1. 1 GUIDE TO SPANISH PRONUNCIATION

2. 2 To pronounce Spanish correctly 85% of what you need to know is found in three things: TACOTACO BURRITOBURRITO PEPEPEPE A = “ah” O= “oh” U = “ooh” I = “ee” E = “ay”

3. 3 The Other 15% (And you already know a lot of them!) LL = “y” like in tortillaLL = “y” like in tortilla J = “h” like in jalapeñoJ = “h” like in jalapeño Ñ = “ni” like in jalapeñoÑ = “ni” like in jalapeño QU = “k” like in tequilaQU = “k” like in tequila Z = “s” (like a hissing snake)Z = “s” (like a hissing snake) H = always silent (*but CH still sounds like “Ch-uh”)H = always silent (*but CH still sounds like “Ch-uh”) V = a soft “B”V = a soft “B” I’s and E’s soften “G’s” and “C’s”I’s and E’s soften “G’s” and “C’s” -- Hard G (“guh”) like in gato becomes an “h” like in Geraldo -- Hard G (“guh”) like in gato becomes an “h” like in Geraldo -- Hard C (“k”) like in Carmen becomes “s” like in ciencias. -- Hard C (“k”) like in Carmen becomes “s” like in ciencias.

4. 4 Vowel Blends When there is a strong and weak vowel together they make something called a diphthong or vowel blend.When there is a strong and weak vowel together they make something called a diphthong or vowel blend. AOE I U

5. 5 Vowel Blends The two vowels are pronounced as ONE SYLLABLE. You still HEAR each vowel, but one is “drowned out” a bit.The two vowels are pronounced as ONE SYLLABLE. You still HEAR each vowel, but one is “drowned out” a bit. ua like in cuandoua like in cuando ue like in puertaue like in puerta ia like in demasiadoia like in demasiado ie like in viernesie like in viernes iu like in ciudadiu like in ciudad

6. 6 NOT Vowel Blends If a weak and a strong vowel appear together but one has an ACCENT MARK, they are NOT pronounced as ONE SYLLABLE. You hear each vowel alone.If a weak and a strong vowel appear together but one has an ACCENT MARK, they are NOT pronounced as ONE SYLLABLE. You hear each vowel alone. uó like in continuóuó like in continuó ía like in díaía like in día ío like in fríoío like in frío