Diphthong letters in English. Pronunciation of diphthongs in English

Having studied the Russian alphabet, we can easily read any texts. But to read correctly in English you will have to put in more effort, because there are many discrepancies between the spelling and pronunciation of words. If you decide to learn this language on your own and cannot understand how to read words in English correctly, then this material is exactly what you need. Today we will look at the nuances of pronunciation of English letters and letter combinations, and find out how easy it is to learn to read English from scratch. A table that shows all the letters and their sounds will help you learn the rules of reading English for beginners.

First, let's get acquainted with the most important law of reading in English - the rule of open and closed syllables. There is no similar norm in the Russian language, so we will analyze in detail what it is. Please pay attention to the transcription.

An open syllable is a syllable that ends with a vowel sound. As a rule, it occurs in the following cases:

• The word ends in a vowel, so the last syllable is always open: t ake[take].*
• A vowel is followed by a consonant, followed by another vowel sound: ed uca tion [education].
• There are two vowels adjacent to the word: cr ue l [cruel].

*Final e in most cases it is considered “dumb”, that is, it is not pronounced, but appears at the heart of the word precisely to form an open syllable.

In open syllables, the vowel is always pronounced smoothly and drawn out. Accordingly, closed syllables are all those syllables in which the vowel sound is closed by a consonant and therefore sounds short and abrupt: c ut[cat].

In addition, special reading rules in English are characteristic of syllables in which the vowel sound ends with the letter r. The fact is that in the British version of the pronunciation of such syllables, the letter r is often completely omitted, i.e. not pronounced. Therefore, there are two options for reading such letter combinations:

1. In an open syllable, when r is surrounded by vowels, only both vowels are read: c are[keea]. In such cases, the last e will not be dumb.
2. In a closed syllable ( voice+r+acc.), r is also unreadable, but affects the sound of the vowel sound, making it longer: start [staat]

The rule of open and closed syllables is the basic law of reading in English, although there are many exceptions to it. But it’s too early to teach exceptions without knowing the main rules. Therefore, now we will look at the sound options of all letters and letter combinations.

Rules for reading English for beginners - letter and sound correspondence table

Even if you started learning English and reading it from scratch, you are probably already familiar with the spelling and sound of all the letters of the English alphabet. But, as we already learned from the previous section, when reading, the pronunciation of letters depends on the type of syllable or letter combination. Therefore, in the tables below you can find several sound options for the same letter. But don't be alarmed, there will be an accessible explanation for each case. So, let's continue to learn English for beginners and learn the rules of reading in English.

Consonants

Let's start with the easiest thing: with a table of consonants, the pronunciation of which is similar to the Russian sound.

*English d and t are pronounced with more aspiration than their Russian counterparts.

**w is pronounced with the lips extended into a tube, the result is something between the Russian sounds v and u.

Now let's look at more complex letters.

We will also study letter combinations of consonants in English.

In addition, it is worth considering that the English language never allows consonants at the very end of a word to be deafened. Otherwise, you may say something completely different from what you wanted. For example: back [back] – behind, behind; bag [bag] – bag, sack.

Vowels

It is much more difficult to cope with reading English vowels, but the already familiar rules of open and closed syllables will help us understand it. We take them into service and learn to read the vowels of the English language correctly.

Do not forget that in a closed syllable all letters are pronounced briefly.

And the vowels of an open syllable are always smooth and drawn out.

We remember that the letter r after a vowel, as a rule, is not pronounced.

Now we know how to read vowels in English words. But for perfect reading in English, it is necessary to study one more point.

Diphthongs and triphthongs in English

An important aspect of English for beginners is diphthongs and triphthongs, i.e. combinations of two or three letters that have a special sound. Their pronunciation is called sliding, because. First, the main sound is pronounced intensively, and then it is smoothly transferred to the secondary sound. Diphthongs are a kind of exception and do not obey general grammatical laws, so they can only be learned by heart. The table below will help us learn the rules for reading English diphthongs for beginners.

*doubling the letter indicates the length of the first sound in relation to the second.

So, we have looked at the main nuances of reading in English. Treat the stated rules responsibly: conduct reading lessons more often and be sure to learn to distinguish between types of syllables in English. Otherwise, you will make gross mistakes in pronunciation, which will lead to a complete misunderstanding of your words by the interlocutor. Good luck in learning English and see you again!

