Spanish vowels without English glides: why hola should not sound like “hole-uh”

Five targets, no glide

Spanish a e i o u stay put. The tongue does not slide toward a second vowel the way stressed English vowels often do. So o is [o], not [oʊ]; e is [e], not [eɪ].

English speakers add those off-glides without noticing. *hola* becomes “hole-uh.” *no* becomes “noh-oo.”

Fix in one sentence

Hold the first vowel target and stop. Cut the English exit.

Drill: no, cómo, mesa, sí, tú, casa.

Record *hola* and *cómo estás* in the trainer. Watch which vowels the breakdown flags — diphthongization often shows up as unstable o / e.