How to pronounce the R
in English

The letter R in English and Spanish is not always pronounced the same way. Sign up for free at ABA English and join more than 30M students who are enjoying this experience with us.

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Learning a language involves many elements, but one you need to pay proper attention to is pronunciation. This element is so important that if neglected it can make communication and understanding a message difficult. If you are interested in learning how the r is pronounced in English, you have come to the article you were looking for.

The r sound in English has a specific phonetic. For Spanish native speakers, it is not difficult to achieve its correct pronunciation since we have a similar sound in our language. However, we must pay attention to pronounce it correctly and avoid making mistakes, as in Spanish we have a strong sound (erre) and a weak sound (ere). So, which of the two sounds is used in English? ABA English explains it to you below.

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The English phonetics of the r

The phonetics of Spanish and English differ widely. Spanish maintains a direct relationship between what is written and pronounced, meaning that each letter represents a sound that varies very little. However, English phonetics is not like that, as there is a variation between what you see written and what is pronounced.

Now, let’s see what the characteristics of the r sound in English are. It is actually easy to remember since it is the same sound we produce in Spanish when we say carta (letter). That is, it is the simple ere sound with almost no vibration.

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The phonetic transcription of English words with r

In phonetic transcription, the r sound in English is transcribed as /r/. So now that you know how the r is pronounced in English and how it is transcribed, let’s see some examples of English words with r to make it even clearer for you. Remember that the phonetic transcription you find next to words in dictionaries is very useful when you have doubts about the pronunciation of a word.

Right is /raɪt/ = Correct, right

Wrong is /rɑːŋ/ = Incorrect

Sorry is /sɔːri/ = Sorry

Arrange is /əˈreɪndʒ/ = To organize, to arrange.

HOW TO IMPROVE THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE R IN ENGLISH

If you want to improve your English pronunciation, working with phonetics and learning its symbols will help a lot. Just as we have done in this article to clarify the pronunciation of the r in English, you can also look for how different English sounds are produced and then check the phonetic transcription of words.

You can also consider recording yourself while speaking or reading a text and then listen to it to determine how natural you sound in English. And remember, it’s not only about word pronunciation but also about intonation, which is something like the ‘music’ of English.

And later, if you like music, it’s a good idea to get the lyrics of your favorite songs in English and read them while listening. While doing this, pay attention to the pronunciation of the words but also to the individual sounds they consist of. This way, in a short time, you will have improved your English pronunciation.

How to differentiate the silent r from the sounded r

c. There are some basic rules to differentiate the sounded r from the silent r in English, especially applicable to British English, with its closed and elegant accent.

The letter r in English is pronounced when it comes before a vowel. The sound is soft and is achieved by placing the tongue behind, letting it rest on the bottom part of the palate. Here are some examples:

Really (really): /ˈrɪəli/
Orange (orange): /ˈɒrɪnʤ/
Hero (hero): /ˈhɪərəʊ/
Ramadan (Ramadan): /ˌræməˈdɑːn/

2. The letter r in English is not pronounced when:

a. It is followed by a consonant. For example:

Order (to order, to ask) /ˈɔːdə/
Partner (partner) /ˈpɑːtnə/
Weird (weird) /wɪəd/
Service (service) /ˈsɜːvɪs/

b. It is the last letter of the word. Here are some examples:

Door (door) /dɔː/
Chair (chair) /ʧeə/
Pear (pear) /peə/
Computer (computer) /kəmˈpjuːtə/

c. Exceptions

As with all rules, there are exceptions where the norms explained in the previous points do not apply. For example:

Iron (to iron) /ˈaɪən/

The r should be pronounced because it is before a vowel, which is the o, but in this case it is silent.

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Phrases to practice the pronunciation of the letter r in English

1. I’m reading a book with a red cover. I can’t remember the name of it, but it’s super interesting.

(I am reading a book with a red cover. I can’t remember its name, but it’s super interesting.)

/aɪm ˈriːdɪŋ ə bʊk wɪð ə rɛd ˈkʌvə. aɪ kɑːnt rɪˈmɛmbə ðə neɪm ɒv ɪt, bʌt ɪts ˈs(j)uːpər ˈɪntrɪstɪŋ./

2. One of my favourite hobbies is horse riding. I feel so free whenever I go on a walk with Brownie, the horse I own.

(One of my favorite hobbies is horseback riding. I feel so free whenever I go on a walk with Brownie, the horse I own.)

/wʌn ɒv maɪ ˈfeɪvərɪt ˈhɒbiz ɪz hɔːs ˈraɪdɪŋ. aɪ fiːl səʊ friː wɛnˈɛvər aɪ gəʊ ɒn ə wɔːk wɪð ˈbraʊni, ðə hɔːs aɪ əʊn./

3. I’m so tired, I don’t think I can take it anymore. I have four exams this week and it’s just mid-term, so I don’t want to think how stressed I’m going to be when the finals arrive.

(I am so tired, I don’t think I can take it anymore. I have four exams this week and it’s just mid-term, so I don’t want to think about how stressed I’m going to be when the finals arrive.)

/aɪm səʊ ˈtaɪəd, aɪ dəʊnt θɪŋk aɪ kæn teɪk ɪt ˌɛniˈmɔː. aɪ hæv fɔːr ɪgˈzæmz ðɪs wiːk ænd ɪts ʤʌst mɪd-tɜːm, səʊ aɪ dəʊnt wɒnt tuː θɪŋk haʊ strɛst aɪm ˈgəʊɪŋ tuː biː wɛn ðə ˈfaɪnlz əˈraɪv./