Correct pronunciation is the key to competent speech in the target language. Diphthongs and diphthongoids are simple phonetic constructions, but difficult to understand their role in pronunciation. They are not found in 2/3 of the world's languages, but English is not one of them. What are diphthongs in English and how to use it in speech – we’ll find out in this publication.

Diphthongs and diphthongoids

A diphthong is a phonetically indivisible vowel, however, having two sounds in its construction. This feature is caused by the conjugation of twenty-two sounds into only 6 vowel letters in the language.

Total diphthongs in English 8 and all have a particular style of pronunciation and spelling. As a general rule, the sounds in it are consonant or close to each other in articulation.

Note! A diphthong is one syllable and one phoneme. It differs from other vowels in pronunciation, because the response of the second vowel is heard in it, regardless of the word.

Diphthongs in English - what are descending, ascending and equal:

• Descending - characterized by the predominance in acoustics of the first sound of the double phoneme;
• Rising – the second sound predominates;
• Equilibrium - there is no dominant sound, and the entire phoneme is acoustically equal and stable.

A diphthongoid is a vowel in a language that is a single phonemic construction, but has overtones of another vowel at the beginning or end. This is one vowel, which, when pronounced, evokes the echo of another vowel (for example, in Russian, the letter o begins with the overtone u in speech).

The differences between diphthong and diphthongoid lie in spelling and pronunciation. The first is two connected vowels with respectively two sounds. The second is one vowel with an echo of another. But both the first and second are one indivisible phonetic part of the word.

Pronunciation, spelling and examples of English diphthongs

The peculiarity of diphthongs in English lies in the relationship between their pronunciation and spelling. Many words may be spelled the same, but their acoustics are different. From one word, up to three or four meanings of other words can be obtained, depending on the sound of the vowels.

Are being written diphthongs in English in the form of two or one vowel letter in a word. But they are recognized as indivisible and counted as one full syllable. But they are also pronounced as two full-fledged sounds that are important for understanding a specific word in speech.

Note! Each diphthong has features in voicing that are practiced.

Examples diphthongs in English:

It is pronounced as “Ey”, where the first letter is identical to the Russian sound “E”. The next sound should not be dull, as in the Russian language, but drawn-out and smooth, reminiscent of “I” and not “Y”. It can also stand out in a combination of other vowels, including one:

• Letters – lear;
• In context – key;
• In letters – day;
• The combination itself is eight;

In speech it sounds like “Ay”, but in details it should resemble a transcription rather than hard Russian. The second letter “I” is short, but clearly audible and softens the entire word. In speech it can appear in the form:

• [y] – try;
• [i] – fire;
• Letter combination – buy;
• The word eye in context is eyebrow;
• – lie.

[ɔi]

The diphthong in English pronounced as “Oh”. This is an example of an equilibrium construction, because both the first and second parts of the syllable are equal and stable. It appears in the following form:

• Complex – boy, soy;
• At the beginning of a word or in its middle - oil.

The sound is “Ie”, but it is smoother and softer than the Russian one. This is the simplest diphthong in English, because it does not have the specifics of dialect and differs from the usual “i” and “e” in the viscousness and smoothness of the transition from the first part to the second. Variations of use:

• – beer (the last r is not pronounced, but is taken into account);
• – tears;
• In some cases – severe;
• The combination is furious.

It resembles the harshly heard “E” in Russian, but is distinguished by a short intonation sound at the end. The output should be intermediate between “A” and rough “E”. Methods of use in speech:

• In context and in the middle or end of a word – prepare;
• In a separate word air, but as part of another word – fair.

In the practiced speech, the non-Russian “Ue” is similar. The first part of the syllable is long and smooth, flowing into the intermediate between “A” and the sound “E”. Examples:

• Letter combination – fuel;
• In some words it is appropriate in the construction – endure;
• The combination of letters with the final “r” is in the word poor.

This diphthong in English is voiced simply and briefly: “Ay.” Correct application is like a quick exhalation exclamation without complex manipulation of the lips and tongue. In speech it is used like this:

• Connection – sound (the case when it is pronounced drawn out and smoothly);
• – the letter “W” is heard as a short “y” - now.

