04. [d]

/d/ as in DAY /d/LADDER /ˈlædɚ/, and BED /bɛd/.

PRONOUNCING /d/ 

TONGUE TIP: is firmly pressed against gum ridge behind upper front teeth.

AIRSTREAM: 

is stopped and then 

exploded.  

VOCAL CORDS: are vibrating.

The sound /d/ in English is similar to the sound of the letter d when it begins a word or follows n or l in Spanish.

SPANISH KEY WORDS WITH /d/

Spanish words have this sound when d begins a word or follows n or l. 

KEY WORDS:
mundo    mandar    aldea    decir

POSSIBLE PRONUNCIATION PROBLEMS FOR THE SPANISH SPEAKER

The sound /d/ should be produced with the tip of your tongue touching the upper gum ridge and NOT the back of your upper front teeth or placed between your teeth as in many Spanish words. If you don't touch the upper gum ridge when saying /d/ it will contribute to your accent. It might even sound like /ð/.

EXAMPLES:

If you say /ð/ instead of /d/:   

ladder /ˈlædɚ/ will sound like lather /ˈlæðɚ/ 

breeding /ˈbridɪŋ/ will sound like breathing /ˈbriðɪŋ/

When /d/ is the last sound in a word, many Spanish speakers forget to make their vocal cords vibrate. This will make /d/ sound like a /t/ and confuse your listeners.

EXAMPLES:

If you say /t/ instead of /d/:   

card /kɑrd/ will sound like cart /kɑrt/                      

bed /bɛd/ will sound like bet /bɛt

Your /d/ will be perfect if you press the tip of your tongue against the gum ridge behind your upper front teeth and add voicing. Don't forget to prac­tice /d/ every day!

EXERCISE A

The following words should be pronounced with /d/. Pronounce them carefully. Be sure your tongue tip touches the upper gum ridge.

/dAt the Beginning

/dIn the Middle

/d/ At the End

do /du/

dog /dɔɡ/

day /deɪ/

desk /dɛsk/

door /dɔr/

dime /daɪm/

down /daʊn/

dozen /ˈdʌzən/

doctor /ˈdɑktɚ/

different /ˈdɪfrənt/

body /ˈbɑdi/

soda /ˈsoʊdə/

under /ˈʌndɚ/

today /təˈdeɪ/

older /oʊldɚ/

order /ˈɔrdɚ/window /ˈwɪndoʊ/pudding /ˈpʊdɪŋ/Sunday /ˈsʌndeɪ/

medicine 
/ˈmɛdəsən/

bad /bæd/di/dɪd/en/ɛnd/sai/sɛd/food /fud/card /kɑrd/cold /koʊld/brea/brɛd/buil/bɪld/woul/wʊd/

EXERCISE B

Read the following pairs of words aloud. Be sure to press your tongue tip against the upper gum ridge and to make your vocal cords vibrate for /d/. Remember to prolong any vowel BEFORE the consonant /d/.

/d/

/t/

be/bɛd/ma/mæd/nee/nid/har/hɑrd/bride /braɪd/hide /haɪd/wade /weɪd/

bet /bɛt/ 

mat /mæt/

neat /nit/

heart /hɑrt/

bright /braɪt/ 

height /haɪt/

wait /weɪt/

EXERCISE C

Read the following phrases and sentences aloud. The boldface words should be pronounced with /d/.

a good  idea

ə  ɡʊd  aɪˈd

one hundred dollars

wʌn  ˈhʌndrɪd  ˈdɑlɚz

end of the road

ɛnd  ʌv  ðə  roʊd

a bad cold

ə  d  koʊld

What’s today’s date?

wʌts  təˈdeɪz  deɪt?

How do you do?

haʊ  du  yu  du?

What did you order for dinner?

wʌt  dɪd  yu  ˈɔrdɚ  fɔr  ˈdɪnɚ?

Wendy is a wonderful dancer.

ˈwendi  ɪz  ə  ˈwʌndɚfəl  ˈdænsɚ.

We landed in London at dawn.

wi ˈlændɪd  ɪn  ˈlʌndən  æt  dɔn.

Send dad a birthday card.

sɛnd  dæd  ə  ˈbɚθdeɪ  kɑrd.

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