Portuguese · Difficult words
How to pronounce reserva in Portuguese
reserva
Reservation
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
reserva is pronounced /ʁeˈzɛʁ.vɐ/ in Portuguese. In reserva: The symbols /ɛ/ and /ɔ/ indicate more open vowel positions than /e/ and /o/. Keep the jaw relaxed and the vowel steady. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in reserva
Read reserva in these IPA segments: ʁe · ˈzɛʁ · vɐ. 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.Open vowels
In reserva: The symbols /ɛ/ and /ɔ/ indicate more open vowel positions than /e/ and /o/. Keep the jaw relaxed and the vowel steady.
Watch out: Do not assume every written e or o has the same vowel quality.
2.A steady /e/ vowel
In reserva: 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.The open /ɛ/ vowel
In reserva: Keep the vowel open, like the vowel in many pronunciations of English “bed”, without a final glide.
Watch out: Avoid turning this vowel into English “ay”.
Hear it in context
Quero fazer uma reserva para duas pessoas.
I want to make a reservation for two people.
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 reserva. 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 reserva
How do you pronounce reserva?
reserva is pronounced /ʁeˈzɛʁ.vɐ/ in Portuguese. In reserva: The symbols /ɛ/ and /ɔ/ indicate more open vowel positions than /e/ and /o/. Keep the jaw relaxed and the vowel steady. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In reserva: The symbols /ɛ/ and /ɔ/ indicate more open vowel positions than /e/ and /o/. Keep the jaw relaxed and the vowel steady. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
