Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches
Five words, but the word “wristwatches” alone has a cluster that most people trip on: ST, then W, then CH and a plural ending. Say it twice in one sentence, with “Swiss” in between, and you have a short tongue twister that feels like a long one.
Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?
More tongue twisters for the same sounds
- The shy musician closes her eyes, then sings the soft, easy phrases.
- Sofia's husband chooses zesty sauces and seasons the soup with sea salt.
- Zoe's sister surely shouldn't share these secrets, so she says she's sorry and sits in silence.
- The sushi chef slices fresh salmon, sprinkles sesame seeds and serves six small dishes to the hungry guests.
- Zach's cautious sister says he shouldn't sell the seaside house, so he shares it with his six cousins each summer.
- The busy shop assistant shows shoppers six shirts, seven scarves and a dozen shiny zippers, and sells them all by sunset.
Other famous tongue twisters for these sounds
- She sees cheese
- Selfish shellfish
- Sheep should sleep in a shed
- Sure the ship's shipshape, sir
- Irish wristwatch, Swiss wristwatch
- Six slippery snails
- If a dog chews shoes
- Should such a shapely sash
- A noisy noise annoys an oyster
- Swan swam over the sea
- Susie works in a shoeshine shop
- She sells seashells by the seashore
Where to breathe
- Which wristwatches
- are Swiss wristwatches?
Why the word wristwatches is so hard
Say “wristwatches” slowly: R, short I, S, T, W, short O, CH, a weak vowel and Z. In the middle, “-stw-”, there are three consonants with no vowel between them, and the tongue has to go from the ridge behind the teeth straight to rounded lips. Then CH and a Z ending follow. It is a lot of work for one word.
The usual slips are “wristwatchers”, “wrishwatches”, “ristwashes” or dropping the T: “wriswatches”. The W in “wrist” is silent, so the word starts with R, and some people add a W sound there by mistake.
“Swiss” adds an SW cluster, and “which” at the start ends in CH. So the line keeps changing between S, SH-like CH and W, and those three sounds are the ones that blur first.
How to learn it
Build “wristwatches” from parts: “wrist”, then “watch”, then “watches”. Make the T in “wrist” clear before the W of “watch”. When you join them, keep a tiny gap at first: “wrist · watches”.
Then add “Swiss”. Say “Swiss wristwatches” slowly, with a clean S at the start of “Swiss” and a clean R at the start of “wrist”. These two are the most likely to swap.
Finally, say the whole question with a rising voice at the end, as if you were really asking. A natural tone helps the rhythm. Add speed only while both “wrist” sounds keep their T.
Questions about this tongue twister
- Is the W in wristwatch pronounced?
- No. The first W is silent, so “wrist” sounds like “rist”. The second W, in “watch”, is pronounced. This mix of silent and spoken letters is one more reason the word is hard.
Keep practicing
Practice with a timer
In DramaLab, the speed ladder is an exercise: it gives you tongue twisters one by one, walks you up the five steps and keeps time. No sign-up needed.