Time or Tine? Watch Your Final N and M

In Brazilian Portuguese, a word-final M or N often doesn't fully close — instead, the vowel before it just goes nasal, like a hum through your nose. English doesn't allow that shortcut: words like 'time,' 'man,' and 'run' need your lips or tongue to actually close completely at the end. Skipping that closure can make 'time' sound like a nasal vowel with no clear final consonant, which confuses listeners about what word you said. Try this: say 'time' and really snap your lips shut at the end, feeling them touch. Do the same with 'man,' pressing your lips together fully, and 'run,' pressing your tongue firmly to the ridge behind your teeth. Spend two minutes exaggerating that final closure on all three words. It'll feel like you're overdoing it, but that firm ending is exactly what English listeners are trained to expect. Keep practicing this small habit — it makes a big difference in how clearly you're understood.