60 Spanish Words That Start With R And How To Roll Your Rs With Explanation
Hola, Spanish language lovers!
You’re in for a treat if you’re looking to expand your Spanish vocabulary. In this post, we’re giving you 60 Spanish words that start with R. It’s a tricky letter in the Spanish alphabet, so we will also explain how you can pronounce it.
Spring Spanish (a project I co-founded) teacher Paulísima explains how you can roll your Rs in Spanish. You can master it!
And now, time for some fascinating facts about this letter, and to go through all of the Spanish words that start with R.
Let’s get started!
1. Fun Facts About the Spanish Letter R
The letter R is a star player in the Spanish alphabet, nestled between Q and S.
It’s pronounced with a thrilling rolling sound that adds the unique rhythm to Spanish.
Interestingly, the Spanish R has two variations: a single tap, as in pero (but), and a full roll, as in perro (dog). (More on this later.)
The truth is that there’s a fun fact about the letter R: In many Spanish-speaking countries, the pronunciation of R is different in every region – basically, the different Spanish dialects have their own pronunciations.
But how do you do it? Let’s roll!
2. How to roll your Rs in Spanish
Rolling your Rs can seem tricky at first… And to be honest, it’s not the easiest Spanish topic of all.
But!
We’re here to help you.
To roll your Rs, start by placing the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, just behind your upper front teeth. Make a strong breath of air flow across your tongue while keeping it still—this will create vibrations that produce that characteristic rolling sound.
A great exercise is to practice with words like perro (dog) or carro (car).
Start with the sound trrr or use a playful approach by pretending to imitate the purring of a cat to get your tongue and airflow in the right position.
Just don’t rush it! 😉
For a more in-depth guide, check out our dedicated article on how to roll your Rs in Spanish, where we break down tips and techniques to refine your skills even further.
3. Spanish verbs that start with R
Let’s kick things off with some action!
Here are some dynamic verbs that start with R to help you express what you love to do.
Spanish | English |
---|---|
reir | to laugh |
renunciar | to resign |
recibir | to receive |
romper | to break |
recorrer | to travel around |
responder | to respond |
repetir | to repeat |
revisar | to review |
regresar | to return |
remar | to row |
rendir | to yield |
reclamar | to claim |
retirar | to withdraw |
reflejar | to reflect |
rellenar | to fill |
4. Spanish nouns that start with R
Next up, let’s explore some Spanish nouns.
These words can help you describe anything: people, places, and things that are all around you.
Spanish | English |
---|---|
el río | river |
la reina | queen |
el ratón | mouse |
la ropa | clothes |
la relación | relationship |
el reloj | clock |
el restaurante | restaurant |
el regalo | gift |
la residencia | residence |
la roca | rock |
el recurso | resource |
el rumor | rumor |
la revolución | revolution |
la razón | reason |
la república | republic |
5. Spanish adjectives that start with R
Now, let’s sprinkle some descriptions into our vocabulary.
Here are adjectives starting with R to help you express yourself better.
Spanish | English |
---|---|
rápido | fast |
rico | rich/delicious |
realista | realistic |
raro | rare/strange |
resistente | resistant |
roto | broken |
rojo | red |
refrescante | refreshing |
rítmico | rhythmic |
repugnante | disgusting |
radiante | radiant |
reverente | reverent |
robusto | robust |
reacio | reluctant |
respetuoso | respectful |
6. Common Spanish adverbs that start with R
Last but not least, let’s add some adverbs to enhance your sentences and make them more fluid!
Spanish | English |
---|---|
rápidamente | quickly |
recientemente | recently |
regularmente | regularly |
realmente | really |
rigurosamente | rigorously |
resueltamente | resolutely |
rotundamente | emphatically |
respetuosamente | respectfully |
retóricamente | rhetorically |
repentinamente | suddenly |
repetidamente | repeatedly |
radicalmente | radically |
repetidamente | repeatedly |
relajadamente | relaxedly |
revolucionariamente | revolutionarily |
7. Learn Spanish Words That Start With R with Conversation-Based Chunking
Now that we’ve compiled an extensive list of Spanish words beginning with R, it’s time to apply them in practical situations.
But how do you do that?
The Conversation Based Chunking technique is an effective method for learning vocabulary by incorporating words into realistic dialogues.
For example, don’t just memorize these words one by one but practice them in your own Spanish sentences:
- El coche es rápido (The car is fast).
If you learn like this, you’ll know that rápido can be used like this in context, and won’t just remember it’s meaning alone.