Susi suma sin saber sumar.
SU-si SU-ma sin sa-BER su-MAR
Susi adds without knowing how to add.
🔊 Listen & Practice
Start with slow speed to master pronunciation, then gradually increase to challenge yourself.
🎨 Visualization
Susi is struggling with her sums, but you can master these 's' sounds!
🎯 Pronunciation Focus
The Crisp 's' Sound
/s/This tongue twister is all about making a clean, sharp 's' sound. In Spanish, this sound is very consistent, like the 's' in the English word 'hiss'. The key is to avoid making it sound like a 'z' sound, even when it's between vowels.
Pure Vowel Sounds ('u' and 'a')
/u/, /a/Spanish vowels are quick and pure. Focus on a clear 'u' (like the 'oo' in 'moon', but shorter) and a wide-open 'a' (like the 'a' in 'father'). Don't let them get lazy or slide into other sounds.
📝 Practice Breakdown
Start here. Focus on making both 's' sounds identical—sharp and clean. Think of the sound a snake makes: sssss.
Now add the next two words. The challenge is to keep the 's' sound crisp at the beginning of each word without pausing.
Finish the phrase. By now, you've said the 's' sound five times. The goal is for all five to sound exactly the same.
Key Words in This Tongue Twister:
📚 Background
This is a fantastic first tongue twister ('trabalenguas') for anyone starting with Spanish. Its simplicity and repetition make it a perfect exercise for training your mouth to produce a consistent and clear Spanish 's' sound.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using a 'Z' Sound
Mistake: "In English, we often pronounce 's' like a 'z' when it's between vowels (like in 'rose' or 'easy'). Many learners do this with 'Susi', making it sound like 'Suzie'."
Correction: In Spanish, the 's' is always an 's' (a voiceless hiss). Place your hand on your throat and say the English word 'buzz'—you'll feel a vibration. Now say 'hiss'—no vibration. The Spanish 's' is always like 'hiss'. Practice saying 'Susi' with no vibration.
Lazy Vowels
Mistake: "Letting the 'u' sound become like the 'uh' in 'but', or the 'a' sound become like the 'a' in 'cat'."
Correction: Keep your vowels short and pure. The 'u' should be a clear 'oo' sound (like in 'boot'). The 'a' is an open 'ah' sound (like in 'hot'). Practice the vowel sequence: oo-ee, oo-ah, ee, ah-eh, oo-ah.
🌎 Where It's Used
General Spanish
This tongue twister is universally known and is a standard tool for teaching pronunciation across the Spanish-speaking world. The crisp 's' sound it teaches is the most common pronunciation in Latin America and is understood everywhere.
🔗 Related Tongue Twisters
The Super Susi Speedrun
How many times can you say 'Susi suma sin saber sumar' perfectly in 10 seconds? Record yourself and listen back to make sure every 's' is a clean hiss!
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is practicing the 's' sound so important in Spanish?
The 's' sound is one of the most common in Spanish. It's crucial for plurals (casa -> casas), verb conjugations (hablas), and countless words. Mastering a clean, consistent 's' will instantly make your Spanish sound clearer and more natural.
Is this a real phrase people use?
No, you wouldn't say this in a normal conversation. It's a 'trabalenguas' (tongue twister), which is a fun game or exercise created specifically to be a workout for your mouth muscles and help you practice difficult sounds.