Sound contrast · Mexican Spanish; starter contrasts also occur widely elsewhere
Spanish /i/ vs /u//i/ versus /u/
Diagnostic coverage: compare front/back categories when learner results suggest a need. This is an editorial screening priority, not a published ranking.
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
/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.
Diagnostic coverage: compare front/back categories when learner results suggest a need. This is an editorial screening priority, not a published ranking.
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 kindsuma
/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.