R is the nineteenth letter and the fifteenth consonant of the Spanish alphabet. It is a very frequent letter that may represent two different sounds depending on the position in the word and on whether it appears as a single or double R.
Debo comprar unos remedios en la farmacia.
I must buy some medicines at the pharmacy.Los vecinos hacen mucho ruido.
The neighbors make a lot of noise.
The letter R may appear in initial, middle, or final position in the word:
- Words starting with R: rápido (fast), reloj (clock), riesgo (risk).
- Words with R in them: barco (ship), toro (bull), cuerpo (body).
- Words ending in R: pilar (pillar), par (pair), cortar (to cut).
Pronunciation tip: The Spanish letter R is used to represent two phonemes or sounds:
- Soft /r/. This sound is an alveolar flap, meaning that the tongue taps against the palate, exactly the same as in the American English pronunciation of the double t in “butter”. It corresponds to the single R in middle or final position in the word:
caro, amor, hombre - Hard /r/. This sound is an alveolar trill, meaning that the blade of the tongue rapidly vibrates against the hard palate, creating a hard “trill” sound that has no equivalent in English. It corresponds to the single R in initial position in the word, and to the double R (RR), which always appears between vowels:
regalo, arroz, correr
Fun fact: All infinitive verbs in Spanish end in R: amar (to love), comer (to eat), partir (to leave).
- See also: Spanish alphabet
Spanish nouns that start with R
| ropa clothes | rostro face | rocío dew |
| reloj clock | rama bough | religión religion |
| río river | roca rock | raíz root |
| rey king | regla ruler | retrato portrait |
| rosa rose | ruta route | rayo lightning |
| rueda wheel | remo bow | ramo bunch, bouquet |
| recreo break | red net | realidad reality |
| regalo gift | receta recipe | remolino whirlwind |
| risa laughter | reunión meeting | restaurante restaurant |
| rincón corner | relato story, tale | rubí ruby |
Animals starting with R: ratón (mouse), reno (reindeer), rata (rat), rinoceronte (rhinoceros), raya (ray).
Foods starting with R: repollo (cabbage), rábano (turnip), remolacha (beet), ruibarbo (rhubarb), ravioles (ravioli), rabas (fried squids).
Jobs starting with R: recepcionista (receptionist), reportero (reporter), rector (dean), relojero (watchmaker), redactor (editor), radiólogo (radiologist).
Names starting with R: Rosario, Romina, Rocío, Roxana, Roberto, Ricardo, René, Ramiro.
Este negocio vende ropa muy linda.
This store sells very nice clothes.Mi novio me regaló un ramo de rosas para San Valentín.
My boyfriend gave me a bouquet of roses for Valentine’s Day.Carlos III es el rey del Reino Unido.
Charles III is the king of the United Kingdom.“El Pozo y el Péndulo” es un relato de terror de Edgar Allan Poe.
“The Pit and the Pendulum” is a horror short story by Edgar Allan Poe.
- See also: Spanish nouns
Spanish adjectives that start with R
| rápido fast, quick | reciente recent | relajante relaxing |
| redondo round | repentino sudden | rígido rigid |
| raro strange | recto straight | resistente resistant, tough |
| rojo red | repugnante disgusting | razonable reasonable |
| rico rich, delicious | rocoso rocky | repetitivo repetitive |
| real real | resbaladizo slippery | romántico romantic |
| roto broken | refrescante refreshing | reducido limited |
| ruidoso noisy | recíproco reciprocal | radiante radiant |
| ridículo ridiculous | ruso Russian | rasgado almond-shaped |
| repleto packed | rústico rustic | rugoso rough, coarse |
Este restaurante está repleto de gente; vayamos a otro.
This restaurant is packed with people; let’s go to another one.Tejer es una actividad relajante.
Knitting is a relaxing activity.Niños, no sean tan ruidosos; hablen en voz baja.
Children, don't be so loud; talk quietly.Mi hermano tiene un automóvil rojo.
My brother has a red car.
