Spanish · Food & drink
How to pronounce tamale in Spanish
tamale
tamale
Latin American Spanish · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
tamale is pronounced /taˈmale/ in Spanish. In tamale: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in tamale
Read tamale in these IPA segments: ta · ˈmale. 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.A steady /e/ vowel
In tamale: 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.
2.An open vowel
In tamale: Open the jaw for the a-like vowel shown in the IPA. Keep it continuous and follow the recording’s tongue position.
Watch out: Do not substitute the English diphthong in “day”.
Hear it in context
En el menú pone «tamale».
The menu says “tamale”.
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 tamale. 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.
Questions about tamale
How do you pronounce tamale?
tamale is pronounced /taˈmale/ in Spanish. In tamale: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In tamale: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
