Introduction
Do you like challenges? I’m going to show you the 10 most difficult Spanish words to pronounce. These are words that even Spanish speakers can’t pronounce easily, and I dare you to try to pronounce each of them. Get ready to put your Spanish pronunciation skills to the test in this article (video also included). And I’ll give you a tough challenge at the end, so get ready.
1. Esternocleidomastoideo (Sternocleidomastoid)
It’s a muscle in the neck, just in case you don’t know. When any Spaniard gets asked about a long word, this is the first one that comes to mind. I remember that in preschool our teachers taught this word to us as the longest word in Spanish. But I have found some other longer words that I will show you at the end of the article/video.
Repeat after me: esternocleidomastoideo
2. Ferrocarril (Railway)
This one is not hard for Spanish speakers, but foreigners struggle a lot with that strong R sound.
Try to pronounce it: Ferrocarril
3. Otorrinolaringólogo (Otolaryngologist)
The doctor specialized in ears, nose and throat. Otorrinolaringología (otorhinolaryngology) is one letter longer. So let’s go with that one.
Try to pronounce it: Otorrinolaringología.
4. Desoxirribonucleico (Deoxyribonucleic)
It’s an acid in genetic material, in the DNA. Btw, it’s “ADN” (pronounced “a de ene”) in Spanish, for “ácido desoxirribonucleico.”
Try to pronounce it: Desoxirribonucleico
5. Paralelepípedo (Parallelepiped, geometry vocabulary)
I had never heard this word before. This is a paralelepípedo.
via Wikipedia
I knew it as something else, I never heard this term for this.
Try to pronounce it: Paralelepípedo
6. Ovovivíparo (Ovoviviparous)
This is an animal that lays eggs but the eggs remain in the mother’s body until they are quite developed. Ovovivíparo. Too many Vs.
Try it! Remember that in Spanish, the pronunciation of B and V is the same.
Try to pronounce it: Ovovivíparo
7. Electroencefalografista (Electroencephalographer)
Doctor that studies the graphs of the electrical discharges of the cerebral cortex.
Try to pronounce it: Electroencefalografista
8. Hipopotomonstrosesquipedaliofobia
Fear to pronounce long and complex words. Ironic. The person who invented this word was evil.
Try to pronounce it: Hipopotomonstrosesquipedaliofobia
9. Supercalifragilísticoespialidoso (Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious)
From the dubbing of Mary Poppins in Spanish. The song in Spanish sounds like this.
Try it out!
Supercalifragilisticoespialidoso
Aunque suene extravagante, raro y espantoso
Si lo dice con soltura sonará armonioso
Supercalifragilisticoespialidoso
10. Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
Medical term for a disease of the lungs caused by silica poisoning. I think it’s the same in English. But I dare you to pronounce it the Spanish way: Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
Conclusion
I’m sure you did great! If you are keen to learn to pronounce difficult words in Spanish, try this Spanish tongue twister:
El perro de San Roque no tiene rabo porque Ramón Ramírez se lo ha cortado (Saint Roque’s dog doesn’t have a tail because Ramón Ramírez cut it off.)
Do you know other Spanish words that you find very difficult to pronounce? Write it in the comments!