Adjectives starting with R to describe a person
| responsable responsible | reconocido renowned | rebelde rebellious |
| respetuoso respectful | relajado laid-back | rencoroso resentful |
| risueño cheerful | reflexivo reflective | resentido resentful |
| realista realistic | reservado reserved | ruin despicable |
| resiliente resilient | riguroso rigorous | retrógrado conservative, reactionary |
María es una persona responsable y confiable.
María is a responsible and reliable person.El bando rebelde comenzó una guerra civil.
The rebellious faction started a civil war.
- See also: Spanish adjectives
Spanish verbs that start with R
| reír to laugh | reemplazar to replace | reclamar to claim |
| recordar to remember | roncar to snore | rechazar to reject |
| responder to answer | relatar to tell, narrate | rogar to beg |
| romper to break | respirar to breathe | reservar to reserve, book |
| regresar to return, come back | respetar to respect | revolver to stir |
| recibir to receive | rezar to pray | repartir to share out |
| repetir to repeat | reconocer to recognize | realizar to carry out, make |
| reparar to repair | regar to water | retrasar to delay |
| resolver to solve | recoger to pick up | relajar to relax |
| reunir to gather, meet | regalar to give | remar to row |
¿Puedes repetir lo que has dicho?
Can you repeat what you’ve said?No te enojes; te ruego que no lo tomes a mal.
Don’t get mad; I beg you, don’t take it the wrong way.¿Nos podemos reunir esta tarde para discutir esta cuestión?
Can we meet this afternoon to discuss this issue?Todavía recuerdo el día en que nos conocimos.
I still remember the day we met.
- See also: Spanish verbs
Spanish adverbs that start with R
| rápido fast, quickly | radicalmente radically | religiosamente religiously |
| rápidamente quickly | rigurosamente rigorously | razonadamente in a well-reasoned manner |
| realmente really | resueltamente resolutely | ridículamente ridiculously |
| recientemente recently | reservadamente in a reserved way | ruidosamente noisily |
| regularmente regularly | repetidamente repeatedly | relajadamente relaxedly |
| raramente rarely, seldom | razonablemente reasonably | resolutivamente resolutely |
| relativamente relatively | reflexivamente reflexively | racionalmente rationally |
| respectivamente respectively | rústicamente rustically | recalcadamente emphatically |
| rotundamente categorically | respetuosamente respectfully | rebeldemente rebelliously |
| recíprocamente reciprocally | reiteradamente repeatedly | reticentemente reluctantly |
Dije reiteradamente que no me gustan las películas de terror.
I stated repeatedly that I don’t like horror movies.He cambiado radicalmente de opinión con respecto a ustedes.
I have radically changed my mind about you.Lo niego rotundamente; eso no es así.
I categorically deny it; that's not true.Me mintió ridículamente en la cara; ¿quién puede creer eso?
He lied ridiculously to my face; who could believe that?
- See also: Spanish adverbs
More everyday Spanish words that start with R
Some more everyday Spanish words that start with R include:
¡Rayos!
Wow!, Darn!
¡Recórcholis!
Jeez!
re
re (musical note)
rima
rhyme
refrán
saying, proverb
recital
recital
¡Rayos! ¡Tienes razón!
Darn! You’re right!
Niños, ¿qué nota viene después de re?
Kids, what note comes after re?
Como dice el viejo refrán: “todo vuelve”.
Like the old adage goes: “what goes around comes around.”
Vamos a ir a un recital el próximo viernes.
We’re going to a recital next Friday.
You may also like:
Practice: Spanish words with R
References
- Wordreference.com, “retrógrado,” accessed November 19, 2024, https://www.wordreference.com/
- Oxford Spanish Dictionary, 3rd edition on CD-ROM, Oxford University Press.
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary, accessed November 19, 2024, under “adage,” https://www.merriam-webster.com/
- Enciclopedia del Lenguaje, “Palabras con R,” by Carla Giani. Last updated October 25, 2024, https://lenguaje.com/
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