Paco Peco, chico rico.
PA-co PE-co, CHI-co RI-co
Paco Peco, a rich boy.
🔊 Listen & Practice
Start with slow speed to master pronunciation, then gradually increase to challenge yourself.
🎨 Visualization
Paco Peco, a rich boy, is here to help you practice your 'c' and 'ch' sounds!
🎯 Pronunciation Focus
The Hard 'c' Sound
/k/The 'c' in 'Paco' and 'Peco' sounds like the 'k' in the English word 'sky'. It's a crisp sound made at the back of your mouth, without the little puff of air you might use in English for a word like 'key'.
The 'ch' Sound
/tʃ/The 'ch' in 'chico' is just like the 'ch' in the English word 'cheese' or 'chocolate'. Press the front of your tongue to the roof of your mouth and release it with a burst of air.
The Soft 'r' (vibrante simple)
/ɾ/The 'r' in 'rico' is a quick tap of the tongue against the roof of your mouth, just behind your teeth. It feels like the 'tt' in the American English pronunciation of 'butter' or 'little'.
📝 Practice Breakdown
Start here. Focus on the crisp 'k' sound for both 'c's. Keep your vowels short and clear: 'PA-co PE-co'. No extra puff of air!
Now switch to the 'ch' sound, like in 'cheese'. Finish with a light, tapped 'r' in 'rico'. Remember, it's just one quick tap of the tongue.
Key Words in This Tongue Twister:
📚 Background
This is a very short and simple 'trabalenguas' often used with children to practice the difference between the hard 'c' (like 'k') and the 'ch' sound. It's a fantastic warm-up for your mouth because it's short, fun, and targets very common sounds.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up 'c' and 'ch'
Mistake: "Pronouncing 'Paco' with a 'ch' sound or 'chico' with a 'k' sound."
Correction: Think of them as two totally different letters. The 'c' before 'o' is a hard 'k' sound (like 'cat'). The 'ch' is always a single sound, like in the English word 'church'. Practice them separately: ca-co-cu, then cha-che-chi-cho-chu.
Using the English 'r'
Mistake: "Pronouncing 'rico' with the hard, back-of-the-throat 'r' from English, making it sound like 'reek-oh'."
Correction: The Spanish 'r' here is a quick, light tap of your tongue tip on the roof of your mouth, just behind your teeth. It's the same sound in the middle of the American English word 'water' or 'butter'.
🌎 Where It's Used
General Spanish
This is a very common and basic tongue twister known throughout the Spanish-speaking world, especially among children learning to speak.
🔗 Related Tongue Twisters
The Paco Peco Pace Challenge
Say it five times in a row, as fast as you can, keeping the 'c' and 'ch' sounds distinct and clear. Can you do it in under 5 seconds?
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the 'c' in 'Paco' sound different from the 'c' in a word like 'cielo'?
Great question! In Spanish, the sound of the letter 'c' changes depending on the vowel that follows it. Before 'a', 'o', or 'u', it makes a hard 'k' sound (like in 'casa', 'cosa'). Before 'e' or 'i', it makes a soft 's' sound in Latin America (like 'cena') or a 'th' sound in most of Spain.
Is 'Peco' a real name?
'Paco' is a very common nickname for Francisco. 'Peco' is not a common name; it's used here simply because it rhymes with 'Paco' and fits the rhythm of the tongue twister, making it catchy and easy to remember.