Cruza el cristal sin crispar.
CRU-sa el cris-TAL sin cris-PAR
Cross the crystal without tensing up.
🔊 Listen & Practice
Start with slow speed to master pronunciation, then gradually increase to challenge yourself.
🎨 Visualization
Can you cross the crystal without tensing up your tongue? That's the challenge!
🎯 Pronunciation Focus
The 'cr' Consonant Cluster
/kɾ/This sound combines a hard 'k' sound (like in 'cat') with a quick tap of the 'r'. Your tongue should tap the roof of your mouth just once, immediately after making the 'k' sound in the back of your throat.
The Crisp Spanish 's'
/s/Focus on making a sharp, clear 's' sound, like the hiss of a snake. Unlike in English, it should not be a soft 'z' sound. The challenge here is keeping it crisp right before the 'cr' in 'crispar'.
The Soft 'r' (Vibrante Simple)
/ɾ/The 'r' in 'cruza', 'cristal', and 'crispar' is a single, light tap of the tongue against the roof of the mouth. Think of it as a very fast 'd' sound.
📝 Practice Breakdown
Start here. Focus on making a clean 'cr' sound in both 'cruza' and 'cristal'. The 'r' is a quick tap, not a roll. Try to link the words 'el' and 'cristal' smoothly.
This is the hardest part. Make sure the 's' in 'sin' is very clear and separate from the 'cr' that follows. Don't let them blend. End with a strong 'par' sound, tapping the final 'r'.
Key Words in This Tongue Twister:
📚 Background
This short but powerful 'trabalenguas' is a classic drill used in speech therapy and by actors in the Spanish-speaking world. It's designed specifically to train the mouth to handle the difficult transition from an 's' sound directly into a 'cr' cluster, which requires precise tongue control.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the English 'r'
Mistake: "Pronouncing the 'r' in 'cruza' or 'cristal' like the English 'r' in 'crystal'. The English 'r' is made in the back of the mouth without the tongue tapping anything."
Correction: For the Spanish 'cr', your tongue needs to make physical contact. After you make the 'k' sound, quickly tap the tip of your tongue against the ridge behind your top teeth. It's a very fast, light touch.
Blending 's' and 'c'
Mistake: "Letting the 's' in 'sin' and the 'c' in 'crispar' mush together, sounding like 'sincrispar' instead of two distinct sounds."
Correction: Pause for a millisecond after the 's' sound. Say 'sin...'. Then, start 'crispar' fresh. Practice saying 'sin... crrrrispar' slowly to feel the separation, then speed it up.
🌎 Where It's Used
General Spanish
This tongue twister is a universal pronunciation exercise used across the entire Spanish-speaking world. The sounds it targets are fundamental to clear Spanish articulation everywhere.
🔗 Related Tongue Twisters
The Crystal Clear Challenge
Say it five times in a row, getting a little faster each time. The goal is to keep the 's' and 'cr' sounds perfectly sharp and distinct, without stumbling or tensing your jaw!
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 'cr' sound so tricky for English speakers?
It combines two actions that we don't typically put together in English. You make a 'k' sound at the back of your throat while simultaneously preparing your tongue at the front of your mouth for a quick tap. It requires coordination that feels unnatural at first, but practice builds that muscle memory.
What does 'crispar' mean here?
Literally, 'crispar' means to tense up, twitch, or go into a spasm. In the context of this tongue twister, it's a clever play on words. You are being told not to 'tense up' while saying a phrase that is physically difficult and might make your tongue 'tense up'!