Portuguese · Difficult words
How to pronounce espelho in Portuguese
espelho
Mirror
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
espelho is pronounced /isˈpe.ʎu/ in Portuguese. In espelho: Raise the middle of the tongue and let air pass around the sides. Join the sound smoothly to the next vowel. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in espelho
Read espelho in these IPA segments: is · ˈpe · ʎu. Dots and stress marks identify the boundaries shown in the reference; these symbols are not English spelling. The mark /ˈ/ comes immediately before the main stressed syllable. Give that syllable a little more prominence without swallowing the others.
1.The lh sound /ʎ/
In espelho: Raise the middle of the tongue and let air pass around the sides. Join the sound smoothly to the next vowel.
Watch out: An English l followed by a separate h will not produce this sound.
2.A steady /e/ vowel
In espelho: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording.
Watch out: English “ay” often ends with a glide; do not automatically carry that glide into this vowel.
3.Front-vowel position
In espelho: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front.
Watch out: Do not decide vowel quality from English spelling alone.
Hear it in context
Me olhei no espelho antes de sair.
I looked in the mirror before going out.
Listen once, say it aloud, then replay at 1.00×. Keep the word connected to the surrounding sentence rather than giving every syllable equal weight.
Pronunciation and variety
The recording uses a Brazilian Portuguese voice for espelho. Portuguese in Portugal and other regions can differ in vowel reduction and consonants. The reference may list several realizations; the transcription here is selected for a Brazilian or unmarked pronunciation.
The English-style respelling is approximate. Use the IPA and recording together for vowel quality and consonants that do not have an exact English equivalent.
Meaning and everyday use
Questions about espelho
How do you pronounce espelho?
espelho is pronounced /isˈpe.ʎu/ in Portuguese. In espelho: Raise the middle of the tongue and let air pass around the sides. Join the sound smoothly to the next vowel. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In espelho: Raise the middle of the tongue and let air pass around the sides. Join the sound smoothly to the next vowel. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
