Bajo el puente, un bajo canta.
BA-jo el PWEN-te, un BA-jo KAN-ta
Under the bridge, a bass sings.
🔊 Listen & Practice
Start with slow speed to master pronunciation, then gradually increase to challenge yourself.
🎨 Visualization
A bass singing under a bridge? This fun wordplay helps you remember the phrase!
🎯 Pronunciation Focus
The Spanish 'J' Sound
/x/This is a throaty, breathy sound made in the back of your throat. It's like the 'h' in 'hat' but with more friction, almost like you're lightly clearing your throat.
The Spanish 'B' Sound
/b/In Spanish, 'b' and 'v' sound identical. At the start of a phrase like in 'Bajo', it's a crisp sound made by pressing your lips together, but it's softer and less explosive than the English 'b'.
Linking Vowels (Sinalefa)
N/ATo sound natural, you should blend words that end and start with vowels. Notice how 'Bajo el' flows together to sound like one smooth word: 'ba-joel'.
📝 Practice Breakdown
Start by blending 'Bajo el' into one fluid sound ('ba-joel'). Make sure the 'j' sound comes from the back of your throat, not the front of your mouth.
Now for the second half. The 'b' in 'bajo' here is the same as the first. Focus on a clear, crisp 'canta' to finish the phrase with a steady rhythm.
Key Words in This Tongue Twister:
📚 Background
This is a short and clever 'trabalenguas' that plays on the double meaning of 'bajo'. The first 'bajo' means 'under', while the second 'bajo' means 'bass' (like a bass fish, a bass guitar, or a singer with a low voice). The wordplay makes it fun and memorable!
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the English 'J' sound
Mistake: "Pronouncing 'bajo' with a 'juh' sound, like in the English word 'jungle' or 'judge'."
Correction: The Spanish 'j' is never that sound. Instead, make it a breathy 'h' sound from the back of your throat. Imagine you are trying to fog up a pair of glasses with your breath – that's the motion!
Not Linking 'Bajo el'
Mistake: "Pausing between 'Bajo' and 'el', saying them as two very separate words."
Correction: One of the keys to Spanish fluency is linking vowels between words. Practice saying 'ba-joel' as one continuous phrase. This will instantly make your Spanish sound more natural and smooth.
🌎 Where It's Used
General Spanish
This is a classic, simple tongue twister known throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Its simplicity makes it a perfect starting point for learners.
🔗 Related Tongue Twisters
The Bridge Singer Challenge
The goal here is clarity, not just speed. Can you say it five times in a row, keeping the 'j' sound consistent and the rhythm smooth? Record yourself and listen back!
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
So what is singing under the bridge? A fish or an instrument?
That's the joke! It's intentionally ambiguous. The wordplay is the whole point of this tongue twister. It could be a bass fish, a bass guitar, or a person with a bass voice. The image in your mind is part of the fun.
Why is it important to link my words together in Spanish?
Linking words (sinalefa) is a fundamental part of Spanish rhythm and flow. Unlike English, where we often stop between words, Spanish speakers naturally blend vowels together. Practicing this makes you easier to understand and helps you sound much more fluent.