American English for
Spanish Speakers
Spanish and English share an alphabet, but have very different sound systems. Our curriculum targets the exact sounds that Spanish speakers find most challenging.
Start Free TrialWhy Spanish speakers have a distinct accent
Your native language shapes how you hear and produce sounds. Spanish has only 5 vowels while English has 15+, which creates predictable challenges:
Ship vs Sheep - #1 Challenge
Most ImportantSpanish has only one "i" sound, but English has both short /ɪ/ (ship, bit, live) and long /iː/ (sheep, beat, leave). This causes confusion in many common word pairs and is THE signature challenge for Spanish speakers.
The schwa sound (ə)
English reduces unstressed vowels to "uh" (schwa), but Spanish pronounces every vowel clearly. This makes Spanish speakers sound "choppy" and affects words like "banana" (buh-NA-nuh), "problem" (PROB-luhm), and "today" (tuh-DAY).
B and V are the same in Spanish
In Spanish, B and V are pronounced identically as a bilabial sound. English V requires the upper teeth to touch the lower lip. This causes confusion with "very/berry", "vest/best", and "van/ban".
Adding "e" before S-clusters
Spanish doesn't allow words to start with "s + consonant", so speakers add an "e" sound: "speak" becomes "espeak", "stop" becomes "estop", "school" becomes "eschool".
Z sounds like S
Spanish has no voiced /z/ sound. This affects common word endings like plurals (-s vs -z) and verb forms, making "plays" sound like "place" and "buzz" sound like "bus".
What you'll master
Our Spanish curriculum focuses on the exact sounds that will make the biggest difference in your pronunciation.
Short I Sound
Distinguish "ship" from "sheep"
Practice pairs: ship/sheep, bit/beat, live/leave, fill/feel
Schwa Sound
Reduce unstressed vowels
Practice words: about, banana, problem, today, attention
V vs B Distinction
Differentiate these sounds
Practice pairs: very/berry, vest/best, van/ban, vow/bow
S-Clusters
Start words without adding "e"
Practice words: speak, stop, school, spring, street
Z Sound
Voice the Z in plurals
Practice words: plays, buzz, zone, zoo, lazy, easy
How it works
Listen to minimal pairs
Train your ear to hear the difference between similar sounds like "ship" vs "sheep"
Practice speaking
Record yourself and get instant AI feedback on your pronunciation
Build muscle memory
Unlimited practice until the correct pronunciation becomes automatic
Start improving your pronunciation today
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