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Exercises to improve Spanish pronunciation (r, j, g) visualisation

Exercises to improve Spanish pronunciation (r, j, g)

Conquer the Spanish Language with Confidence: Exercises to improve Spanish pronunciation (r, j, g)
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Here are exercises to improve Spanish pronunciation for the sounds r, j, and g:

Spanish R (rolled and tapped r):

  • Practice the tap sound first, like the r in “pero,” “pera,” or “caro,” by lightly tapping the tongue against the alveolar ridge behind the upper front teeth.
  • Try to roll the r by positioning your tongue lightly and letting air flow vibrate it, mimicking a purring cat sound (“prrrrrr”).
  • Repeat sounds like “drrrrr” starting with a soft d to help transition to the rolled r.
  • Use vowel combinations with r for practice: “ra,” “re,” “ri,” “ro,” “ru.”
  • Practice tongue flap exercises like humming and flicking the tongue against the alveolar ridge.
  • Use tongue twisters such as “Tres tristes tigres” to practice fast and clear r sounds regularly. 1, 2, 3, 4

Spanish J (pronounced like a guttural “h”):

  • Start with simple syllables: JA, JE, JI, JO, JU (e.g., jamón, jefe, jirafa, joven, jugar).
  • Practice common words with these syllables repeatedly.
  • Use minimal pairs to distinguish the j sound from similar sounds (e.g., casa–caja, moto–mojo).
  • Practice phrases and sentences incorporating j, such as “El jefe joven juega al ajedrez.”
  • Use tongue twisters focusing on j sounds, like “Jaimito el jinete japonés junta jirafas en el jardín”. 5, 6, 7

Spanish G:

  • Hard g sound as in “gato,” “gol,” “guapo” when followed by a, o, u.
  • Soft g sound as the Spanish j (like a harsh h) when followed by e, i (e.g., gente, gitano).
  • Practice words with both sounds and focus on tongue positioning and airflow.
  • Start by mastering the Spanish j sound to facilitate learning the soft g sound.
  • Repeat words and phrases using g in different contexts to build muscle memory. 8, 9, 10

These targeted exercises help develop the tongue and mouth muscle control needed to pronounce these challenging Spanish sounds accurately. Consistent daily practice, including tongue twisters and phrase repetition, is key to mastery.

References

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