If Speaking isn't recognizing your attempt at all, start with our general tips in Why is Speaking not recognizing what I am saying? — things like recording technique, background noise, and using the playback feature to review your recording can solve a lot of issues.
If your recording sounds clear but words like ala, afanar, or amarrar still aren't being recognized, the issue is likely about Spanish vowel sounds. Here's what's going on.
Spanish vowels work differently than English ones
In a word like ala or afanar, both a's sound exactly the same: short, clean, and clear, with the stress on the first a.
In English, vowels often come out a bit long and neutral — so when you're used to English sounds, that habit naturally carries over into your Spanish. But every Spanish vowel has one single, distinctive, short sound that never changes, and they're subtly but meaningfully different from their closest English equivalents.
The trick: think short, crisp, and consistent. Don't let your a's drift or stretch — keep them tight and identical to each other.
This is one of the last things to click — and that's normal
The gap between English and Spanish vowels is one of those things that takes time.
The subtle distinctions that feel obvious to a native Spanish ear don't really exist in English (and vice versa), so your brain naturally maps Spanish vowels to the closest English sound it already knows. That's completely normal, and it's one of the last things to fully click for English speakers learning Spanish.
But it does click — with time and practice.
What to do in the meantime
Being really close is already a big win, and it's absolutely valid to not be 100% there yet. Our recommendation:
Keep practicing through other activities and lessons
Give it a little time — your ear and mouth learn together, gradually
Come back to tricky words like afanar when they feel right
Don't let one word block your progress — Speaking exercises don't affect your lesson score, so tap Continue and move on if you need to
Every attempt counts, even the imperfect ones. ¡Ánimo!