How to pronounce “siesta”
Hear how “siesta (nap)” sounds in Spanish, then read the breakdown below.
Accent
Breakdown
| Meaning | nap |
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| Syllables | sies · ta (2) |
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| Stress | Words ending in a vowel, n or s stress the second-to-last syllable: SIES. |
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| IPA | /ˈsjes.ta/ |
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Tips for English speakers
Common mistake: Two syllables, not three: SYEHS-tah, not "see-ES-tuh".
- Keep every vowel short and pure: a = "ah", e = "eh", i = "ee", o = "oh", u = "oo". No gliding.
Learn more: Stress and accent marks · Spanish vowels
Example sentences
Después de comer, tomo una siesta.After lunch, I take a nap.
Los niños duermen la siesta.The kids are taking a nap.
More words
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