🔊 English Pronunciation
In this section you will learn some of the most important sounds and pronunciation patterns in English. Listen to each example, then try saying it aloud yourself. Each English word or phrase includes translations in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.
🟢 English Vowel Sounds
🔤 Short A
A short vowel sound heard in words like cat, hat, and map.
Example: Cat
🇪🇸 Spanish: Gato
🇫🇷 French: Chat
🇩🇪 German: Katze
🇮🇹 Italian: Gatto
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Gato
A short vowel sound heard in words like cat, hat, and map.
Example: Cat
🇪🇸 Spanish: Gato
🇫🇷 French: Chat
🇩🇪 German: Katze
🇮🇹 Italian: Gatto
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Gato
🔤 Long A
A long vowel sound heard in words like cake, rain, and day.
Example: Cake
🇪🇸 Spanish: Pastel
🇫🇷 French: Gâteau
🇩🇪 German: Kuchen
🇮🇹 Italian: Torta
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Bolo
A long vowel sound heard in words like cake, rain, and day.
Example: Cake
🇪🇸 Spanish: Pastel
🇫🇷 French: Gâteau
🇩🇪 German: Kuchen
🇮🇹 Italian: Torta
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Bolo
🔤 Short E
A short vowel sound heard in words like bed, pen, and ten.
Example: Bed
🇪🇸 Spanish: Cama
🇫🇷 French: Lit
🇩🇪 German: Bett
🇮🇹 Italian: Letto
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cama
A short vowel sound heard in words like bed, pen, and ten.
Example: Bed
🇪🇸 Spanish: Cama
🇫🇷 French: Lit
🇩🇪 German: Bett
🇮🇹 Italian: Letto
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cama
🔤 Long E
A long vowel sound heard in words like see, tree, and green.
Example: See
🇪🇸 Spanish: Ver
🇫🇷 French: Voir
🇩🇪 German: Sehen
🇮🇹 Italian: Vedere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ver
A long vowel sound heard in words like see, tree, and green.
Example: See
🇪🇸 Spanish: Ver
🇫🇷 French: Voir
🇩🇪 German: Sehen
🇮🇹 Italian: Vedere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ver
🔤 Short I
A short vowel sound heard in words like sit, fish, and milk.
Example: Sit
🇪🇸 Spanish: Sentarse
🇫🇷 French: S’asseoir
🇩🇪 German: Sitzen
🇮🇹 Italian: Sedersi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Sentar
A short vowel sound heard in words like sit, fish, and milk.
Example: Sit
🇪🇸 Spanish: Sentarse
🇫🇷 French: S’asseoir
🇩🇪 German: Sitzen
🇮🇹 Italian: Sedersi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Sentar
🔤 Long I
A long vowel sound heard in words like time, five, and bike.
Example: Time
🇪🇸 Spanish: Tiempo
🇫🇷 French: Temps
🇩🇪 German: Zeit
🇮🇹 Italian: Tempo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tempo
A long vowel sound heard in words like time, five, and bike.
Example: Time
🇪🇸 Spanish: Tiempo
🇫🇷 French: Temps
🇩🇪 German: Zeit
🇮🇹 Italian: Tempo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tempo
🟡 Important Consonant Sounds
👅 TH (voiceless)
Put your tongue gently between your teeth and blow air without using your voice.
Example: Think
🇪🇸 Spanish: Pensar
🇫🇷 French: Penser
🇩🇪 German: Denken
🇮🇹 Italian: Pensare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pensar
Put your tongue gently between your teeth and blow air without using your voice.
Example: Think
🇪🇸 Spanish: Pensar
🇫🇷 French: Penser
🇩🇪 German: Denken
🇮🇹 Italian: Pensare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pensar
👅 TH (voiced)
Use the same tongue position, but add your voice.
Example: This
🇪🇸 Spanish: Este / Esta
🇫🇷 French: Ceci / Celui-ci
🇩🇪 German: Dies
🇮🇹 Italian: Questo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Este / Esta
Use the same tongue position, but add your voice.
Example: This
🇪🇸 Spanish: Este / Esta
🇫🇷 French: Ceci / Celui-ci
🇩🇪 German: Dies
🇮🇹 Italian: Questo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Este / Esta
🗣️ R
In many American accents, the tongue curls back slightly without touching the roof of the mouth.
Example: Red
🇪🇸 Spanish: Rojo
🇫🇷 French: Rouge
🇩🇪 German: Rot
🇮🇹 Italian: Rosso
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vermelho
In many American accents, the tongue curls back slightly without touching the roof of the mouth.
