Spanish pronunciation: Soften, but not too much!

Intro and extro music credits:
Track; LAKEY INSPIRED - In My Dreams
Music provided by FlyingTunes
Watch; • Video ​​
In this channel I make videos on topics in Spanish language and linguistics. Mostly phonetics and phonology, but also dialectology, sociolinguistics, and historical linguistics. Many of my videos come from questions asked by viewers in the comment section.
Spanish language
Spanish pronunciation
Spanish phonetics
Spanish phonology
Spanish dialects

Пікірлер: 101

  • @CoronelC
    @CoronelC3 жыл бұрын

    Simply the best Spanish pronunciation channel imo.

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    I'm so happy you like my channel.

  • @Ida-xe8pg

    @Ida-xe8pg

    2 жыл бұрын

    true especially that assibilated rr video

  • @edflam7555
    @edflam75553 жыл бұрын

    I'm a native spanish speaker trying to learn English pronunciation and this video has been super helpful!

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    I'm so glad you found the video helpful.

  • @adrianamarialadinoyague8106

    @adrianamarialadinoyague8106

    2 ай бұрын

    Me pasó igual

  • @antoniofraguadols4195
    @antoniofraguadols41953 жыл бұрын

    I am a native spanish, studying hispanic philology, and I really enjoy watching your videos. It is very interesting to observe how spanish is taught in other countries, and also your videos about spanish dialects in South America are very useful as well as interesting. Many thanks!!

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for your kind comments. Philology was my favorite subject. I took one course in Spanish philology and one in Romance philology.

  • @antoniofraguadols4195

    @antoniofraguadols4195

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@tenminutespanishThats great! what career did you do?

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@antoniofraguadols4195 My undergraduate degree was Spanish translation & interpretation. Then I did a master's degree in Structural Spanish Language. Are you undergraduate or graduate?

  • @antoniofraguadols4195

    @antoniofraguadols4195

    3 жыл бұрын

    I am an undergraduate, studying "Español: lengua y literatura" (what years ago was called philology) at Universidad Complutense.

  • @johnjekyllson28
    @johnjekyllson283 жыл бұрын

    I learned to pronounce these consonants properly just from immersion, but I never noticed this phenomenon with the release of air from the lips!

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    Well, I'm happy you learned something new from the video!

  • @pianoslut853
    @pianoslut8538 ай бұрын

    WOW okay yeah I'm in the camp of "caught on that some are soften but don't know which" -- I had no idea how to explain it and I haven't heard people talk about it so it was really just something I was imitating from close listening practice. This is sooo so helpful.

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    8 ай бұрын

    I'm really happy you found this helpful.

  • @srparkerusa
    @srparkerusa Жыл бұрын

    This video was amazing! As a student of Spanish it helps me to see the language using international phonetic scripts with explanations. It is especially helpful because languages like English and Spanish share a similar written alphabet and interpret the symbols phonetically differently. On an unrelated note, I was surprised that you described the Spanish language as softer sounding than English based on the differences between certain consonant sounds. I do find that our English plosives and fricatives are stronger than the muddled "p" "g" "t" etc of Spanish but to my English ear Spanish sounds quite strong, sharp, pingy and even shrill at times due to its rigid vowel structure, nasality, trilled r and somewhat staccato rhythm.

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for the kind words. I'm glad you liked the video.

  • @wadepatton2433
    @wadepatton24333 жыл бұрын

    New band name: "Interdental Fricative and the Approximants!" (IFA)

  • @Hallandfan847

    @Hallandfan847

    9 ай бұрын

    Nerd

  • @wadepatton2433

    @wadepatton2433

    9 ай бұрын

    @@Hallandfan847 "nerd with a guitar" get it right if you're going to troll.

  • @kori228
    @kori22821 күн бұрын

    I have an issue with some of the terminology in this video. 2:31 In linguistics, plosives and stops are synonymous terms. The term you're looking for to describe English stops is that they're "aspirated" (in word-initial and stressed-syllable-initial positions) 2:36 Occlusives and Obstruents are different from stops/plosives. Occlusive includes affricates and nasals, while obstruents include fricatives and affricates but not nasals.

