Spanish · Difficult words

How to pronounce riñón in Spanish

riñón

Kidney

ree-NYOHN/riˈɲon/

Latin American Spanish · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.

riñón is pronounced /riˈɲon/ in Spanish. In riñón: Raise the middle of the tongue to make one “ny”-like consonant. Connect it to the surrounding vowels. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.

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Find the sounds in riñón

Read riñón in these IPA segments: ri · ˈɲon. 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. 1.The ñ sound /ɲ/

    In riñón: Raise the middle of the tongue to make one “ny”-like consonant. Connect it to the surrounding vowels.

    Watch out: Do not pronounce ñ as plain n or add a separate y syllable.

  2. 2.The trilled r /r/

    In riñón: Let the tongue tip vibrate briefly near the ridge behind the upper teeth. Keep the airflow moving without tightening the tongue.

    Watch out: A curled English r and a single quick tap are different from the trill shown here.

  3. 3.A steady /o/ vowel

    In riñón: Round the lips and keep the tongue toward the back for a steady /o/. Follow the length indicated in the transcription.

    Watch out: Avoid automatically turning a single /o/ into the moving vowel of English “go”.

Hear it in context

Me duele el riñón izquierdo.

My left kidney hurts.

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

This guide uses a Latin American Spanish model for riñón. In Spain and other regions, individual consonants may differ. The linked reference records the source transcription; the audio provides one consistent practice model.

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 riñón

How do you pronounce riñón?

riñón is pronounced /riˈɲon/ in Spanish. In riñón: Raise the middle of the tongue to make one “ny”-like consonant. Connect it to the surrounding vowels. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.

What should I listen for first?

In riñón: Raise the middle of the tongue to make one “ny”-like consonant. Connect it to the surrounding vowels. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.

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