The tl sound you can't split in two in Spanish

1. 1
   tlacoyo/tlaˈkoʝo/iAlso said tlaˈkoʃo or tlaˈkoʒo.

   tlacoyonoun

   A thick oval tortilla filled with beans.
2. 2
   huitlacoche/witlaˈkotʃe/

   huitlacochenoun

   A black mushroom that grows on corn and is eaten as food.
3. 3
   tlacuache/tlaˈkwatʃe/

   opossumnoun

   A nocturnal animal that carries its young on its back.
4. 4
   tlapalería/tlapaleˈɾia/

   hardware storenoun

   A store that sells paint, nails, tools and things for fixing up a house.
5. 5
   náhuatl/ˈnawatl/

   Nahuatladjective

   Belonging to the language spoken by the Aztecs.
6. 6
   atleta/aˈtleta/

   athletenoun

   A person who competes in a sport.
7. 7
   atlético/aˈtletiko/

   athleticadjective

   Having to do with athletes.
8. 8
   atlántico/aˈtlantiko/

   Atlanticadjective

   Belonging to the ocean that separates the Americas from Europe.
9. 9
   triatlón/tɾjaˈtlon/

   triathlonnoun

   A race combining swimming, cycling and running one after another.
10. 10
    practicar/pɾaktiˈkaɾ/

    to practiceverb

    To do something many times to get better at it.

The sentences

1. ¿Me da un tlacoyo de huitlacoche, por favor?

   Could I get a huitlacoche tlacoyo, please?

2. ¿Las quesadillas de huitlacoche llevan queso o no?

   Do the huitlacoche quesadillas come with cheese or not?

3. Anoche vi un tlacuache cargando a sus crías.

   Last night I saw an opossum carrying its young.

4. Voy a la tlapalería a comprar clavos y pintura.

   I'm going to the hardware store to buy nails and paint.

5. Tlacoyo es una palabra de origen náhuatl.

   Tlacoyo is a word that comes from Nahuatl.

6. Mi prima es atleta y entrena todas las mañanas.

   My cousin is an athlete and trains every morning.

7. Se nota que eres muy atlético, ¿haces ejercicio?

   You can tell you're really athletic, do you work out?

8. ¿Este pescado viene de algún puerto atlántico?

   Does this fish come from some Atlantic port?

9. Este año quiero terminar mi primer triatlón.

   This year I want to finish my first triathlon.

10. Tengo que practicar mucho para decir bien huitlacoche.

    I have to practice a lot to say huitlacoche right.

Pronunciation

• tlacoyo/tlaˈkoʝo/

  The t and l are joined together, with no vowel between them: tla-co-yo, not te-la-co-yo.

• huitlacoche/witlaˈkotʃe/

  The stress falls on CO: hui-tla-CO-che.

• tlacuache/tlaˈkwatʃe/

  The t and l are joined together, with no vowel between them: tla-cua-che.

• náhuatl/ˈnawatl/

  The h is silent.

• atleta/aˈtleta/

  The t and l fall together in the same syllable: a-tle-ta, not at-le-ta.

• atlético/aˈtletiko/

  The t and l fall together in the same syllable: a-tlé-ti-co, not at-lé-ti-co.

• atlántico/aˈtlantiko/

  The t and l fall together in the same syllable: a-tlán-ti-co, not at-lán-ti-co.

• triatlón/tɾjaˈtlon/

  The t and l fall together at the end: tria-tlón, not triat-lón.

Good to know

comida callejera

At markets it's normal to eat standing up or sitting on a bench next to the stall. You can usually watch your tlacoyo being made right in front of you.

pago en efectivo

Many market stalls only take cash. It's worth carrying small bills and coins since they don't always have change for large ones.

salsas al gusto

Most stalls set out several salsas on the table for you to help yourself. One is usually spicier than the other, so it's worth tasting before you serve yourself.

propina

At food stalls a tip isn't always expected the way it is at a restaurant, but leaving some coins is a gesture that's appreciated.

Questions

How do you pronounce the tl in tlacoyo?

The t and l are pronounced together in the same syllable, with no vowel between them: tla-co-yo, not te-la-co-yo.

What is huitlacoche?

It's a black mushroom that grows on corn and is eaten as food, and its name is stressed on the CO: hui-tla-CO-che.

What language does the word tlacoyo come from?

It comes from Náhuatl, the language spoken by the Aztecs.