[əu]

When voicing, something averaged between “ou” and “ey” is heard. Correct pronunciation does not require protracted sounds - you need to speak quickly, but accurately. What makes it difficult in practice is the transition from the first part of the diphthong to the second: from “O” (closer to “E”), to “U”. When expressed, it appears as:

• – soul;
• Vowels in the middle of words – coat;
• The letter [o] is pronounced as “Оу” if it comes before l and if the stress in the word is cold, only.

Errors in pronouncing English diphthongs

The main shortcomings and errors in voicing “double” syllables are the lack of analogues in the Russian language. People who speak Russian have to learn new combinations of sounds pronounced with unusual positions of the lips and tongue.

Let's look at common mistakes to avoid them:

1. Most double sounds are pronounced like this: the first part is longer, the second is shorter. Even if they are balanced, you need to keep this rule in your head, then the sound will be more accurate;
2. In combination, speaking [e] as a full and deep “E” is incorrect. You should hear something intermediate between a soft “E” and “E”;
3. – the first part is intermediate between the usual [e] and , but it is audible and noticeable, when, like the second, it should be lost against its background;
4. In all sounds with “Y”, the soft vowel “Y” should be heard rather than the Russian truncating one.

Bottom line

We decided: A diphthong is an indivisible syllable in a word, however, when pronounced, it combines two sounds. This rule, at first, is easier to remember than to understand and feel. But one or two months of practice and new sounds are easy for every language learner.

Start with double syllables that lend themselves better than others (usually and). During practice, try new ones consistently and quickly master them all. Good luck with your studies!

» Diphthongs in English

The English alphabet has 6 vowel letters, which through various combinations form 22 sounds. Among these sounds there are special groups called monophthongs, diphthongs and triphthongs. They differ in the number of component sounds.

Monophthongs are ordinary sounds familiar to our ears. In English there are 12 of them: [i], , , [u], [ə], [e], [æ], [ə:], , [ʌ], [ɔ:], [ɔ]. They can be short or long. In writing they can be expressed in one or more letters.

A diphthong in English is an indivisible sound. It is formed by a combination of two vowel sounds. One of them is considered the “core” that forms a syllable, and the other is only an “echo”. There are 8 diphthongs in English: , , , , [əʊ], , [ʊə], [ͻi]. Similar Russian sounds do not exist. When pronouncing a diphthong, the speech organs do not change their position; two vowel sounds are pronounced as one, without being divided into syllables.

In English, vowel diphthongs are divided into 3 types:

1. Rising. The second sound is dominant over the first.
2. Descending. The first sound predominates.
3. Equilibrium. Both sounds have the same acoustics and are pronounced smoothly.

Triphthongs have a more intricate design, combining 3 vowel sounds. There are two of them in English: and.

Diphthong and digraph

Many people confuse the concepts of “diphthong” and “digraph”, but they have completely different constructions.

A digraph is one sound, but always two letters. A diphthong is two sounds and can consist of 1, 2 or 3 letters. However, vowels belonging to different syllables are read separately - they are neither a digraph nor a diphthong.

Examples of digraphs in English:

1. Sh [ʃ] is read as the Russian sound “sh”.
2. At the end of the word ng [ŋ] is pronounced like a nasal “n” (the root of the tongue is pressed against the soft palate).
3. Consisting of one syllable “ee” [ɪ] sounds like the Russian “i”.
4. Th has no analogue in Russian. Depending on the case, it is read differently: [θ] - like an interdental “s” or [ð] - like an interdental “z”.
5. Ch sounds like the Russian "ch" sound.
6. The combination kn [n] is pronounced like a regular “n”.
7. The letter combination “ea” located in one syllable is read as the sound “and”.

Studying digraphs and diphthongs will not be difficult because they do not depend on adjacent letters and stress in the word.

Diphthong

The diphthong is similar to the Russian "ay". The letter is conveyed in the following letters:

• y (in an open stressed syllable);
• ye (at the end of a word);
• i (in an open stressed syllable);
• ie (at the end of a word);

• fly - to fly, to fly;
• dye - to paint, color;
• eyebrow [ˈaɪbraʊ] - eyebrow;
• line - line, line;
• tie - tie, tie;
• guy [ɡaɪ] - guy, small;
• knight - horseman, knight;
• lie - lie, deception.

Diphthong

The diphthong is similar to the Russian "au". In writing it is expressed in letters:

• house - dwelling, house;
• how [ˈhaʊ] - in what way, how;
• sound - sound, noise;
• down - descent, down;
• cloud - cloud, cloud;
• brown - brown, brown;
• town - city, place.

