English Pronunciation Tips for Spanish Speakers

Spanish speakers often have a strong foundation for clear English pronunciation, but English has a few sound patterns that do not map cleanly to Spanish. The fastest improvement usually comes from focusing on a small set of high-impact differences.

Listen for the schwa

The schwa sound is the quiet vowel in many unstressed English syllables. It often sounds like a short "uh." In words like about, support, and today, the weak syllable should be light instead of fully pronounced.

Separate b and v

In English, v uses the teeth and lower lip. Try holding the sound with vibration: vvvv. This helps separate words like very and berry.

Practice th slowly

The th sound does not exist in most Spanish accents. Place the tongue lightly between the teeth and push air through. Start with slow words like think, three, this, and that before using them in full sentences.

Do not skip final consonants

English listeners rely on final consonants. Words like work, world, past, and asked need a clear ending, even when the sound is short.

Watch word stress

English stress can change how natural a word sounds. In PronounceText, look for the stressed syllable, then make that syllable longer, clearer, and slightly stronger.

Small corrections compound quickly. Start with one sound pattern, practice it in short phrases, then move to the next.