Spanish · Difficult words

How to pronounce siempre in Spanish

siempre

Always

SYEHMPREH/ˈsjempɾe/

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

siempre is pronounced /ˈsjempɾe/ in Spanish. In siempre: Make one quick tongue-tip contact behind the upper teeth, then move on. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.

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Find the sounds in siempre

The reference transcription for siempre is /ˈsjempɾe/. Read adjacent consonants together without inserting extra vowels. The mark /ˈ/ comes immediately before the main stressed syllable. Give that syllable a little more prominence without swallowing the others.

  1. 1.The tapped r /ɾ/

    In siempre: Make one quick tongue-tip contact behind the upper teeth, then move on.

    Watch out: Do not prolong this into a trill when the IPA shows a single tap.

  2. 2.A steady /e/ vowel

    In siempre: 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. 3.A clear /s/

    In siempre: Let air pass through a narrow groove near the front of the mouth. Keep the sound unvoiced.

    Watch out: Do not add voicing and turn /s/ into /z/.

Hear it in context

Siempre desayuno café.

I always have coffee for breakfast.

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 siempre. 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 siempre

How do you pronounce siempre?

siempre is pronounced /ˈsjempɾe/ in Spanish. In siempre: Make one quick tongue-tip contact behind the upper teeth, then move on. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.

What should I listen for first?

In siempre: Make one quick tongue-tip contact behind the upper teeth, then move on. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.

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