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Pronunciation Guide • A -- always pronounced "ah", as in father (Spanish example: gracias) • E -- always pronounced as a short E, as in best, ten, dress (Spanish example: inglés) • I -- always pronounced "ee", as in feet, wheel, bee (Spanish example: si) • O -- always pronounced as a short O, as in doctor, but with the lips a little more rounded. It is always a pure vowel with no trace of the U sound (diphthong) which is present in the English pronunciation of no. (Spanish example: doctor) • U -- always pronounced "oo", as in fool, pool. (Spanish example: uno) • B -- Similar to the English B but less plosive; between vowels it is pronounced very softly so that the lips touch only slightly. (Spanish example: bebida) • C -- As in English, before A, O and U it is pronounced as a K, as in can (Spanish example: cacharro) -- Before E or I the C is pronounced as an S as in cent. In Spain the C before E and I is pronounced "th". (Spanish example: ciudad) • CC -- Pronounced very similar to the CC in "accident" (Spanish example: accidente) • CH -- Pronounced the same as CH in English; no longer a letter of the Spanish alphabet (Spanish example: cacharro) • D -- Similar to the English D in bed but with the tongue further forward; between vowels or as the last letter of a word it is pronounced very softly similar to the "th" in the (Spanish example: ciudad) • G -- Before A, O or U it is pronounced as the G in get (Spanish example: gato) -- Before E or I it is pronounced like the English H but more emphatic. (Spanish example: general) • H -- Always silent in Spanish. Hotel is pronounced "otel" (Spanish example: hotel) • J -- Always pronounced like the English H but more emphatic (Spanish example: jalapeño) • LL -- Always pronounced as the Y in yes. (Spanish example: ella) • ñ -- This Spanish character is pronounced NY as in canyon (Spanish example: español) • R -- Slightly trilled (Spanish example: hora) R[-word] -- When it is the first letter of a word, it is strongly trilled. (Spanish example: Costa Rica) • RR -- Always strongly trilled. (Spanish example: arroz) • V -- In Spain and many parts of South America there is no difference between the "v" and the "b" (Spanish example: video) • Y -- pronounced as the English Y, except when it stands alone (y is Spanish for and) then it is pronounced "ee" as in tree (Spanish example: cinco y media [five thirty]) • Z -- In South America the Z is pronounced as the English S; in Spain the Z is closer to the "th" in the English word bath (Spanish example: diez) • QUE -- pronounced "ke" as in kept (Spanish example: ¿Qué pasa?) • QUI -- pronounced "kee" as in keep (Spanish example: quince) • GUE -- pronounced "ge" as in guest and get (Spanish example: gueto) • GUI -- pronounced "gee" as in geese (Spanish example: guitarra ) • CIÓN -- pronounced "see-on", the Spanish equivalent of –TION ending as in civilization (Spanish example: civilización) The remaining letters are pronounced as they are in English with only very slight variations. Adapted from http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Thebes/6177/ws-pronun.html, sounds provided by Señora Raquel |