wanting to put the sounds together that BANG rolled. I'll have to practice a ton to get it fluid and under my control, but now that I know the method works I'm super jazzed to try it. Thank you!
glad it helped! keep it up 👍
Man, oh man. After years of speaking tourist Spanish with Turkish-sounding Rs, my 'but' and my 'dog' now sound Spanish!! Thank you so very much from a very appreciative Cornishman. Oll an gwella/All the best y muchas, muchas gracias❤
Awesome I just thought I had a speech impediment.I can do it!
I now can semi do it Thank your help
Followed this guide to a T!! It took me about 2 weeks! I was so excited I recorded it 😂😂😂
This is so goodd
I have been trying to pronounce my husband's sir name, Gargallo, correctly for 12 years .🤣 Not for the lack of trying! I've made significant progress today after watching this video. Thank you!
3/23/23 I used to be able to do this in my middle and high Spanish classes. Over the decades, I have lost the ability. Thanks for these tips. I’ve begun to study Spanish again. It was wanting to learn to dance Bachata - and the fabulous music and songs - that made me want to study. Like you, I have music on as often as possible. And I search the lyrics and hope it will all come together in my brain. My music of choice is Grupo Extra. My very fave bachata couple is La Alemana and Ataca. So beautiful and inspiring.
Music is a great place to restart your learning! Bachata is fun too. Sounds like you’re on the right track
This is one of the most informative videos I've found, on explaining where the rolled r occurs and when to use it. I've just started learning Spanish and I surprised myself by managing to figure it out very quickly over a couple of days by doing a singer's trick which is to use the breath from the diaphragm. I really could not roll my Rs at all before this. The way I found was to put a hard *C* in front of a word like *rapido* to make *CRAPido* (ha ha) , send a blast of air from your diaphragm *NOT* your chest and then slowly try and cut away the *C* which acted like training wheels. By using the diaphragm you are removing tension from the mouth and tongue which might otherwise occur if you try and push air from your chest, because you will naturally default to trying to pushing with your throat. Words that start with *R* are easy (rojo, radio) but perro, sonreir are still tricky although you have confirmed that the best way to practice is to break up the word into chunks until you have the coordination down.
Brilliant - the tip about how we say our 't''s vs. the Spanish 't' really helped.
not super obvious but it really helps! glad you enjoyed, thanks for watching
thank god for this vid man thank u
what a great video! i was skeptical at first bc i struggle with R's in all languages so i thought i was hopeless without visiting a speech therapist or smth. i loved the breakdown of the problem for english speakers although my accent is closer to BrE. but what made me hooked is the way you described that l/r difference. somehow just following your directions unlocked a new position for my tongue :D i don't know if it will actually stick with me but anyways it's a wonderfully informative video! p.s. what helped me more is smiling or grinning (tongue gets closer to the roof of the mouth) and, funnily enough, trying to make a kh sound (that i usually avoid bc that's how i think my R's sound naturally). that little bit of aspiration makes the trill!