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    21 күн бұрын

    Thanks for the corrections. I studied phonetics in Spanish with a native Spanish speaking professor. Neither he nor the texts we read used the words "stops" or "plosives". He used the words "oclusivas" and "obstruyentes", although I may be misinterpreting how they were used.

  • @kori228

    @kori228

    21 күн бұрын

    @@tenminutespanish I don't know the particulars of the Spanish forms, but I just want to make sure the information that people take from the video doesn't mislead them into disagreeing with information they'd find elsewhere. The term "tonic vowel" and "atonic vowel" in the other video isn't really used in English but doesn't mislead people so while I'd avoid it, it's not wrong. This video however directly conflicts so please be careful with directly translating terminology especially from linguistics.

  • @kaikaichen
    @kaikaichen3 жыл бұрын

    I also theorize that, at least here in the US, many English speakers mix up the Spanish “ch” sound with the French one. Hearing words like champagne and chateau, they'll for example accidentally pronounce the name surname Chávez like “Shávez”.

  • @noahrodriguez293

    @noahrodriguez293

    3 жыл бұрын

    Some rural areas in Chile & Andalucía do just that

  • @vivianeden9529

    @vivianeden9529

    9 ай бұрын

    depends on the dialect tbh. the dialect i'm learning has that phenomenon, but "regular" spanish tends to typically use /tS/ instead of /S/

  • @teynaranjas788

    @teynaranjas788

    Ай бұрын

    I wondered something similar re Italian speakers. I know (thanks, Sopranos!) that words like capicola can evolve into "gabagool" in at least some dialects. Suggesting softer p's and much softer c's.

  • @itsuki_jeff
    @itsuki_jeffАй бұрын

    I feel like the spanish “ch” is often realized more as a alveopalatal affricate [tɕ]

  • @ladybird2000ad
    @ladybird2000ad Жыл бұрын

    I've been looking for a channel like this for quite a long time. Thank you so much for your creative and helpful content. You're an excellent teacher btw.

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you! I'm so happy you like my content.

  • @mle3699
    @mle36993 жыл бұрын

    This whole channel has helped me immeasurably. Gracias por tu trabajo.

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    I'm so happy that you've found my videos useful.

  • @austino5069
    @austino50693 жыл бұрын

    I still don't know how Ten Minute Spanish doesn't have more subs and views. Una lástima

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for the compliment. I think I have low subs and views for a couple reasons: 1) Only a small percentage of students are interested in this level of detail in pronunciation. Most are content if they pronounce well enough to make themselves understood, and they don't care whether they sound particularly native-like. And that is their prerogative. Everyone gets to have their own priorities, and I have no right to make everyone else value what I value. 2) I don't put out videos often enough. I would need to make a couple videos a week for the KZread algorithms to recommend my videos to a lot of new viewers. It's cool, though. I don't mind. I have a lot of hobbies and I maintain this channel simply because I enjoy it. If even one person enjoys my most recent video, that's enough for me to want to make the next one.

  • @austino5069

    @austino5069

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@tenminutespanish How did you learn so much about Spanish phonology?

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@austino5069 When I was a grad student in Spanish, many many moons ago, my areas of interest were phonetics/phonology and dialectology/sociolinguistics. I selected all of my elective courses in those areas. What is your background and interest in Spanish?

  • @austino5069

    @austino5069

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@tenminutespanish Simply a student interested in speaking eloquently

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@austino5069 High school? University? How many classes have you taken?

  • @tomasbeltran04050
    @tomasbeltran040502 жыл бұрын

    As a native Spanish speaker watching for curiosity, I finally noticed how English "p" is different from spanish p. Wow

  • @AnnQuigley
    @AnnQuigley Жыл бұрын

    That made perfect sense to my brain. Thank you!

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm really glad you liked it.

  • @danbucklew1505
    @danbucklew15053 жыл бұрын

    Great Spanish language material with precise instruction

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    Oops. Thanks for letting me know.

  • @ConnorSimmons1997
    @ConnorSimmons199726 күн бұрын

    I had been learning Spanish for around 8 years and still didn't pronounce b, d, and g as approximates. I didn't learn the correct pronunciation until I literally took a class in university on Spanish linguistics. It wasn't taught in any other class, despite its importance in making you sound more native.

