El obispo obispó.
el-o-BIS-po o-bis-PÓ
The bishop performed his bishoply duties.
🔊 Listen & Practice
Start with slow speed to master pronunciation, then gradually increase to challenge yourself.
🎨 Visualization
El obispo obispó - a bishop doing his bishop-y things!
🎯 Pronunciation Focus
The Soft Spanish 'b' Sound
/b/This sound is different from the English 'b'. Instead of a sharp 'pop', bring your lips together very gently, almost letting air pass through. It's the same sound for both 'b' and 'v' in Spanish.
Vowel Linking (Sinalefa)
Notice how 'El obispo' flows together to sound like 'e-lo-bis-po'. This linking of the final vowel of one word to the initial vowel of the next is key to sounding natural in Spanish.
Word Stress
Focus on the difference in stress between 'o-BIS-po' (stress on the second syllable) and 'o-bis-PÓ' (stress on the final syllable, marked by the accent).
📝 Practice Breakdown
Start here. Focus on linking 'El' and 'obispo' so they sound like one smooth word: 'e-lo-bis-po'. Make the 'b' sound soft, with your lips barely touching.
Now for the verb! Notice how the accent mark shifts the stress to the end: 'o-bis-PÓ'. Keep that 'b' sound just as soft and consistent as in the first word.
Key Words in This Tongue Twister:
📚 Background
This is a very short and classic Spanish 'trabalenguas' that plays on the word 'obispo' (bishop) by cleverly turning it into a verb, 'obispó'. It's a fun, simple exercise for mastering the soft Spanish 'b' sound and understanding how word stress can change a word's function.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using a 'Hard' English 'B'
Mistake: "Pronouncing the 'b' in 'obispo' with a sharp, explosive puff of air, like in the English word 'bishop'."
Correction: The Spanish 'b' is much softer. Your lips should come together gently without building up pressure. Think of it as a continuous sound, not a 'pop'. It should feel relaxed.
Ignoring the Accent Mark
Mistake: "Pronouncing both words with the same stress pattern, like 'o-BIS-po, o-BIS-po'."
Correction: The accent mark is your guide! In 'obispo', the stress is on the second syllable ('BIS'). In 'obispó', the accent tells you to put all the emphasis on the final syllable ('PÓ'). This small change is what turns the noun into a verb.
🌎 Where It's Used
General Spanish
This is a simple and universally known tongue twister used across the entire Spanish-speaking world, often as one of the first pronunciation exercises for children.
🔗 Related Tongue Twisters
The Bishop's Repetition Challenge
Say 'El obispo obispó' five times in a row. Can you keep the 'b' sound soft and the stress correct every single time? Try to get a little faster with each repetition!
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'obispó' a real Spanish word?
Not in everyday use! It's a playful verb created from the noun 'obispo' (bishop) just for this tongue twister. The infinitive would be 'obispar'. While it's not a word you'll use in conversation, every Spanish speaker understands the joke: 'the bishop did his bishop duties'.
Why do Spanish 'b' and 'v' sound the same?
That's just how the language evolved! Unlike English, Spanish doesn't distinguish between the sounds of 'b' and 'v'. They both make the same soft sound. Mastering this will instantly make your Spanish accent sound more authentic.