GUIDE TO SPANISH PRONUNCIATION

GUIDE TO SPANISH PRONUNCIATION

To pronounce Spanish correctly 85% of what you need to know is found in three things: • TACO A = “ah” O= “oh” • BURRITO U = “ooh” I = “ee” • PEPE E = “ay”

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

E A I O U Vowel Blends • When there is a strong and weak vowel together they make something called a diphthong or vowel blend.

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

NOT Vowel Blends • If a weak and a strong vowel appear together but one has an ACCENTMARK, they are NOT pronounced as ONE SYLLABLE. You hear each vowel alone. • uó like in continuó • ía like in día • íolike in frío

GUIDE TO SPANISH PRONUNCIATION