Spanish Pronunciation Rules80

Spanish pronunciation is relatively straightforward, but there are a few rules that can be tricky for non-native speakers. By understanding these rules, you can improve your pronunciation and make yourself easier to understand.

Vowels

Spanish has five vowels: a, e, i, o, and u. Each vowel has one main sound, but there are some variations depending on the context.
a is pronounced like the "a" in "father"
e is pronounced like the "e" in "bed"
i is pronounced like the "i" in "machine"
o is pronounced like the "o" in "cone"
u is pronounced like the "oo" in "boot"

When two vowels are next to each other, they are pronounced as two separate syllables. For example, the word "casa" (house) is pronounced "ka-sa".

However, there are some diphthongs, which are two vowels that are pronounced as one syllable. The most common diphthongs are:
ai is pronounced like the "i" in "bike"
ei is pronounced like the "ay" in "day"
oi is pronounced like the "oy" in "boy"
ui is pronounced like the "oo" in "boot"

Consonants

Spanish has 22 consonants: b, c, ch, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, ll, m, n, ñ, p, qu, r, rr, s, t, v, w, x, y, z.

Most consonants are pronounced similarly to their English counterparts. However, there are a few exceptions:
c is pronounced like the "k" in "cat" before a, o, u, and like the "s" in "sin" before e and i
ch is pronounced like the "ch" in "chat"
g is pronounced like the "g" in "go" before a, o, u, and like the "h" in "hi" before e and i
h is silent
j is pronounced like the "h" in "hi"
ll is pronounced like the "y" in "yes"
ñ is pronounced like the "ny" in "canyon"
qu is pronounced like the "k" in "cat"
r is pronounced like the "r" in "roll"
rr is pronounced like the "r" in "rabbit"
s is pronounced like the "s" in "sin" before a, o, u, and like the "z" in "zebra" before e and i
v is pronounced like the "b" in "bat"
w is pronounced like the "w" in "water"
x is pronounced like the "ks" in "box"
y is pronounced like the "y" in "yes"
z is pronounced like the "s" in "sin"

Stress

Stress is an important part of Spanish pronunciation. In general, stress falls on the last syllable of a word. However, there are some exceptions to this rule.

If a word ends in a consonant other than -n or -s, the stress falls on the second-to-last syllable. For example, the word "casa" (house) is stressed on the "a".

If a word ends in a vowel, the stress falls on the last syllable. For example, the word "casa" (house) is stressed on the "a".

If a word has a written accent mark, the stress falls on the syllable with the accent mark. For example, the word "casa" (house) is stressed on the "á".

By understanding these rules, you can improve your Spanish pronunciation and make yourself easier to understand.

2024-11-04

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