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Listen and compare · 9

CEFR B1

Review the contrast after listening

Lo preparo.

/lo pɾeˈpaɾo/

I prepare it; lo belongs to the verb group

Yo lo preparo.

/ʝo lo pɾeˈpaɾo/

I prepare it; yo can contrast with another person

What tells the two sounds apart

  • lo + verbLo is an unstressed object pronoun here. Say it with preparo without a separate beat or pause.
  • yoYo is a tonic pronoun. In the contrasting reading, give yo prominence while keeping lo light.

Why it is hard

English learners may give every written word an equally strong beat. Spanish me, te, lo and se can be unstressed parts of a verb group. The pair contrasts a neutral action report with a reply about the person responsible, not two phonemes. The model is careful yeísta Spain Spanish; regional y sounds, including Río de la Plata pronunciations, are legitimate. Task: Listen to the first two utterances with the words, IPA and meaning notes closed. Repeat what you heard, identify the word that sounds prominent in each and describe whether lo receives a separate strong beat. Record no audible difference if the models do not contrast. Then compare with the support and read the four practice groups without internal pauses. Answer ¿Qué haces con el informe? and ¿Quién prepara el informe, tú o Ana?, using a person contrast in the second reply; explain why lo stays unstressed.

Ana lo revisa y yo lo preparo.

To practise

  1. Me lo trae./me lo ˈtɾae/He or she brings it to me.
  2. Te lo mando./te lo ˈmando/I send it to you.
  3. Se lo digo./se lo ˈdiɡo/I tell it to him, her or them.
  4. Lo voy a leer./lo boi a leˈeɾ/I am going to read it.