Un ratón reptó risueño.
un ra-TÓN rep-TÓ ri-SUE-ño
A smiling mouse crept.
🔊 Listen & Practice
Start with slow speed to master pronunciation, then gradually increase to challenge yourself.
🎨 Visualization
Un ratón reptó risueño. The challenge is switching between the two 'r' sounds!
🎯 Pronunciation Focus
The Rolled 'rr' (vibrante múltiple)
/r/This is the famous trilled 'r' sound. To make it, place the tip of your tongue on the ridge behind your top teeth (like for 't' or 'd') and blow air out, letting your tongue flap or vibrate rapidly. It's the sound you hear at the start of 'ratón' and 'risueño'.
The Tapped 'r' (vibrante simple)
/ɾ/This is a single, quick tap of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, just behind your teeth. It's like the 'dd' sound in the American English word 'ladder'. You'll use this sound for the 'r' in 'reptó'.
📝 Practice Breakdown
Start with the rolled 'r'. Remember, an 'r' at the beginning of a word is always rolled. Make your tongue vibrate with a strong puff of air.
Now, switch to the tapped 'r'. It's just one quick tap of the tongue, like a fast 'd' sound. Feel the difference between this single tap and the vibration in 'ratón'.
Finish with another rolled 'r'. The real skill here is switching between the rolled and tapped sounds smoothly and quickly.
Key Words in This Tongue Twister:
📚 Background
This short but mighty tongue twister is a perfect workout for the two 'r' sounds in Spanish. It cleverly forces you to switch between the rolled 'rr' (in 'ratón' and 'risueño') and the tapped 'r' (in 'reptó'), which is a core skill for clear Spanish pronunciation.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Not Rolling the First 'r'
Mistake: "Using a single tap for 'ratón' and 'risueño' instead of a full roll."
Correction: Here's a crucial rule: any 'r' at the very beginning of a Spanish word is ALWAYS rolled. Even though it's written with just one 'r', you must pronounce it with a full trill, like 'rr'.
Using the English 'r'
Mistake: "Pronouncing any of the 'r' sounds from the back of the throat, like the English 'r' in 'run' or 'car'."
Correction: Both Spanish 'r' sounds are made with the tip of your tongue at the front of your mouth. For 'ratón', vibrate your tongue tip against the ridge behind your teeth. For 'reptó', just give that same spot a single, quick tap.
🌎 Where It's Used
General Spanish
The pronunciation rules for 'r' at the beginning of a word and 'r' within a word are standard across virtually all dialects of Spanish, making this a universally useful practice phrase.
🔗 Related Tongue Twisters
The Smiling Mouse Challenge
Can you say it five times in a row, getting faster each time? Focus on making the 'r' in 'ratón' and 'risueño' a strong roll, and the 'r' in 'reptó' a crisp tap. Don't mix them up!
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 'r' in 'ratón' rolled if it's not written 'rr'?
That's one of the most important rules for Spanish pronunciation! An 'r' at the beginning of a word is always pronounced as a strong, rolled 'rr' sound. This rule is very consistent across the Spanish-speaking world.
I really can't roll my 'r's. Any tips?
Absolutely, and don't worry, it's a physical skill that takes practice! Try this: say the English phrase 'put it on' very quickly. The 't' sound you make is very similar to the Spanish tapped 'r'. Start by mastering that single tap. To build up to the roll, try repeating that tap sound faster and faster while pushing air out.