# Rule 4: After a vowel, drop the *r*

Rule 4 of 6.

> **The rule:** Say *r* only when a vowel sound comes straight after it.

In Standard English, say _r_ only when a vowel sound comes straight after it, even if that vowel starts the next word. In every other case the _r_ is silent: car is kaa, hard is haad, and computer ends in tə. Vowel endings offer a familiar starting point for Kinyarwanda speakers. Follow the examples to practise this pattern.

**Figure: The _r_ you don't say.** Each word is written with an _r_, but no vowel sound comes after it, so you don't say it. ● marks words that end in a vowel, just like Kinyarwanda words.

- ca~~r~~ → kaa ●
- mo~~r~~e → moo ●
- ha~~r~~d → haad
- wo~~r~~k → wəək
- fi~~r~~st → fəəst
- wate~~r~~ → **woo**-tə ●
- compute~~r~~ → kəm-**pyuu**-tə ●

## The əə vowel

Without the _r_, words like work and first depend on one long vowel, əə. Start with a relaxed tongue in the middle of your mouth and lips in their normal position. Hold the vowel longer and match the recording, listening to its sound as well as its length.

> **How to check:**
>
> Check in a mirror that your lips don't move; the result must not sound like oo [oo](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/snd-oo.mp3?v=35e669e037c6) (walk) or aa [aa](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/snd-aa.mp3?v=ea9801b2b9d6) (hard).

| Say əə | Not to be confused with |
| - | - |
| work (wəək) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/er-work.mp3?v=d0a4133572ec) | walk (wook) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/er-walk.mp3?v=a8f5c5a2c300) |
| first (fəəst) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/er-first.mp3?v=848358322aad) | fast (faast) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/er-fast.mp3?v=9e0fa6c59c2d) |
| heard (həəd) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/er-heard.mp3?v=99f09773ff0a) | hard (haad) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/er-hard.mp3?v=db4b7fbd6555) |
| burn (bəən) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/er-burn.mp3?v=0d09641ac1c5) | barn (baan) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/er-barn.mp3?v=3f6184d38ea5) |
| hurt (həət) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/er-hurt.mp3?v=5792b4d6ed95) | heart (haat) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/er-heart.mp3?v=fe3b3fcb7d5f) |
| turn (təən) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/er-turn.mp3?v=11b3ebb53c06) | torn (toon) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/er-torn.mp3?v=1c23bf679f0e) |

## _r_ before a vowel in the next word

Say the _r_ when the next word starts with a vowel sound.

**_r_ before a vowel in the next word**

| Word | Say this (Standard English) |
| - | - |
| far away | faa rə-**wei** [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/lr-far-away.mp3?v=7ef9543b11e7) |
| four hours | foo **rau**-əz [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/lr-four-hours.mp3?v=89e32ff81b37) |
| never again | **ne**-və rə-**gen** [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/lr-never-again.mp3?v=0cc4546df3b0) |

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From Clear English Rwanda: https://clear-english.rw/rules/drop-the-r

Previous: [3. Keep *r* and *l* apart](https://clear-english.rw/rules/r-and-l.md) · Next: [5. Keep the o in hot, job and stop](https://clear-english.rw/rules/short-o.md) · All pages: https://clear-english.rw/llms.txt