  • @jansonleung3393
    @jansonleung33933 жыл бұрын

    Muchas gracias maestro!

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    De nada, amigo. Me alegro mucho de que te haya gustado.

  • @gabrielcollstefoni7765
    @gabrielcollstefoni77653 жыл бұрын

    what an amazing video! felicitaciones profe! saludos desde chile

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! Gracias, amigo.

  • @teamo8033
    @teamo80333 жыл бұрын

    You're doing the lords work TMS. Te Amo

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! I'm glad you liked the video.

  • @ballsxan

    @ballsxan

    2 жыл бұрын

    Soap operas.

  • @Superibis.
    @Superibis.3 жыл бұрын

    I find it a lot of fun to see how different native speakers struggle with a language ^^ I'm a French and never had problem with this softening thing but damn were the R, D and B/V a struggle x)

  • @joshadams8761

    @joshadams8761

    3 жыл бұрын

    As a native English speaker, I have learnt to pronounce French r correctly, but it’s not easy, particularly in Chartres and Rouen.

  • @Superibis.

    @Superibis.

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@joshadams8761 ok, I was about to comment I didn’t know Chartres and Rouen had a special prononciation of R… I’m so tired 🤣

  • @joshadams8761

    @joshadams8761

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@Superibis. “Rouen” is difficult because the r is at the beginning. “Chartres” and “Sartres” are difficult because they have two rs. An easier r is the one in “Versailles”.

  • @thecaf8985
    @thecaf89853 жыл бұрын

    i once asked you a question about merging words in spoken spanish , for example "para hablar" and how it sounded more like "parablar", you referred me to your "spanish has no glottal stops" video, which helped me understand a little bit, but there are still some things that are very difficult for me to understand. For example, I heard a speaker say "aunque sea un poquito" but it sounded more like "anque sem poquito". Other than just practicing my listening skills, are there any common patterns in fast speech that i should learn to help myself understand these seemingly random reductions of sounds better and more consistently? I've watched most videos on your channel, but some of what people say in spanish doesn't sound how i would expect even when i know how consonants and vowels are meant to be pronounced.

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    I, personally, have never heard a native reduce the vowels e, a, and u (from "sea un") all the way down to just an e ("sem"). So, I can't explain why that phrase would have sounded that way to you. The fact that Spanish has no glottal stop means that Spanish pronunciation rules apply across word boundaries. So adjacent vowels form diphthongs and hiatuses reduce to diphthongs, similar vowels merge, etc. But none of this is random. It's simply Spanish pronunciation rules applying across word boundaries.

  • @thecaf8985

    @thecaf8985

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@tenminutespanish do you have any videos of elision/enlace on your channel so that i can get a better understanding of it? i think this is the concept that has been confusing me. I have been getting confused because i often hear 2 strong vowels get turned into a single diphthong in speech while your video about diphthongs would lead me to believe otherwise. Can you help clear up my confusion?

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@thecaf8985 Two strong vowels side-by-side often reduce to diphthongs in Spanish. This is true both in the middle of words and at word boundaries (when one word ends with a strong vowel and the next word starts with a strong vowel). I made a video on hiatuses for newbies, and since it was for newbies, I didn't delve into the topic of reducing hiatuses to diphthongs. I have briefly mentioned in some of my videos that hiatuses often reduce to diphthongs, but I haven't gone into it in any video. There is no hard and fast rule for reducing two strong vowels to a diphthong, because it is done with differing frequency and to different degrees in different dialects. It is also done differently by people of different socioeconomic and educational level. It is also done differently by the same speaker depending on how quickly he is speaking. In general terms, when vowels come together at word boundaries: 1. Similar vowels merge. So a phrase like, "Va a hacer," would be pronounced [ba:aser], where a:a is a slightly elongated [a] sound. This is universal. All native dialects everywhere do this. Native English speakers would pronounce this [ba ʔa ʔaser], with a couple of glottal stops. It is incorrect to break up similar vowels with glottal stops in Spanish. 2. A strong vowel and a weak vowel form a diphthong. So "la idea" would be pronounced [lai.ðe.a]. Three syllables. Native English speakers would pronounce this as [la ʔi.ðe.a] with 4 syllables and with a glottal stop between the words. 3. Two strong vowels form a hiatus, which is two syllables. But hiatuses variably reduce to diphthongs. This is too complicated to explain here. There are lengthy studies on this topic that don't completely cover it. As I said, it's done differently depending on the phonetic context of the phrase, by different dialects, by different sociolects, and by the same speaker depending on how fast he's talking. I'm considering making a video on this topic, but I haven't made one yet.

