Pronunciation
b and v use the same lips
b and v are one phoneme. After a pause or a nasal, the lips close. Between vowels they barely meet, and the air keeps moving.
b
Typical mistake
English v bites the lower lip. vino with that v is the sound people notice first.
How to make the sound
- 01Use both lips for v, the same as for b.
- 02vino sits close to bino, with a soft buzz between the vowels.
- 03A hard closure is right at the start of a phrase: ¡Ven!
- 04Soften it in the middle: la vida, estaba.
Practice words
vino
wine — both lips
vida
life
cabeza
head — soft b
enviar
to send
Questions
- Should I treat b and v as different letters?
- Spelling differs. The sound does not. Same lips for both.
- When is the closure hard?
- After a pause, or after m or n. Elsewhere, keep a narrow gap.
Check b out loud
Record a phrase with this sound — the teacher will tell you if you landed it.