Introduction:
In a globalized world, where mobility is facilitated, learning a foreign language is quite easy and convenient for people of all ages. It is a wonderful benefit that everyone can leverage. Knowing more than one language not only helps while traveling, communicating with native speakers, it is also a great benefit for career prospects in foreign countries and for studying in general. Spanish is one of the widely spoken languages in the world that is being taught in almost every country. More and more people are learning the Spanish language for a variety of reasons.
Things to know
Spanish is considered one of the easiest languages for a native English speaker to learn. The grammar and pronunciation are different from English but simpler and more consistent. Because English acquired almost 30 percent of its vocabulary from Latin, you’ll immediately recognize and understand many Spanish words that share the same roots. You can communicate a lot with simple grammar, so even before you’ve reached a high level of comprehension you will be able to communicate and express yourself. Nothing motivates you to keep going quite like the little victories that come through speaking and being understood. In this article, we’ll dive deep into the ways to improve one’s Spanish accent:
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Make Your Spanish Pronunciation Musical
Intonation in Spanish is particularly difficult for English speakers. Words are stressed in a different rhythm than in English. There are some guidelines you can follow for correctly stressing the words:
- Words that end with vowels are stressed on the syllable before the last.
- Words that end with an n or an s are also to be stressed on the syllable before the last.
- Words that end with a consonant that is not an n or an s, stress the last syllable.
- Exceptions to the rules above are marked with an accent over the vowel to be stressed
Soften Your T’s and D’s
The hard “t” and “d” sounds of English grate on the Spanish ear. To speak con un acento nativo, soften your “t” and “d” sounds. Your “t” and “d” sounds need to come from your tongue just behind your front teeth, a little farther forward. To your ear, it might sound a little like the “th” sound without the lip movement. Make your “sound” like a Spaniard!
- Learn the correct vowels sounds – The best way to reinforce this skill is, of course, to actively listen to native speakers and copy what they do. If you are lucky enough to be learning Spanish by immersion, this won’t be a problem. If you can’t find a native speaker to converse with via exchange—or if you don’t feel that your Spanish is quite up to the task—hire yourself a Spanish tutor.
- Perfect Your R Fuerte – To learn the proper tongue placement, try saying the word “butter” over and over again very quickly. The spot that your tongue hits on the “tt” in “butter” is the spot where it should be when you roll your r’s. To strengthen the tongue muscles required to make this sound, say “tee-dee-va” quickly over and over whenever you can—while you’re driving, washing the dishes, during commercials, etc.
- Learn to Link Your Words – Learning this technique will not only improve your Spanish accent. At the same time, it’ll train your listening skills. As you practice blending and linking your own words, you’ll find yourself better equipped to understand what other speakers are saying when they do the same.
When learning Spanish, pronunciation is a whole other area that English native speakers need to pay particular attention to. One of the best ways to improve your accent is by listening to podcasts. Start implementing these five quick fixes today, and soon you’ll be the one mistaken for a native Spanish speaker!
