Welcome to the lesson on “Pronunciation and the Spanish Alphabet.” In this lesson, you will learn how to properly pronounce the sounds of the Spanish language and become familiar with the Spanish alphabet.
Pronunciation: Unlike English, the pronunciation of Spanish is generally consistent and predictable. Every letter has a distinct sound, and there are only a few exceptions. In general, Spanish vowels are pronounced differently than English vowels. Here is a brief overview of the Spanish vowels and their sounds:
- A: pronounced like “ah”
- E: pronounced like “ay”
- I: pronounced like “ee”
- O: pronounced like “oh”
- U: pronounced like “oo”
Spanish consonants are mostly pronounced the same as in English. However, there are a few differences:
- C: When followed by an “e” or “i,” it is pronounced like the “s” in “sit.” When followed by an “a,” “o,” or “u,” it is pronounced like the “k” in “kite.”
- G: When followed by an “e” or “i,” it is pronounced like the “h” in “he.” When followed by an “a,” “o,” or “u,” it is pronounced like the “g” in “go.”
- H: Unlike in English, the letter “h” is always silent in Spanish.
- J: Pronounced like the “h” in “he.”
- LL: Pronounced like the “y” in “yellow.”
- Ñ: Pronounced like the “n” in “onion.”
- R: Rolled or trilled “r” sound.
- RR: Strongly rolled or trilled “r” sound.
- V: Pronounced like the “b” in “boy.”
Spanish Alphabet: The Spanish alphabet has 27 letters, one more than the English alphabet. The extra letter is “ñ” which comes after “n” in the alphabet. Here is the Spanish alphabet in order:
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, Ñ, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z.
Practice Exercise: To practice your Spanish pronunciation, try saying the following words out loud:
- Hola (hello)
- Adiós (goodbye)
- Gracias (thank you)
- Cerveza (beer)
- Perro (dog)
- Feliz (happy)
- Amigo (friend)
- Cocina (kitchen)
- Zapato (shoe)
- Playa (beach)
Conclusion: That concludes our lesson on “Pronunciation and the Spanish Alphabet.” Practice these sounds and letters regularly to become comfortable with the Spanish language. In the next lesson, we will explore basic greetings and introductions in Spanish.