Master the pronunciation of nasal sounds
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| This is the m sound, this is the n sound, and this is the ɲ sound. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to tell them apart, PLUS you'll be practicing them and on your way to perfect pronunciation! |
| I'm Horacio, and this is Spanish Pronunciation Through Minimal Pairs. |
| First is m. This is the m sound in mamá "mom," mi "my," mano "hand," and other words. |
| Then we have the n sound in nada "nothing," nube "cloud," noche "night," and other words. |
| Last is the ɲ sound in niño "boy," señor "mister"/"sir," baño "bathroom," and other words. |
| These sounds are nasals, which means they are produced by letting air flow through the nose. |
| To make the m sound: close both lips completely, as if pronouncing /b/ or /p/. Allow air to pass through your nose while keeping your vocal cords vibrating. Your mouth stays closed, but the sound resonates through the nasal cavity. |
| m |
| [3 sec pause] |
| m (enunciated) |
| [3 sec pause] |
| m |
| m |
| [3 sec pause] |
| m (enunciated) |
| [3 sec pause] |
| m |
| To make the n sound: place the tip of your tongue against the alveolar ridge (the bumpy area right behind your upper front teeth) as if preparing to say d or t. Allow air to pass through your nose while keeping your vocal cords vibrating. The tongue remains in place, and the air resonates through the nasal cavity. |
| n |
| [3 sec pause] |
| n (enunciated) |
| [3 sec pause] |
| n |
| n |
| [3 sec pause] |
| n (enunciated) |
| [3 sec pause] |
| n |
| To make the ɲ sound: raise your tongue so that the middle or blade of the tongue touches the roof of your mouth. It kind of sounds like a combination between the n and y sounds in the English word "canyon." |
| Here's a great tip. Try to think of it as pronouncing a regular English N sound, but instead of using the tip of your tongue, try to use the blade, the part behind it. |
| ɲ |
| [3 sec pause] |
| ɲ (enunciated) |
| [3 sec pause] |
| ɲ |
| ɲ |
| [3 sec pause] |
| ɲ (enunciated) |
| [3 sec pause] |
| ɲ |
| The n sound is an alveolar nasal, meaning the tongue makes contact with the alveolar ridge. |
| The symbol ɲ represents a palatal nasal sound, meaning the middle part of the tongue touches the hard palate. |
| Both sounds are voiced and nasal, but ɲ involves more complex articulation due to its palatal position. |
| m, n, ɲ |
| [3 sec pause] |
| m, n, ɲ (enunciated) |
| [3 sec pause] |
| m, n, ɲ |
| Try repeating words with each sound slowly and clearly, focusing on the airflow through your nose. |
| Listen and repeat or speak along with me. |
| Ready? |
| muevo/nuevo |
| "I move"/"new" |
| (space for repetition) |
| muevo/nuevo |
| "I move"/"new" |
| cama/cana |
| "bed"/"white hair" |
| (space for repetition) |
| cama/cana |
| "bed"/"white hair" |
| Nino/niño |
| "a name"/"boy" |
| (space for repetition) |
| Nino/niño |
| "a name"/"boy" |
| cana/caña |
| "white hair"/"reed, sugar cane" |
| (space for repetition) |
| cana/caña |
| "white hair"/"reed, sugar cane" |
| Let's practice. |
| Compare the sounds in these two words. |
| emana/enana |
| "emits"/"dwarf" |
| (1) |
| emana/enana |
| "emits"/"dwarf" |
| (1) |
| Let's try another. |
| cena/seña |
| "dinner"/"signal, gesture" |
| (1) |
| cena/seña |
| "dinner"/"signal, gesture" |
| (1) |
| Now, listen to the following sentences. |
| Ni yo ni mi esposa asistiremos a la reunión. |
| "Neither I nor my wife are attending the reunion." |
| (3 sec pause) |
| ni, mi |
| Me muevo por la ciudad en mi coche nuevo. |
| "I move around the city in my new car." |
| (3 sec pause) |
| muevo, nuevo |
| Esta mañana, al hacer la cama, encontré una cana en mi almohada. |
| "This morning, while making the bed, I found a gray hair on my pillow." |
| cama, cana |
| Read the following sentence out loud, focusing on the different sounds. |
| (pause) |
| Nino no puede beber alcohol porque apenas es un niño. |
| "Nino can't drink alcohol because he is only a child." |
| (3 sec pause) |
| Nino, niño |
| Cuando la cena esté lista, haz una seña. |
| "When dinner is ready, make a gesture." |
| (3 sec pause) |
| cena, seña |
| By the way, if you watched til the end |
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