Sound contrast · Mexican Spanish; starter contrasts also occur widely elsewhere
Spanish /e/ vs /u//e/ versus /u/
Learn to hear the difference between e and u in Spanish words.
Practice these sounds/e/
A close-mid, unrounded vowel
A front vowel without rounded lips. Compare it with the other complete vowel.
As inmesa
/u/
A back, rounded vowel
The tongue is high and farther back, with rounded lips.
As insuma
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR
A small change.
A different word.
Learn to hear the difference between e and u in Spanish words.
Listen for the target sound in each word.
Sound examples
Tap to hear each wordmesa
/ˈmesa/tablepena
/ˈpena/sorrow or regrettela
/ˈtela/clothtema
/ˈtema/topicpeso
/ˈpeso/weightpelo
/ˈpelo/hairdedo
/ˈdedo/fingersuma
/ˈsuma/sumcuna
/ˈkuna/cradleluna
/ˈluna/moonruta
/ˈruta/routepuro
/ˈpuɾo/pure, masculine adjectivetubo
/ˈtubo/tubecubo
/ˈkubo/bucket14 words. Words stay hidden during practice unless you choose to reveal them.