|
Spanish Consonants
Most of the
Spanish consonants are pronounced like or almost like
corresponding English consonants. The following however are
exceptions.
|
b,v |
There is no difference in sound between these two
letters. Both are made with the lips slightly open. |
|
c |
The c in Spanish is pronounced with a hissing
sound if it is before e or i, and like a
k if before any other letter. |
|
d,t |
like the English
sounds, but tongue in against the teeth. Between vowels,
d is more like th in this nada ( nah-thah
) |
|
h |
always silent |
|
j |
like a string English
h. |
|
g |
like a hard
g in get. Before e or i it is like the
Spanish j. |
|
ll |
like y in you |
|
ñ |
like n in onion |
|
rr |
pronounced with a
strong trill as in thrrr-ee |
|
r |
pronounced like rr,
at the beginning of a word. At other times it has a
slight trill. |
|
s,z |
like hissing s
in see |
|
qu |
like the letter k |
Spanish Vowels
The only
Spanish vowels that sounds like the English is the letter o.
The other vowels and vowel teams have there own sound.
|
Spanish letters |
a |
e |
i
(y) |
o |
u |
ua |
ue |
ie
|
ia |
ei |
|
Sounds like |
ah |
ay |
ee |
oh |
oo |
wah |
way |
yay |
yah |
ayee |
|
Letter |
Example |
Pronunciation |
|
A |
for arriba (upstairs) |
AH |
|
B |
for boca (mouth) |
BEH |
|
C |
for cara (face) |
SEH |
|
D |
for día (day) |
DEH |
|
E |
for erizo (hedgehog) |
EH |
|
F |
for flauta (flute) |
EF eh |
|
G |
for gerbo (gerbil) |
HEH |
|
H |
for hamaca (hammock) |
AH cheh |
|
I |
for igualmente (likewise) |
EE |
|
J |
for judías (beans) |
HOH tah |
|
K |
for kárate (karate) |
KAH |
|
L |
for letra (letter) |
EL eh |
|
LL |
For llevar ( to carry) |
ll
lis pronounced like y in you |
|
M |
for medio (half) |
EM eh |
|
N |
for nieto (grandson) |
EN eh |
|
Ñ |
for ñame (yam) |
EN yeh |
|
O |
for ocho (eight) |
OH |
|
P |
for pluma (feather |
PEH |
|
Q |
for queso (cheese) |
KOO |
|
R |
for rojo (red) |
EHRR eh |
|
S |
for salón (den) |
ES eh |
|
T |
for triste (sad) |
TEH |
|
U |
for uva (grape) |
OO |
|
V |
for ventana (window) |
BEH |
|
W |
for watt (watt) |
DO bleh beh |
|
X |
for xerocopia (photocopy) |
EH kees |
|
Y |
for Yo (I) |
ee gree EH gah |
|
Z |
for zapato (shoe) |
SEH tah |
Nouns and articles
Subject pronouns
The Verb Ser
Pronunciation of Alphabet
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