How to pronounce “perdí la llave”

Hear how “perdí la llave (I lost my key)” sounds in Spanish, then read the breakdown below.

Breakdown

Tips for English speakers

Common mistake: Llave sounds like "YAH-beh", not "LAH-vay".

• The single r is a quick tap, like the "tt" in American English "butter". Don't use an English r.
• ll sounds like the y in "yes" in most countries. In Argentina and Uruguay you'll hear "sh".
• v sounds the same as b. Spanish has no English-style v sound.
• Keep every vowel short and pure: a = "ah", e = "eh", i = "ee", o = "oh", u = "oo". No gliding.

Learn more: Spanish R and RR · LL and Y · Spanish vowels

Example sentences

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