Três pratos de trigo para três tigres tristes
Três pratos de trigo para três tigres tristes
Three plates of wheat for three sad tigers
Why Is It Hard?
The tr cluster appears in três (three), trigo (wheat), and tristes (sad) while pr appears in pratos (plates). Switching between tr and pr at speed while also tracking the repeated três creates a three-way phonetic collision. This is widely considered the hardest standard Portuguese tongue twister.
History
This tongue twister is the Portuguese equivalent of Italian tre tigri contro tre tigri and Spanish tres tristes tigres. The parallel across Romance languages suggests a shared origin, possibly a Latin speech drill that evolved separately in each language. It is used in Brazilian and Portuguese schools as a diction exercise.
Tips for Saying It
- Master the tr cluster: tongue behind top teeth, pop the t before rolling.
- Distinguish três (three) from trigo (wheat) from tristes (sad) before combining.
- Clap the syllables: très pra-tos de tri-go pa-ra très ti-gres tris-tes.
More Portuguese Tongue Twisters
- Portuguese Tongue Twisters — full collection
- Spanish Tongue Twisters — tres tristes tigres in Spanish
- Italian Tongue Twisters — tre tigri in Italian
Find hundreds more on alltonguetwisters.com.