Example: Red
🇪🇸 Spanish: Rojo
🇫🇷 French: Rouge
🇩🇪 German: Rot
🇮🇹 Italian: Rosso
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vermelho
💧 L
The tip of the tongue touches the ridge just behind the upper teeth.
Example: Light
🇪🇸 Spanish: Luz
🇫🇷 French: Lumière
🇩🇪 German: Licht
🇮🇹 Italian: Luce
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Luz
The tip of the tongue touches the ridge just behind the upper teeth.
Example: Light
🇪🇸 Spanish: Luz
🇫🇷 French: Lumière
🇩🇪 German: Licht
🇮🇹 Italian: Luce
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Luz
💨 H
Start the word with a gentle breath of air.
Example: Hello
🇪🇸 Spanish: Hola
🇫🇷 French: Bonjour
🇩🇪 German: Hallo
🇮🇹 Italian: Ciao
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Olá
Start the word with a gentle breath of air.
Example: Hello
🇪🇸 Spanish: Hola
🇫🇷 French: Bonjour
🇩🇪 German: Hallo
🇮🇹 Italian: Ciao
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Olá
🐝 V
Lightly touch your upper teeth to your lower lip while using your voice.
Example: Very
🇪🇸 Spanish: Muy
🇫🇷 French: Très
🇩🇪 German: Sehr
🇮🇹 Italian: Molto
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Muito
Lightly touch your upper teeth to your lower lip while using your voice.
Example: Very
🇪🇸 Spanish: Muy
🇫🇷 French: Très
🇩🇪 German: Sehr
🇮🇹 Italian: Molto
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Muito
👂 Listen to the Difference: Minimal Pairs
🚢 Ship
🐑 Sheep
🐑 Sheep
🪑 Sit
💺 Seat
💺 Seat
👅 Think
💧 Sink
💧 Sink
🪭 Fan
🚐 Van
🚐 Van
🍓 Berry
✅ Very
✅ Very
🏠 Live
🚪 Leave
🚪 Leave
🔴 Word Stress & Intonation
🎵 Two-syllable nouns
Many common two-syllable nouns are stressed on the first syllable.
Example: TAble
Example: TEAcher
Many common two-syllable nouns are stressed on the first syllable.
Example: TAble
Example: TEAcher
🎵 Two-syllable verbs
Many common two-syllable verbs are stressed on the second syllable.
Example: reLAX
Example: deCIDE
Many common two-syllable verbs are stressed on the second syllable.
Example: reLAX
Example: deCIDE
⚡ Important content words
In sentences, we stress the important words (nouns, verbs, adjectives) and reduce the smaller grammar words.
Example: I NEED some WAter.
In sentences, we stress the important words (nouns, verbs, adjectives) and reduce the smaller grammar words.
Example: I NEED some WAter.
🌍 Regional Pronunciation
English is spoken in many countries, so pronunciation naturally varies from place to place. For example, the letter R is usually pronounced more clearly in American English than in many British accents. Words like dance and bath may also sound different depending on the region.
These differences are a normal part of English. Focus on speaking clearly and consistently rather than trying to copy one particular accent. Clear pronunciation is more important than having a perfect regional accent.
These differences are a normal part of English. Focus on speaking clearly and consistently rather than trying to copy one particular accent. Clear pronunciation is more important than having a perfect regional accent.
💬 Pronunciation Challenge
🟢 Easy
🍎 Apple
💧 Water
🌞 Happy
🟡 Medium
👅 Thursday
🌍 World
📚 Important
🔴 Challenge
👅 Three thin things
🏡 Rural
☕ Would you like a cup of coffee?
💡 Helpful Tip
Practice a little every day instead of trying to master every sound at once. English spelling does not always match pronunciation, so listening carefully and repeating aloud is one of the best ways to improve.
You can also record yourself, compare your pronunciation with the audio, and repeat the words that are most difficult for you. Remember, speaking clearly is more important than sounding exactly like a native speaker.
You can also record yourself, compare your pronunciation with the audio, and repeat the words that are most difficult for you. Remember, speaking clearly is more important than sounding exactly like a native speaker.
🏆 Final Practice
Try saying each word or pair aloud before pressing play.
- Think / This
- Ship / Sheep
- Sit / Seat
- Fan / Van
- Berry / Very
- Live / Leave
- World
- Rural
- Three thin things