Spanish word

tartamudear

Pronunciation

IPA/taɾtamuðeˈaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbstutter

Example

A veces tartamudeo cuando estoy nervioso.

When I'm nervous, I sometimes stutter.

Illustration for tartamudear (stutter)

More examples

No quiero tartamudear durante la presentación.

I don't want to stutter during the presentation.

Core concept

Repetition of a sound or syllable that breaks the flow of speech.

Common phrases

  • tartamudear al hablar

    stutter when speaking

  • tartamudear delante de la gente

    stutter in front of people

Similar words

trabarse: Tongue or mouth movements freeze, causing a temporary blockage of speech.
titubear: Hesitates or falters while speaking, producing stops that break the flow.
balbucear: Speaks in unclear, broken fragments, with mumbled or halting syllables.

Definition in Spanish

Producir repeticiones o bloqueos involuntarios al hablar que interrumpen el flujo normal de la frase.

Word origin

From the noun tartamudo 'stutterer' plus the verbal suffix -ear, with tartamudo likely originating as an imitative word echoing repeated sounds.

Usage tips

  • Use tartamudear for the speech disorder or habitual stuttering, while Spanish speakers often say me he trabado or me trabé to report a temporary speech blockage.

Other meanings

  • hesitate in speechverb
  • stammerverb

Opposites

  • hablar con fluidezspeak fluentlyverb
  • hablar con solturaspeak with easeverb

Related words

  • tartamudezstutteringnoun
  • tartamudostutteringadjective
  • tartamudeantestutter-proneadjective

Word lists with this word