Spanish · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "la computadora" in Spanish?

Q: How do you pronounce la computadora in Spanish?

la computadora is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /la kom.pu.taˈðo.ɾa/. It means “computer.” lah kom-poo-tah-THOH-rah — five beats, with a soft d and a single tapped r.

lah kom-poo-tah-THOH-rah — five beats, with a soft d and a single tapped r.

la computadora /la kom.pu.taˈðo.ɾa/

Five syllables: com-pu-ta-DO-ra, stressed on the second-to-last, as the default rule prescribes for a vowel-final word. Long as it is, no accent is needed anywhere. Spain uses "el ordenador" instead, which is masculine and stresses its final syllable because it ends in r — a completely different word with a completely different rhythm.

Listen: la computadora

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Sound it out

com A hard k with no puff of air, a pure "oh", and an m before the p.

pu An unaspirated p and a pure "oo" as in "boot", not the "yoo" of English "computer".

ta A dental t with no aspiration and a wide-open "ah".

do A soft d between vowels, close to the th of "those", plus a pure "oh" carrying the stress.

ra A single tap of the tongue tip and a final wide "ah".

Hear it in a sentence

La computadora está en la oficina.

The computer is in the office.

Listen: La computadora está en la oficina.

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"La computadora está en la oficina" uses estar for location. "Oficina" is four beats with a soft c before i. Between them, the two nouns give you nine syllables of vowels that all need to stay clear — a genuine test of resisting English reduction.

Where English speakers slip

The English "computer" inserts a y glide in the second syllable and reduces the rest, giving "com-PYOO-tuh-dora". Spanish wants a clean "oo" and five full beats with the peak on DO. The d then gets hardened when it should be soft, and the r gets an English curl. Regionally, "computador" and "ordenador" are the other two options.