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Listen and compare · 11

CEFR B1

Review the contrast after listening

¿Viene Ana?

/ˈbjene ˈana/

Is Ana coming? A yes/no information question.

¿Cuándo viene Ana?

/ˈkwando ˈbjene ˈana/

When is Ana coming? The time is missing.

What tells the two sounds apart

  • yes/noFor this neutral castellano model, use a rising ending in ¿Viene Ana? Do not raise every syllable.
  • wh-questionFor the neutral cuándo question here, use a falling ending. The question word already identifies the missing information.

Why it is hard

A question mark does not require one universal tune. The pair compares two information needs, not a minimal sound contrast. This careful Spain model uses a rise for the neutral yes/no questions and a fall for the neutral question-word questions here. Many Spanish regions use other question contours; a falling yes/no question is not inherently wrong. Task: Listen to the first six questions with the written model and information notes closed. Write the information requested in each and describe the ending you actually heard; keep those two observations separate. Then open the support and compare, allowing other regional contours. Ask for the departure time of a train you know exists, then ask whether a train leaves today; produce both and explain the expected replies.

¿A qué hora sale el tren?

To practise

  1. ¿Sale el tren?/ˈsale el tɾen/Does the train leave? Ask whether it does.
  2. ¿Dónde sale el tren?/ˈdonde ˈsale el tɾen/Where does the train leave from? Ask for a place.
  3. ¿Tienes el libro?/ˈtjenes el ˈlibɾo/Do you have the book? Ask yes or no.
  4. ¿Quién tiene el libro?/kjen ˈtjene el ˈlibɾo/Who has the book? Ask for a person.