  • @thecaf8985

    @thecaf8985

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@tenminutespanish ok thank you very much for this explication, the third piece of info that you gave cleared up my curiousity and now I understand why I hear so many of the things that a hear from native speakers. If you do decide to make a video about it, I would deeply appreciate it and you will be helping me bring my spanish pronunciation to a whole other level. Your videos are of the highest quality and if it were not for you I dont think I would be continuing my journey of learning spanish, Thank you again for keeping me in touch with this beautiful language and keep up the amazing work you are doing.

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@thecaf8985 I'm very happy you've found this discussion helpful. I think I'll make my next video on this subject, probably in a couple of weeks.

  • @tomn5188
    @tomn51883 жыл бұрын

    Aunque usted puede haber cubierto esto antes, formar el último r de un infinitivo me da problemas. Me parece muy difícil. ¿Debe ser suave o definitivamente pronunciado? Quizás mi pregunta es cómo pronunciar una sola r después de una vocal. Sus vídeos me han hecho mucho más consciente de lo que está haciendo mi boca cuando hablo. A veces demasiado consciente. Gracias por su excelente trabajo.

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for your kind words. I'm very happy you've found my videos useful. Word-final r is normally a simple flap. But it may be pronounced as a trill when speaking emphatically. Also, it may be trilled when speaking in an oratorical style.

  • @cimMIC_
    @cimMIC_6 ай бұрын

    I'm so relieved that you choose the black board background but your browser seems to be light themed? 😂

  • @joavim
    @joavim2 ай бұрын

    In Canarian Spanish, ch is often indeed pronounced as /dʒ/. "Mudʒadʒos".

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    2 ай бұрын

    Interesting. I had no idea.

  • @laurenc5306
    @laurenc53063 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for these videos! Pronunciation is very important to me, so I'm glad to have found your videos! I'm personally having a lot of trouble with the "-dad" in words like "ciudad" (I say it like "thyudad" since I'm studying Castilian Spanish, which I find so uncomfortable to say because it just doesn't sound *right* to me, even though I know I'm supposed to soften the "d" sounds) and the "r" sound at the end of words like "comer" (as well as the trilled r in ... anything). As someone who has the unfortunate combination of being both a perfectionist and very impatient, those two in particular make speaking very frustrating for me

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    I'm so happy that you're finding my videos useful.

  • @antoniofraguadols4195

    @antoniofraguadols4195

    3 жыл бұрын

    Try saying ziudaz (/z/ like in /zapato/ , /cerilla/, or /th/ in /think/). Here in Madrid almost everyone pronounces it that way (as well as in Madrid, we pronounce /Madriz/). Final /d/ usually is pronounced like /z/

  • @antoniofraguadols4195

    @antoniofraguadols4195

    3 жыл бұрын

    Your /z/ is different from ours, so maybe is more useful writting It like this: /thiudath/

  • @TheMaru666

    @TheMaru666

    2 жыл бұрын

    A lot of Spaniards just say " ciudá" , when there is not a vowel following . In Madrid they may say " ciudaz " , and in Barcelona " ciudat " . I tend to say " ciudad " when talking fomally and carwfully and " ciudá" when more relaxed .

  • @fredrikedin1977
    @fredrikedin19773 жыл бұрын

    Hi! Thanks for the amazing content! I have a question regarding the difference between the English b, d, g and Spanish b, d, g at the beginning of an utterance. Is the latter softer? I.e. is the latter a voiced stop and the former a voiced plosive or are both voiced stops? Is the difference between English p and b only voicedness or also aspiration?

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    Spanish occlusive b,d,g are softer than English b,d,g but not by much. I couldn't tell you about the exact difference between English p and b. English isn't my specialty. But it seems that it is both voicedness and plosivity.

