Globos glotones, grandes.
GLO-bos glo-TO-nes, GRAN-des
Big, gluttonous balloons.
🔊 Listen & Practice
Start with slow speed to master pronunciation, then gradually increase to challenge yourself.
🎨 Visualization
Big, greedy balloons! Can you say it without getting your tongue in a knot?
🎯 Pronunciation Focus
The 'gl' Consonant Cluster
/gl/This sound combines a hard 'g' (like in 'go') with an 'l'. Start with the back of your tongue raised for the 'g', then immediately flatten and raise the tip for the 'l'. It should be one smooth, quick motion.
The 'gr' Consonant Cluster
/gɾ/This sound combines the hard 'g' with the Spanish tapped 'r'. Make the 'g' sound at the back of your throat, and as you release it, immediately tap the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth just behind your teeth.
📝 Practice Breakdown
Focus on the 'glo' sound in both words. Make a hard 'g' (like in 'go') and immediately flow into the 'l'. Your tongue moves quickly from the back of your mouth to the front.
Now for the 'gra' sound. Combine that same hard 'g' with a quick tap of the 'r'. Think of how you say 'grand' in English, but replace the 'r' with a light tap of the tongue.
Key Words in This Tongue Twister:
📚 Background
This is a fantastic short tongue twister for beginners, designed specifically to train the mouth for two common and important consonant clusters: 'gl' and 'gr'. It's a perfect warm-up exercise for any pronunciation practice session.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Adding an Extra Vowel
Mistake: "Saying 'guh-lobos' or 'guh-randes' instead of a smooth 'globos' or 'grandes'."
Correction: The 'g' and the next consonant should be one quick, smooth sound. Don't add an 'uh' sound in between. Practice saying just 'gl' and 'gr' by themselves. Think of the English words 'glee' and 'great'—the motion is very similar.
Using the English 'r'
Mistake: "Pronouncing 'grandes' with the 'r' from the back of the throat, like in the English word 'grand'."
Correction: The Spanish 'r' here is a quick tap of the tongue against the roof of your mouth, just behind your teeth. It’s a much lighter and faster sound than the English 'r'.
🌎 Where It's Used
General Spanish
This is a common practice phrase used in Spanish classes everywhere, rather than a traditional folk tongue twister from a specific country.
🔗 Related Tongue Twisters
The Greedy Balloon Challenge
This one is short and sweet. Try to say it five times in a row, as fast as you can. Can you do it in under 7 seconds without mixing up 'gl' and 'gr'?
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are 'gl' and 'gr' sounds difficult?
They're called 'consonant clusters', and they require your tongue to do two different things in very quick succession. English has them too (like in 'glow' and 'grow'), but practicing them in Spanish helps build the muscle memory for clear, crisp pronunciation.
Is the 'g' sound in 'globos' always hard?
Yes! In Spanish, the letter 'g' makes a hard sound (like in 'go') when it's followed by 'a', 'o', 'u', or a consonant like 'l' or 'r'. It only makes a soft, throaty sound (like the Spanish 'j') when it's followed by 'e' or 'i'.