How to pronounce “por favor” in Spanish

How to pronounce "por favor" in 3 Spanish accents

Slashes show the phonetic spelling (IPA) — how it sounds, not how it’s written. . separates syllables; ˈ marks the stressed one.

Voices are generated separately from the transcription and may not reflect it exactly. Real speakers vary.

About "por favor"

Meaning "please," por favor is one of the first phrases you'll reach for in Spanish, useful any time you make a request, ask for help, or want to soften a command. Pronounce it as two smooth words run lightly together: the r in por is a single tap, not the heavy English r, and favor has the stress on the second syllable, fa-VOR, with the v sounding closer to a soft b produced with both lips barely touching. That leads straight to the number one mistake English speakers make: pronouncing the v like a hard English V, pressing your top teeth to your lower lip. In Spanish, that sharp distinction between b and v largely disappears, so relax and let both lips do the work. Etymologically, favor comes from Latin favor, meaning goodwill or partiality, so the phrase literally asks someone to do you a favor. Pronunciation is reassuringly consistent across Mexican, Castilian, and Rioplatense Spanish, so what you practice here will serve you well everywhere you travel.