Pronunciation Lesson 23

Common Errors (Part 1)

The following words are all ones that English speakers tend to struggle to get right.

For each list of words, read it carefully first, looking at the pronunciation notes. Then listen to the sound file and repeat each word. Do this twice for each list.
List 1:

  • Bicicleta – bee see CLAY tah
  • Teléfono – tay LAY fo no
  • Favorito – fah boh REE toh   (fah, not fay)
  • Hospital – oh spee TAL
  • Para – PAH dah  (not “PEAR uh”)
  • Radio – RAH dyo  (not “RAY dee oh”)
  • Blanco – BLAHN ko  (not “BLANK oh”)
  • Negro – NAY grow  (not “KNEE grow”)
List 2:

  • Refrigerador – ray free hay rah DOOR
  • Vegetales – bay hay TAL ehs   (not “veggietales”)
  • Ángel – AHN hail
  • Inteligente – een tail  ee HEN tay
  • Generoso – hen eh DOH so
  • Televisión – tay lay bee SYON
  • Funciona – foon SYON ah  (foon, not “funk”)
  • Computadora – comb poo tah DOH dah  (poo, not “pyou”)
List 3:

  • Dólares – DOH la des
  • Con – KONE  (not “kahn”)
  • Sin – SEEN  (not “sin”)
  • Chile – CHEE lay  (not “chilly”)
  • Idea – ee DAY ah  (not “idea”)
  • Pie – pYAY  (not “pie”)
  • Drama – d’DA ma  (not “JRA muh”)
  • Tren – t’DEN  (not “ch RAIN”)

Did you go through all the lists twice? If you had trouble with any, keep coming back to these lists so you can refine your pronunciation!