El Alfabeto: Un Poco de Lingüística
Letras Extras You will notice the Spanish alphabet includes a few letters that are not in the English alphapet: Ñ-enye is pronounced /ny/. Niño is pronounced /nē-nyō/ LL-eye is pronounced /y/. The two letters are considered one letter in some dialects. Llama pronounced /yä-mä/ CH-che is pronounced /ch/. The two letters are considered one letter in some dialects. Chocolate is pronounced /chō-cō-lä-te/ RR-erre is the rolled /R/. Perro is pronounced /pe-Ro/ (roll the R).
Letras ProblemÁticas Just like in English, there are a few letters that change sound or sound like other letters. Here are a few examples; B and V are both pronounced /β/. This sound is something between a B and a V. Bota and vaca are pronounced /βō-tä/ and /βä-kä/. Notice the beginning sound is the same.
Letras ProblemÁticas C and K are pronounced /K/. K does not change sound. C will change depending on the vowel that follows. C followed by A, O or U will be pronounced /k/. Casa, cosa, cuna are pronounced /kä-sä/, /kō-sä/, /kŏŏ-nä/ Kilo is pronouned /kē-lō/
Letras ProblemÁticas S, Z and C are all pronounced /s/. If C is followed by E or I is pronounced /s/ Sol is pronounced /sōl/ Zorro is pronouced /sō-Rō/. Z is never pronounced with a buzzing sound as it is in English. Cena and cien are pronounced /se-nä/ and /syen/
Letras ProblemÁticas Y and LL make the same sound /y/. Yema and llanta are pronounced /ye-mä/ and /yän-tä/
Letras ProblemÁticas The H in Spanish is silent. Do not pronounce the H, just ignore it and remember it is there when spelling words that contain an H. H makes no sound / / Habla is pronounced /ä-blä/
The G is the most problematic of all G followed by A, O or U is pronounced /g/. Gato, gota and gusano are pronounced /gä-tō/, /gō-tä/ and /gŏŏ-sä-nō/. G followed by E or I is pronounced /x/ or what we know as the H sound in English. Remember H is silent in Spanish so it does not make the same sound. X is the letter that makes this sound in Spanish. Gente and gitano are pronounced /xen-te/ and /xē-tä-nō/.
The G is the most problematic of all G will change sound once more when followed by UE and UI. Adding a U will cause the G become oclusive or make the regular /g/ sound. Guerra and guisado are pronounced /ge-Rä/ and /gē-sä-dō/
The G is the most problematic of all Adding a Ü also makes the G change its sound. G followed by üe and üi will change the G to a /w/ sound. Güisa and güero are pronounced /wē-sä/ and /we-rō/
Las vocales Unlike vowels in English, vowels in Spanish produce just one sound. The A in English can produce five different sounds! Here are the pronunciations for each vowel. A is pronounced /ä/ as in “hot” E is pronounced /e/ as in “pet” I is pronounced /ē/ as in “feet” O is pronounced /ō/ as in “boat” U is pronounced /ŏŏ/ as is “boot"