Diphthong

The diphthong is similar to the Russian "ey". Transmitted in letters:

• late - late, last;
• tray - chute, tray;
• main - main, main;
• great [ɡreɪt] - great, excellent;
• gray [ɡreɪ] - gray, cloudy;
• eight - eight;
• day - day, day.

Diphthong

The diphthong is similar to the Russian "ea". Expressed in the following letters:

• bear - bear, mole cricket;
• care - to look after, take care of;
• hair - hair, hair;
• fair - fair, honest.

Diphthong [əʊ]

The diphthong [əʊ] is similar to the Russian “ou”. The letter is conveyed in letters:

• o (in a stressed open syllable);

• bone - bone, bony;
• soul - spirit, soul;
• coat [ˈkəʊt] - coat, jacket;
• snow - snow, snowy.

Diphthong

The diphthong is similar to the Russian “ie”. In writing it is expressed in letters:

• deer - fallow deer;
• fierce - cruel, strong;
• gear [ɡɪə] - mechanism, transmission;
• severe - serious, severe;
• tear [ˈtɪə] - tear, burst.

Diphthong [ʊə]

The diphthong [ʊə] is similar to the Russian "ue". It is transmitted in the following letters:

• sure [ʃʊə] - certainly, certainly;
• cruel - cruel, terrible;
• poor - poor, bad;
• tour - excursion, tour;
• endure [ɪnˈdjʊə] - endure, endure.

Diphthong [ͻi]

The diphthong [ͻi] is similar to the Russian “oy”. The letter states:

• annoy [əˈnɔɪ] - to annoy, bother;
• noisy [ˈnɔɪzi] - noisy, screaming;
• soy - soy sauce, soy;
• oil [ɔɪl] - oil, petroleum;
• boy [ˌbɔɪ] - boy, young man.

Features of the pronunciation of diphthongs

The pronunciation of diphthongs in English is sometimes accompanied by errors, since there are no such sounds in the Russian language. Pronouncing new vowel combinations correctly requires a special position of the tongue and lips.

It is also necessary to remember some nuances of the pronunciation of diphthongs in English:

1. In a diphthong, the sound [e] is pronounced strongly, like something between the Russian “e” and a soft “e”. [i] is a short and weak vowel sound; it should not be pronounced like the Russian consonant “y”.
2. The first sound of most diphthongs in English should sound longer than the second. Thanks to this, the speech will be more similar to English.
3. In a diphthong, the sound [e] is strong and long, and [ə] is weak and short.

Most sounds and diphthongs in English cause a lot of difficulties for Russian speakers. Therefore, it is important to first simply remember the rules of pronunciation, and only then begin to practice the acquired knowledge. Regular training is the key to your success!

[əʊ ]

stone, joke [ʤəʊ k], although [ɔː lˈ ðəʊ], open [ˈəʊ pə n], oppose [əˈ pəʊ z],

Moscow [ ˈ mɒ skəʊ], old [əʊ ld], home, over [ˈəʊ və], control.

Feature of the diphthong [ əʊ ] in British English.

When pronouncing the word stone, 2 diphthong problems may arise.

The first sound denoted by the letter [o] in British English does not sound like [o], but in an unusual way for us. The habit of pronouncing this word in Russian aggravates the problem: Stonehenge and Oliver Stone.

The second part of the diphthong is even more insidious. There are usually no visible problems with pronouncing this sound, although the sound [ʊ] is not a complete analogue of our [у]. If you don’t pay attention to it, it turns out weaker, shorter, less intelligible than the first. This occurs due to the fact that we are not used to pronouncing such a combination of sounds. Having invested strength in the first sound, we relax due to the second, but it is the second sound in this diphthong that is the most striking feature of English pronunciation. For this reason, when pronouncing the second sound, we must not relax, but, on the contrary, pronounce it as clearly as possible, because the temptation to weaken it will always haunt us. When working through this diphthong, emphasize the second part.

sound, about [əˈ baʊ t], owl, power [ˈ paʊə], found, vowel [ ˈvaʊəl]

During training, you need to emphasize [u] in such a way - otherwise, during speech, you will want to swallow the second sound. In order for these sounds to be equivalent in real speech, during training the second sound must be pronounced more clearly and loudly. The diphthong itself does not cause problems with pronunciation, so training is needed specifically to maintain the second sound at the same level as the first.

night, my, cry, fine, mile, wives.

