Yes or Jes? English J Isn't Spanish Y

Say the word 'yes' and then 'jet'. In Spanish, the y in 'yo' is often a soft glide, and it's tempting to use that same soft sound for English words spelled with j, like 'job', 'juice', or 'just'. But English dʒ starts with your tongue fully touching the roof of your mouth, almost like a quick d, before releasing into a soft 'zh'. Without that contact, 'job' can sound like 'yob', and listeners may briefly mishear the word. Try this: put your tongue firmly behind your top teeth ridge, hold for a beat, then release into 'job'. Practice with 'jam', 'juice', and 'January', pressing that contact each time. Spend two minutes exaggerating the stop before the glide. It will feel heavier than your instinct, but that weight is exactly what makes the word land clearly.