El alfabeto

¿Cómo se deletrea tu nombre? Bell ringer ¿Cómo se deletrea tu nombre? (How do you spell your name?) In your composition books, spell out your first and last names in Spanish. For example, Señorita Sansoucie would be: Es-say ay en-yay oh air-ray ee tay ah Es-say ah en-nay es-say oh oooh thay ee ay

Pronunciation challenge

hipopotomonstrosesquipedaliofobia Meaning: A fear of the pronunciation of long words

Los sonidos The sounds

A ah Example: amigo

B b Example: brazo

C th / s When “C” is used with the vowels “I” and “E,” it makes the “th” (Spain) or “s” (Latin Am.) sound. Example: cebolla

C k When “C” is used with consonants and the vowels “A”, “O,” and “U,” it makes the “K” sound. Example: cubiertos

D d Example: dedo

E ay Example: español

F f Example: feo

When “G” is used with the vowels “I” and “E,” it makes the “h” sound. Example: gemelas

G g When “G” is used with consonants and the vowels “A,” “O,” and “U,” it makes the “g” sound. Example: gato

Unless “H” is combined with “C” (like “ch”), it is not pronounced. silent Unless “H” is combined with “C” (like “ch”), it is not pronounced. Example: hola

I ee Example: iglesia

J h Example: jugo

K k The letter “K” is not typically used in Spanish unless it is in a word taken from a foreign language. The “K” sound is made by “C” and “Q.” Example: kilo

L l Example: lobo

M m Example: mapa

N n Example: nariz

Ñ ny Example: piñata

O oh Example: ojo

P p Example: pelo

Q k Example: queso

R r Example: rana

S s Example: sol

T t Example: tigre

U oooh Example: uvas

In Spanish, “B” and “V” make the same noise. Example: vaca

W w The letter “W” is not typically used in Spanish unless it is in a word taken from a foreign language.

X x Example: examen

Y y Example: yeso

Z th / s In Spain, “Z” makes a “th” sound. In Latin America, it makes an “s” sound. Example: zapatos

Clusters

CH ch Example: chocolate

LL y Example: amarillo

RR rr Example: ferrocarril

Accents Los acentos

When a word has a written accent in it, the emphasis is placed on that particular letter with the accent. If there is no written accent, the emphasis is typically placed on the vowel in the second to last syllable. This is NOT the rule in every case, but when in doubt, go with the second to last syllable.

Á AH Example: pájaro

É AY Example: café

Í EE Example: río

Ó OH Example: marrón

Ú OOOH Example: champú

Let’s See What you’ve Learned! Dictado

Me llamo María. Soy una chica española Me llamo María. Soy una chica española. Tengo cinco años y vivo en Barcelona.