[eɪ]

make, take, may, rain, sale

Sound [ɪ] in itself does not cause difficulties, but is the cause of the most frequent and noticeable errors in pronunciation.

Firstly, it is often confused with long. This is not due to pronunciation problems, but to knowledge of transcription and individual words.

Another problem arises when the sound is part of a diphthong, e.g.

We have developed a certain rule for translating English names and words into Russian. Examples: website, Skype, drive, Mike Tyson...

In addition, we start learning a language with the alphabet. The first letter is A a hey, the ninth is I i ay. Logically, the word day - day should be pronounced as day, the word I - I - as ay, and May May as may. It’s very convenient and, in addition, foreigners will probably understand you and won’t even correct you if they are not your teachers. Such pronunciation does not affect understanding, but it greatly hurts the ears of native speakers. The fact is that, for example, in the word dinner - dinner [ˈdɪnə] we will not read [ɪ] as in the word it [ɪt] too.

We simply can't do it. That is, in this case, we will pronounce the sound “and”. Of course, the sound can change under the influence of neighboring sounds, but we tend to pronounce [th] instead of [i] because it’s convenient for us. When pronouncing hey and ay, two errors occur at once.

First of all, the second diphthong sound is not quite the same. Secondly, it becomes short and the second part of the diphthong becomes not long enough, that is, instead of two equal parts of the diphthong, we get one and a half sounds with an emphasis on the first.

For this reason, special attention should be paid to the second part of the diphthong, since we will not forget to pronounce the first.

We must always remember that when we speak English, even words of English origin must be pronounced in English, even first and last names, for example: Ma And to Ta And dream.

When training diphthongs (approximately [ai]) (approximately [ei]), you need to focus on the second sound, so as not to distort it later in speech.

Diphthongs. General characteristics.
Diphthongs , ,
Accent in diphthongs
Diphthongs , , ,
Diphthong
Diphthongs , ,
Diphthongs , ,
Thrifthongs

general characteristics

In addition to the five simple vowel sounds [a, e, i, o, u], in Spanish there are also complex vowel sounds - 14 diphthongs and 4 triphthongs. Diphthongs are the elements of two vowels that form a single and indivisible vowel sound pronounced in one syllable. Of the two elements of a diphthong, one always prevails over the other, forming the core of the diphthong. This core is always shock.

All diphthongs are divided into two large groups: ascending and descending. Ascending diphthongs are those that combine a weak and a strong vowel or two weak vowels (strong vowels a, o, e; weak vowels i, u). Falling diphthongs are those that combine strong and weak vowels.

Diphthongs , ,

In diphthongs, , the nucleus is the first element. The second element is the semivowel sound, common to all three diphthongs.
Diphthong -ai, ay. At first, the jaws and tongue occupy the same position as during articulation [a], then the jaws quickly close and the tongue moves forward, approaching the front of the palate, that is, a semivowel sound is pronounced [i].

Sounds like the one described above are often found in vowel mergers,
For example: An a y Pablo

ai And aw(at the end of words). For example:
hay, baile, Jaime, Justina y Vicente, Adelaida

Similar sounds in Russian are the non-syllabic and, pronounced after A,
For example: May, give it. It must be kept in mind that the diphthong is shorter and more intense.

Diphthong - ei, ey. The first part of the diphthong is articulated as a vowel [e]
For example: la pluma de Inés

In writing, this diphthong is represented by a combination of letters ei And eu(at the end of words).
Examples: peine, seis, veis, veinte, afeito, ley

Diphthong- oh, oh. The diphthong is first articulated as a vowel [o], the second part is like a semivowel. Sounds like , often found in vowel mergers,
For example: bonit o y feo

In writing, this diphthong is represented by a combination of letters oi and ou (at the end of words).
Examples: voy, sois, doy, heroico, soy, hoy, oigo

Accent in diphthongs

In diphthongs, the stress always falls on the nucleus. If the stress falls on a weak vowel, then this combination is not a diphthong, and in these cases an accent mark is placed.
For example: oí(compare: oigo)

