Spanish · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "esperar" in Spanish?

Q: How do you pronounce esperar in Spanish?

esperar is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /es.peˈɾaɾ/. It means “to wait / to hope.” es-peh-RAR, three beats with the stress on the last and two tapped r's.

es-peh-RAR, three beats with the stress on the last and two tapped r's.

esperar /es.peˈɾaɾ/

Three syllables, es-pe-RAR, beat at the end thanks to the r. Regular throughout, so the present tense moves the stress to the second syllable: es-PE-ro, es-PE-ras. The related noun "espera" is stressed the same way, es-PE-ra, since it ends in a vowel — one of the rare cases where verb and noun share a rhythm.

Listen: esperar

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Sound it out

es A short "eh" and a hissing s, run together with no supporting vowel in front — English cannot start a word this way, so it takes practice.

pe An unaspirated p and another short "eh". Both of the first two vowels are identical; neither may be reduced.

rar A single tap, a wide-open "ah" carrying the stress, then a second single tap. Two flicks of the tongue tip in one syllable.

Hear it in a sentence

Tengo que esperar el tren.

I have to wait for the train.

Listen: Tengo que esperar el tren.

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"Tengo que esperar el tren" uses the "tener que" construction for obligation, and Spanish needs no preposition after "esperar" — you wait the train, not wait for it. "Tren" is one syllable with a tr cluster and a released n. Say "que esperar" and the two e sounds merge into one longer vowel.

Where English speakers slip

English speakers prop up the opening cluster with an extra vowel, giving "eh-spe-RAR", and then reduce the middle syllable into "spuh". Both of the first two e vowels should be clear and equal. The two r's are the other half of the work, and each is a single quick tap, not a roll. Grammatically, remember that the verb already contains the for — adding "por" or "para" after it is a common and audible error.