A Cuban woman on TikTok has shared a set of rules that, according to her, will help you speak like a native of Havana. "I’m going to teach you how to speak Cuban, specifically Havana style," said the young woman named Via Cuba on TikTok.
"The intermediate 'R' is silent, my love. What you do is eliminate it and emphasize the following letter," she explained. According to the young woman, the second rule is related to the letter 'L': "The same thing happens."
"Remember those 'ADO' and 'ADA' endings? Forget them, because the 'D' doesn’t sound," she pointed out.
The topic is controversial, as seen in the comments, where some argue that it’s more about age or even education level than a distinct "Havana" style of speech.
However, this is not the first time someone on TikTok has approached this topic. Alejandro Buján addressed the controversy of Havana accents on the platform and said, "I’ll teach you to do the Cuban accent in 15 seconds. When you have an 'R' followed by a consonant, all you have to do is double the consonant."
"For example: 'Está en el cuatto [cuarto]; Asere, de veddá [verdad] yo se lo dije; Todas las flechas se tiran con buenos accos [arcos]. Es que mi color favorito es el vedde [verde]; Yo lo estaba ogganizando pero se regó,'" Buján concluded on TikTok, and he asked for many likes to make a second part.
Understanding Havana's Unique Accent
To delve deeper into the accent and speech patterns unique to Havana, here are some frequently asked questions and their answers.
Why do Havana natives drop certain letters?
According to speakers like Via Cuba and Alejandro Buján, Havana natives often drop letters like R, D, and L to create a distinct speech pattern. This could be influenced by local linguistic traditions and social factors.
Is this speech pattern unique to Havana?
While it is commonly associated with Havana, some argue that this speech pattern can be found in other parts of Cuba and may be influenced by age or education level.
How can I learn to speak like a Havana native?
Watching TikTok videos from creators like Via Cuba and Alejandro Buján can provide helpful tips and examples. Practicing these rules and paying attention to the pronunciation can also help.