Diphthongs , , ,

The common element for all these diphthongs is the sound [j], which is articulated as follows: the front part of the back of the tongue rises, approaching the hard palate, then falls, occupying the position necessary to pronounce the second element. The articulation of the first part of these diphthongs occurs very quickly. The sound seems to be sliding. The main stress falls on the core, that is, on the vowels e, o, a, and. In the Russian language there are sound combinations similar to these diphthongs. These sound combinations can be pronounced as one syllable, but when pronounced clearly, both sounds form different syllables. Compare for example: academia - academy, paciente - patient, familiar - familiar

Diphthong ie.
Examples: bien, quiero, quien, tiene, tiempo, viejo, siempre, viernes, también, ciento, quieto, defiende

Diphthong represented in writing by a letter combination io
Examples: periódico, ejercicio, habitatión, ediflcio, unión, limpio, canción, armario, dio, escritorio, biblioteca, despacio

Diphthong represented in writing by a letter combination ia
Examples: estudiante, limpia, estudia, sabia, gracias, inocencia, sucia

Diphthong represented in writing by a letter combination iu
It is a combination of two weak vowels, unlike the diphthongs described above. The emphasis falls on the second element.
Examples: viuda, veintiuno, ciudad, ciudadano, diurno

These four diphthongs appear not only within a word, but also at the junction of two words separated, for example, by the conjunction at.
Examples:
el lapiz y e l papel
gris y o scuro
querer at a mar
total u universal

If in vowel combinations ie, ia, io, iu the emphasis falls on i i there is a graphic accent mark.
For example: decía, poesía, día, vacío

Compare the following pairs of words:
tenia - tenia; periodico - periodo; pie - pie; miope - mío; diario - día; vacio - vacio

Diphthong

The core of this diphthong is the second element, that is, the sound [e]. When spoken [And], but when switching to pronouncing the kernel [e] the lips suddenly part and stretch out as if to smile. The most important thing here is speed and brevity of pronunciation. The first element is pronounced almost instantly, with a sharp sliding movement of the lips. In order to achieve such a pronunciation, the lips must prepare for articulation, stretching and rounding already when pronouncing the consonant sound preceding the diphthong (if there is one). For example, in the word puerta sound [R] pronounced with elongated and rounded lips.

In the Russian language, as you know, there are no diphthongs, but the most similar to Russian sounds are those that appear during fluent pronunciation of the combinations: this one, Emma's
Examples: puerta, luego, cruel, pueblo, nuestro, fuerte, nueve, fuera, ruego, suelo, nuevo

Diphthongs , ,

When pronouncing all these diphthongs, the same as when ue the lips initially take the same position as when [u], and then the core is pronounced (vowels a, o, i)

Diphthong ua at Anna's.
Examples: cuatro, cuaderno, lengua, cuadro, cuanto, cual, cuando, agua, guapo, guardia

Diphthong represented in writing by letters uo. The most similar Russian sound appears when pronouncing the combination fluently at Olya's.
Examples: evacuo, antiguo, continue, contiguo

Diphthong represented in writing by letters ui. In a word muy - uy. This diphthong is a combination of two weak vowels, unlike the diphthongs described above. The most similar Russian sound appears when pronouncing the combination fluently at Igor's.
Examples: muy, cuidado, ruido, ruina, ruiseñor

If in vowel combinations úa, úo, úi the emphasis falls on u, then such combinations are not diphthongs, and in this case over u there is an accent mark.
Examples: acentúa, acentúo, habitúa, dúo

Diphthongs , ,

In all these diphthongs the first element is the nucleus. The second element, common to all three diphthongs, is the semivowel sound [And]. At first, the jaws take the same position as when pronouncing vowels [a], [e], [o], but then the language, influenced by subsequent [And], pulls back. Then the lips vigorously extend and round, and the back of the back of the tongue rises, approaching the hard palate.

Diphthong - au. A very similar sound combination is obtained in Russian when pronouncing a word quickly pause
Examples: aula, sauce, causa, and a U sted, pausa

Diphthong - eu
Examples: feudal, pone Usted, deuda, come Usted

Diphthong - ou. This diphthong almost never occurs within words; it appears mainly in vowel mergers, for example:
termin o u n cuaderno, pregunt o u na cosa, trabaj o u nrato

Thrifthongs

A triphthong is a combination of three vowels (one strong between two weak). Triphthong, like diphthong, is pronounced as one syllable. The emphasis falls on the strong vowel.

Possible triphthongs:
iai - estudiáis, despreciáis
iei-limpieis
uai, uay - Uruguay, Paraguay; averiguais
uei, uey - buey; averigüéis

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