BASIC SPANISH PRONUNCIATION

Spanish uses an alphabet similar to our own. Many of the letters are pronounced the same, but some are different. The following is a brief list of some of the major differences.

Consonants

1. 'C' in Spain is pronounced like 'th' as in the English words 'math' and 'thick' when it comes before the letters 'e' or 'i'. In Latin America 'c' is pronounced like 's' in the English words 'sun' and 'soft' when it comes before 'e' or 'i'. When 'c' comes before the other vowels all throughout the world, it is pronounced like 'c' in the English words 'cat' and 'car'.

2. 'G' is always pronounced like 'h' when it comes before the letters 'e' or 'i', as in the English words 'he', 'help', and 'hip'. When it comes before 'a', 'o', and 'u', it sounds like 'g' in the English word 'great'.

3. 'H' by itself is always silent as in the English word 'hour'.

4. 'J' is always pronounced like 'h' as in the English word 'history'.

5. 'Ñ' is always pronounced like 'ny' as in the English word 'canyon'.

6. 'R' at the beginning of a word is "trilled". This means that you repeat it quickly while your tongue taps the top of your mouth. This sound does not exist in American English.

7. 'S' is always pronounced like 's' as in the English word 'snow'.

8. 'V' is usually pronounced like 'b' as in the English word 'boy'.

9. 'Z' is always pronounced like 's' as in the English word 'stay'. In Spain, however, 'z' can also be pronounced like 'th' as in the English words 'think' and 'thought' when it comes before the letters 'e' or 'i'.

Consonant combinations

1. 'Ll' is usually pronounced similar to 'y' in the English words 'yesterday', 'yes', and 'you'. In some parts of the Spanish-speaking world 'll' also may sound similar to 'j' in the English words 'jump' or 'just'.

2. 'Rr' is "trilled". This means that you repeat it quickly while your tongue taps the top of your mouth. This sound does not exist in American English.

Vowels

1. 'A' by itself is pronounced similar to 'a' like in the English word 'father'.

2. 'E' by itself is always pronounced like 'ay' in the English words 'say', 'day', and 'may'.

3. 'I' by itself is always pronounced like 'ee' in the English words 'bee', 'see', and 'tree'.

4. 'O' by itself is always pronounced like 'o' in the English words 'tote' and 'soldier'.

5. 'U' by itself is always pronounced like 'oo' in the English words 'root', 'boot', and 'tooth'.