Can you learn to roll R's?

[mscolumbia]

I've always been a little self conscious when it comes to verbally practicing my Spanish because i can't roll my R's. I feel like it  makes the pronunciation pf certain words sound wrong. I always wondered if it was something you can learn. Or is it a natural talent that only some people have?

[Meerkat]

I too am influenced by that nasty burden. I think the general message is; it comes in time. Just pronounce, by yourself, and as you develop you will roll more and more.

Gracias.

[spacetimecontinuum]

Possibly, but I lived in Scotland for 5 years and never learned...so???

Is it mandatory for some languages to possess this skill?

[Chris4Davi]

I have wondered the same thing, as I am interested in learning Spanish too but those rich R's won't come. I have been practicing since I was first introduced to Spanish in primary school, yet I still cannot do it.

[NATASHA]

I think that it is just about having confidence and not being afraid to speak up and spit it out. The Europeans are very expressive and rolling the r's is easy once you have tried it a few times. Keep your tongue almost against your pallet when trying to roll the r's.

[SpringBreeze]

I think with time it will come if you practice enough. I have a hard time too. But I do know I'm rolling my r's a lot better now than 10 years ago.

I actually find the French "r" harder than the Spanish "r". That back roll (in French) gets me every time. In this case, I haven't seen any improvement over the years.

So, with all that said, I totally get you. All you can do is practice. And then practice some more  :santa:

[RhodaDEttore]

I never could do it, so I took French in school and my best friend took Spanish. She claimed the teacher made them say "popcorn" over and over as quickly as possible. To this day, I have no idea how that was supposed to help with the R's.

[Baburra]

I think it just depends on how close to this your original native language is, and if you're pronunciations are just too different then you probably will have a much harder time with trying to force it. It's probably why many Japanese people still interchange their R and L letters even in English which they can surely practice but it seems like it would take a very long time to correct.

[Juan Fuentes]

Well, I'll give you my story.

My native language is spanish. Yet I've always had trouble "rolling the R's". When I was young, my parents thought it was just a kid's way of talking, and that I would grow up and it would go away. Well, it never did. So I spend my youth, adolescence and part of my adulthood being constantly asked "what did you say?"

After I graduated from college and started working, being forced to talk to a lot of people, I got a bit more self-concious of my speech impediment. So, I started practicing. Mainly, putting the tip of my tongue on the gums behind my front teeth and trying to make a sound like a motor running (sort of), then trying to incorporate that sound into the words that needed it.

It took me years, but since I was forced to practice often (I live in a Spanish-speaking country), I ended up mastering it somewhere in my late 20's.

As you can see, my story might not be very encouraging, but what I'm trying to say is that it can be done. You just need A LOT of practice.

Curiously enough, I find the english and the french "R" to be a lot easier. Maybe I was born in the wrong country.

[snowfairy]

I have difficulties pronouncing my "r's" but I think I've improved a bit ever since I practice reading out loud. I think when you read out loud, it is easier for you to emphasize a certain word or letter and eventually you'll get used to it.

[GEEJO]

It took me five years and six weeks in Costa Rica to be able to roll my "r"s. It just takes time and practice. Don't give up!!! If you are still concerned about not being able to create the trill you can look up exercises online that help many people master rolling their "r"s.