Stop Saying “Estop” and “Espanish”! Fix This Common Pronunciation Mistake

Are you accidentally saying “estop” instead of stop? Or maybe “espanish” instead of Spanish? If so, don’t worry — you’re not alone.

This pronunciation issue is especially common among Spanish speakers and learners whose first languages don’t allow words to begin with /s/ + consonant clusters, like st, sp, or sk. But the good news is: this is 100% fixable — and we’ll show you exactly how.

What’s the Problem?

Let’s look at a few examples:

• ❌ estop → ✅ stop

• ❌ espeaking → ✅ speaking

• ❌ espanish → ✅ Spanish

This habit happens because in Spanish (and some other languages), words simply can’t begin with an “s” followed by another consonant. So your brain tries to “fix” this unfamiliar pattern by adding a vowel at the start — usually an “e”.

The Technical Term: Prothesis

In linguistics, inserting a sound into a word is called epenthesis.

But when that sound is inserted at the beginning of a word, it’s more specifically called prothesis.

So, when you say eschool instead of school or espaghetti instead of spaghetti, you’re using prothesis.

How to Fix It: A Brain Hack That Works

Now for the fun part — how do you stop saying “estop” and “espanish”?

Let’s take the sentence:

I can’t stop speaking Spanish.

Here’s what you do: reposition the “s” to trick your brain into thinking it’s not at the start of a word anymore.

Step-by-step:

1. Move the “s” from stop to the end of can’t:
    🡒 can’ts

2. Move the “s” from speaking to the end of stop:
    🡒 tops

3. Move the “s” from Spanish to the end of speaking:
    🡒 speakings

Now, repeat the sentence like this:

“I can’ts tops speakings panish.”

Sounds a little odd, right? But that’s the point! Your brain will now stop inserting that extra “e” sound, because the “s” isn’t where it normally triggers that mistake.

Practice this a few times, then go back to the correct version — you’ll likely say it without the added vowel.

Why This Trick Works

Your brain is wired to follow the sound rules of your first language. Since Spanish doesn’t allow words to begin with /st/ or /sp/, your brain “fixes” it by adding a vowel.

This trick reprograms that instinct by rearranging the sounds, and it works surprisingly well. With just a few minutes of practice, you’ll sound more fluent and natural in English.

Who Is This For?

✅ English learners who speak Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese
✅ ESL students at any level
✅ ESL teachers looking for practical classroom tips
✅ Anyone trying to reduce their foreign accent in English

Final Thoughts

Breaking pronunciation habits can be tough, but with simple tricks like this one, it becomes easier and even fun.

If you found this helpful, check out our full Pronunciation Correction Room (PCR) video series on YouTube. We correct real pronunciation problems, explain why they happen, and give you tools to fix them fast.

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