I can't pronounce [r] (IPA), how can I fix this?

Question

I can't pronounce [r] or any sounds that are related (excluding the French "r," or Arabic غ(Inverted R in IPA) .) . I can't make that vibration of the tounge. I'm 13 and till now I can't pronounce it (although I tried.). I think that now I can't even hear people say [r] unless they vibrate there tounge for a long time or strongly. Can you help me pronounce it?

Actually, my mother tounge ain't English. However, we do have the letter "R" which is pronounced under any circumstance even before a vowel.

I tried the first answer and /θ/ (RP)
got out. What you say is logical but I couldn't do it practically.

It's sort of hard to flap d's too, but guess it'll just need sometime, God willing.

I don't mean flapping itself. It's easy, but when I repeat it, I don't feel any better in "r." (As a matter of fact, I tried it for ten minutes. Not enough, tell me about it. But, well, my tounge have got tired.)

I mean "HAS got tired." lol

Answer 1

The alveolar thrill is something difficult for some people. As I speak Spanish, it represents no problem for me though.

mmm... do you promise to follow instructions no matter how retard you'll sound by trying?
This explanation is not mine, but I think it is the best one I have found.

Ok, pronounce a [d] for me. Do it in slow motion. What you'll notice is that your tongue seals off the entire roof of your mouth (there is this "ring" along the inside of your teeth that your toungue keeps sealed off in all places), then builds up pressure, and then the thing just "explodes" and you hear a [d]. So what we did here was 2 things: build op pressure, then give way.

For [r], take the same start. Seal off, build up pressure as if you're about to say a [d]. Now, don't let go, but instead, relax the tongue a little, while you keep on sealing off the rest the ring (after all, we want the air to flow over the tip of the tongue, not escape along the sides). So relax it a little, especially the tip. Keep the pressure. This way, the air will force itself through a narrow opening it creates in the front. The tip of the tongue is still sort of against it, but sloppily giving way and then closing, giving way, closing.. (this happens because when the air flows it creates a low pressure zone sucking the tongue against it to restore the seal, but that's irrelevant so ignore this comment )

This is the basic idea. It won't work when you try right now, that's normal. Some hints to enhance the chance of success:

- When you have sealed off the roof of your mouth, inspect the position of the tip of the tongue a little, notice that you can move it forward, towards the front teeth, and backwards, towards this ridge, without letting any air escape. Find a position which is most conventient for you before you start letting go. I myself position the tip of the tongue right on that ridge.
- If you are just getting [d] sounds out of it, your tongue is too forgiving - let it fight a little more against the air flow!
- Important throughout all of this is, the tip has to be relaxed you want it to flap, it has to be flexible then. If you tense it, it won't work. So when you try and it doesn't work, don't make it too tense out of frustration because that only makes it worse

Answer 2

Okay, well, it all depends on what type of English you speak. If you are an American, then learning a normal aveolar trill is a piece of cake.

When you have a

Answer 3

what is your native language? maybe you have a small speech impediment i knew a girl who for the life of her could not pronounce english str like strip or street.