Alphabet and pronunciation in Spanish
Spanish Telling your name A1 To introduce oneself
The special letters unique for the Spanish alphabet are Ñ, Á, É, Í, Ó, Ú and Ü.
<< Decir tu nombre (Telling your name)
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Alphabet and pronunciation in Spanish
| Letter | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| A | a |
| B | be |
| “B" is pronounced more forcefully using both lips. For example: "Barco" => "Boat". |
|
| C | ce |
| In Spanish, "C" can sound like 'k' or 's' depending on the context. For example: "House" => "Casa" "Canción" => "Song". |
|
| D | de |
| E | e |
| F | efe |
| G | ge |
| "G" in Spanish sounds like 'g' as in 'go' before 'a,' 'o,' 'u' and like 'h' in 'hot' before 'e' and 'i'. For example: "Gato" => "Cat" "Girasol" => "Sunflower". |
|
| H | hache |
| In Spanish, "H" is always silent. The exception happens when it is preceded by a “C”. For example: "Hola" => "Hello" "Chico" => "Boy". |
|
| I | i |
| J | jota |
| “J” is pronounced like the 'h' in English 'hat.' For example: "Jaula" => "Cage". |
|
| K | ka |
| A rare letter in Spanish, often used in foreign words. For example: "Karaoke" => "Karaoke". |
|
| L | ele |
| The "l" sound is similar to the English sound, except when using the double "ll". For example: "Libro" => "Book" "Llama" => "Flame". |
|
| M | eme |
| N | ene |
| Ñ | eñe |
| A unique Spanish letter, pronounced as 'ny' in 'canyon'. For example: "Niño" => "Boy". |
|
| O | o |
| P | pe |
| Q | cu |
| Always followed by 'u' and sounds like 'k'. For example: "Queso" => "Cheese". |
|
| R | erre |
| The soft 'r' is pronounced similarly to the English 'r' in words like "car" or "red”. For example: "Rana" => "Frog". |
|
| The rolled 'rr' is a distinctive sound where the tongue vibrates. For example: "Perro" => "Dog". |
|
| S | ese |
| T | te |
| U | u |
| V | uve |
| The letter "b" and "v" in Spanish can sound alike in many Spanish-speaking regions. “V” is pronounced with a softer sound. For example: "Vaso" => "Glass". |
|
| W | uve doble |
| A rare letter, often used in foreign words. For example: "Waterpolo" => "Waterpolo". |
|
| X | equis |
| Y | i griega |
| Pronounced like 'y' in 'yes'. The exception happens when “y” is used on its own to mean “and”. Then, it sounds like a normal “i”. For example: "Yema => "Yolk". |
|
| Z | zeta |
| Pronounced like 's' in 'sun'. For example: "Zapato" => "Shoe". |
|
Most letters in the Spanish alphabet have a pronunciation similar to their English counterparts, such as "c".
For example: "Coche" => "Car".
Special letters in Spanish
| Letter | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| Ñ | eñe |
| It is pronounced like 'ny' in 'canyon'. It's a distinct sound in Spanish. For example: “España” => "Spain" “Piña” => "Pineapple" “Araña” => "Spider". |
|
| LL | elle |
| Traditionally considered a separate letter, now treated as two separate letters 'ele' and 'elle.' It makes a 'y' sound, like in the English word 'yellow.' For example: “Llave” => "Key" “Lluvia” => "Rain" “Botella” => "Bottle". |
|
| CH | ce hache |
| Traditionally considered a separate letter, now treated as two separate letters 'ce' and 'hache.' Sounds like the 'ch' in the English word 'church'. For example: “Chupete” => "Pacifier" “Leche” => "Milk" “Chichón” => "Bump". |
|
| RR | erre doble |
| This is a distinct and important sound in Spanish that can change the meaning of a word. The double “r” is pronounced with a rolled or trilled sound. For example: “Arroz” => "Rice" “Barrio” => "Neighborhood" “Burro” => "Donkey". |
|
Remember, consistency in practice is key to mastering the pronunciation of special letters in the Spanish alphabet.
Key takeaways
Here is a quick summary of this lesson.
- The special letters unique for the Spanish alphabet are Ñ, Á, É, Í, Ó, Ú and Ü.
Important! Practise this lesson with a teacher.
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