Don't Drop Your H's: 'Hotel' Needs That Breath

Modern Greek lost its 'h' sound many centuries ago, so words that look like they should start with a breathy 'h' in English can come out with no breath at all - 'hotel' becomes 'otel,' 'heart' becomes 'eart,' 'happy' becomes 'appy.' This kind of dropped-sound pattern is a classic, well-recognized transfer effect when a sound simply isn't part of a learner's native system anymore. The fix is simple but needs attention: before the vowel, push a small puff of breath out, almost like sighing gently, before your mouth shapes the vowel. Try 'hotel,' 'heart,' 'happy,' 'house' - breathe out audibly right before each vowel starts. Today, pick four 'h' words you use often and practice starting each one with an exaggerated breathy sigh before the vowel. This tiny habit prevents real confusion, like 'eat' versus 'heat.' You're adding back a small breath - and it makes a real difference!