Sound contrast · Mexican Spanish; starter contrasts also occur widely elsewhere
Spanish /i/ vs /o//i/ versus /o/
Learn to hear the difference between i and o in Spanish words.
Practice these sounds/i/
A close, unrounded vowel
The tongue is high and toward the front. Listen to the vowel as one complete sound.
As inmisa
/o/
A close-mid, rounded vowel
A rounded vowel made toward the back of the mouth.
As incosa
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR
A small change.
A different word.
Learn to hear the difference between i and o in Spanish words.
Listen for the target sound in each word.
Sound examples
Tap to hear each wordmisa
/ˈmisa/Mass, a religious servicepila
/ˈpila/batteryrima
/ˈrima/rhymelima
/ˈlima/file (tool)piso
/ˈpiso/floorpino
/ˈpino/pine treetipo
/ˈtipo/type or kindcosa
/ˈkosa/thingsopa
/ˈsopa/soupcopa
/ˈkopa/drinking glassropa
/ˈropa/clothespolo
/ˈpolo/pole, such as a magnetic poletomo
/ˈtomo/volume of a bookmono
/ˈmono/monkey14 words. Words stay hidden during practice unless you choose to reveal them.