  • @fredrikedin8880

    @fredrikedin8880

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@tenminutespanish Thank you very much for a fast answer!

  • @rebicore
    @rebicore3 жыл бұрын

    Can you talk about different ways of pronouncing /ch/ in spanish Because I hear spanish speakears say it differently from a country to another Like aLOT of spaniards pronounce it like /ts/ I have relatives who are native spanish speakers and they pronounce it like a regular /sh/

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    The three pronunciations I mention in this video are the only ones I'm aware of. Sorry

  • @howdy-do5004
    @howdy-do50043 жыл бұрын

    Vaya! Puedes enséñame español para hablar como un nativo ?;))

  • @tompeled6193
    @tompeled61933 жыл бұрын

    Hola yigos.

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    Perfect! LOL

  • @shanenanigans27
    @shanenanigans27 Жыл бұрын

    I am having such problems trying to understand the different between /b/ and /β/ it sounds exactly the same to me.

  • @psonbell
    @psonbell Жыл бұрын

    For the ''ch'' sound in Spanish do you start with your tongue on the back of your front teeth (like for the ''t'' sound)? Or is ''ch'' pronounced in the same place as in English?

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    Жыл бұрын

    Standard Spanish ch is articulated exactly the same as English ch, but it is softer and less plosive. There are also regional variations of Spanish ch that are articulated differently.

  • @Herbyourenthusiasm
    @Herbyourenthusiasm3 жыл бұрын

    You're a gem

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @someonerandom704
    @someonerandom7043 жыл бұрын

    ezdoy a vogalizar dodo gue digo, graziaz bor du ayuda

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    Vandázdigo!

  • @Nn.65juk
    @Nn.65juk2 жыл бұрын

    I am native of spanish and arabic. And english is way. Wayyyy more easier than my languages.

  • @dgoins6
    @dgoins6 Жыл бұрын

    The United States is the second largest Spanish speaking nation in the world. The blend of English and Spanish is very obvious. Native speakers pronounce the English V. The double L is a Y. Speaking Spanish in the US is different than in Mexico.

  • @DennisKettinger
    @DennisKettingerАй бұрын

    Interesting. A second language, meaning bilingual, must be started very young. Pre adolescent. Not to worry. An accent wouldn't stop you from being understood. And that's the goal. As long as you are understood, you accomplished your goal. Most people speak with an accent who are not native speakers. No problem. Once said ..oh your accent is so sexy..

  • @adrianamarialadinoyague8106
    @adrianamarialadinoyague81062 ай бұрын

    Alguien para practicar inglés-español y viceversa?

  • @joshadams8761
    @joshadams87613 жыл бұрын

    Your English accent is very General American. I’m curious where you grew up.

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    Would you believe Bangalore?

  • @joshadams8761

    @joshadams8761

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@tenminutespanish Absolutely. That would explain the absence of regional features. In addition to being a language nerd, I am a climate nerd and am aware that Bangalore has a delightful climate.

  • @saisaipech
    @saisaipech3 жыл бұрын

    Do spanish speakers round their lips when they pronounce "ch"? English speakers round their lips when they pronounce "ch", "j", "sh", and "zh".

  • @tenminutespanish

    @tenminutespanish

    3 жыл бұрын

    I haven't really thought about it, but I don't think they do. I'll have to pay attention to that in the future.

  • @antoniofraguadols4195

    @antoniofraguadols4195

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hi! We don't round our lips

  • @TheMaru666

    @TheMaru666

    2 жыл бұрын

    Only before an rounded vowel , o or u .

  • @GyacoYu
    @GyacoYu2 жыл бұрын

    For us Mandarin speaker, voiceless plosives without puff of the air have no difference from voiced ones, except that voices ones tend to have a lower tone (and yes that's how we got eight Modern Chinese tones from four Middle Chinese tones by losing the distinction of voicing). Thus for us the only way not to mix the pairs is exclusively pronounce voiced ones as approximates regardless of position. I wonder if Spanish speakers can understand that if I speak that way. Also for Mandarin speaker, lleismo with moderate erre sibilant is easier to acquire. I wonder if that accent could be understood by speakers outside Latin America.