R con R, cigarro.
ERRE con ERRE, ci-GA-rro
R with R, cigar.
🔊 Listen & Practice
Start with slow speed to master pronunciation, then gradually increase to challenge yourself.
🎨 Visualization
R con R, cigarro. This classic drill is all about that buzzing 'rr' sound!
🎯 Pronunciation Focus
The Rolled 'rr' (vibrante múltiple)
/r/This is the main event! It's the strong, vibrating 'rr' sound. To make it, place the tip of your tongue lightly on the ridge just behind your top front teeth and blow air over it, causing it to vibrate or 'trill'. Think of a purring cat or a revving motor.
The Tap 'r' (vibrante simple)
/ɾ/Found in the middle of 'cigarro'. This is a much softer, single tap of the tongue in the same spot. It's very similar to the 'dd' sound in the American English word 'ladder'.
📝 Practice Breakdown
Focus entirely on the rolled 'rr' sound. Before saying the phrase, just practice the sound itself. Relax your tongue, put the tip in place, and blow. It's about airflow, not force!
Listen for the two different 'r's here. The first is a quick tap ('ga-rro'), and the second is the strong roll ('ga-rro'). Practice switching between them: tap, roll, tap, roll.
Key Words in This Tongue Twister:
📚 Background
This isn't really a 'tongue twister' in the traditional sense, but a foundational pronunciation drill known by every Spanish speaker. It's the first step in mastering the infamous rolled 'rr'. It's often the beginning of a longer twister: 'R con R cigarro, R con R barril...'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the English 'r'
Mistake: "Making the 'r' sound from the back of your throat, like in the English word 'car' or 'red'."
Correction: The Spanish 'rr' is made entirely at the front of your mouth. The sound comes from your tongue tip vibrating against the roof of your mouth, right behind your teeth. Your throat shouldn't be involved at all.
Trying Too Hard
Mistake: "Tensing up your tongue and jaw, trying to force the vibration. This usually just produces a 'grinding' or 'drrr' sound."
Correction: Relax! The key to the 'rr' roll is a relaxed tongue and a steady stream of air. If you're tense, your tongue can't vibrate freely. Take a deep breath, let your jaw hang loosely, and gently blow air over your tongue tip.
🌎 Where It's Used
General Spanish
This is a universal pronunciation drill used by learners and native-speaking children across the entire Spanish-speaking world to practice the 'rr' sound.
🔗 Related Tongue Twisters
The 'RR' Roll Challenge
Can you say it five times in a row? Don't worry about speed. The goal is to get a clean, consistent, vibrating 'rr' roll every single time. Try to hold the final 'rr' in 'cigarro' for two full seconds!
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the rolled 'rr' so hard for English speakers?
Because it's a completely new motor skill for your mouth! The sound doesn't exist in most English dialects, so you're training your tongue to do something it's never done before. It's like learning to whistle or snap your fingers—it takes practice, not force.
Is it okay if I can only make the tap 'r' sound for now?
Absolutely! People will still understand you perfectly. The tap 'r' is much more common than the rolled 'rr'. Keep practicing the roll gently and consistently, and it will come with time. Don't let it stop you from speaking!