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|
 Spanish Pronunciation Guide |
- 1 = Spanish letter;
- 2 = Spanish examples;
- 3 = English word with similar sound;
- 4 = description.
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1
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2
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3
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4
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a
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año, pata
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father
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b
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boca, embargo
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bib
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Initial in the word or with m, similar to English b |
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labio, tabla
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Between vowels or before l or r, more like the v in lever |
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c
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cedro, civil
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cedar
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c before e or i: in most of Spain, similar to the th in thick; in southern Spain and Latin America, similar to the English s |
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cable, cobre
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cat
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The hard c in Spanish is not aspirated as it is in English
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ch*
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chiste, muchacho
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church
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*No longer alphabetized as a separate letter
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d
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dar, falda
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deed
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Initial in the word or after n or l, similar to English d, but not aspirated
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lodo, padre
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In all other positions, similar to the th in rather |
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e
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denso, espada
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pet
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When the syllable ends in a consonant, similar to the e in pet |
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me, pero
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café
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When the syllable ends in a vowel, similar to the e in café |
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f
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fuerte, sofá
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fat
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g
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general, gitano
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Before e or i, similar to the strongly aspirated h in ha! |
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gato, grupo
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The hard g is not aspirated as it is in English
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h
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honor, ahora
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Is always silent
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i
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silla, grito
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machine
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j
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jugo, pájaro
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Similar to the strongly aspirated h in ha! |
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k
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kilo, kimono
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kick
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Not aspirated as it is in English
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l
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listo, oler
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lid
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ll*
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llamar, olla
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In most of Spain, similar to the lli in million; in southern Spain and most of Spanish America, similar to the j in jar; in Argentina and Uruguay, similar to the s in vision; *no longer alphabetized as a separate letter
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m
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masa, amargo
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mum
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n
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sin, nota, tono
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no
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rencor, fango
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Before hard c or g, sounds like the ng of thing |
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ñ
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riña
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Sounds like the ny in canyon |
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o
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sordo, toldo
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cord
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When the syllable ends in a consonant, sounds like the o in cord |
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lodo, ocupar
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note
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When the syllable ends in a vowel, sounds like the o in note |
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p
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parte, capa
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pot
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Not aspirated as it is in English
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q
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quinto, níquel
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pique
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Pronounced like an unaspirated k |
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r
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raya, enredo
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Initial in the word or after l, n, or s, it is strongly trilled
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caro, contar
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Elsewhere, pronounced with a flap of the tongue like the dd in ladder |
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rr*
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carro
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Is strongly trilled; *not alphabetized as a separate letter
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s
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cosa, sino
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salty
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t
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tonto, matar
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tight
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Not aspirated as it is in English
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u
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luto, útil
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rude
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quince, guerra
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Silent when preceded by q or in gui and gue, unless marked by dieresis
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agüero, güiro
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When marked by dieresis, sounds like the u in Guinevere |
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v
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vino, vista
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Initial in the word, sounds like the b in bib |
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lavar, salvo
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In all other positions it is softer, more like the v in level |
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w
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wat, water
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Pronounced like either the English v or w |
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x
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éxito, exacto
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Pronounced like either the x of exit or the gs of eggs |
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mixta, experto
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Sometimes softened to the sound of an s |
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México
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In the words México and mexicano, sounds like the aspirated h in ha! |
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y
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yeso, suyo
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young
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Initial in the word or between vowels, is like the y in young; in Argentina and Uruguay sounds like the s in vision between vowels
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y, carey
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As a word, or final in the word, is like the i in machine |
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z
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zona, trazar
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In most of Spain, is like the th in thick; in southern Spain and Latin America, is like the English s |
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Diphthongs
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ai, ay
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baile, vaya
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Like the i in wide |
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au
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causa
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Like the ou in round |
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ei, ey
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peinar, rey
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Like the ey in they |
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eu
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deuda
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Like the combined vowel sounds of hey, you! |
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ia, ya
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estudiar, haya
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Like the ya in yarn |
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ie, ye
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sierra, yermo
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Like the ye in yes |
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io, yo
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porción, yodo
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Like the yo in yoke |
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iu, yu
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viudo, yugo
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Like the yu in yule |
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oi, oy
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oigo, voy
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Like the oi in voice |
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ua
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cuanto
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Like the wa in wand |
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ue
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cuento
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Like the we in went |
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ui
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cuidar
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Like the wee in weed |
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uo
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cuota
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Like the uo in quote |
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Triphthongs
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iai
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estudiáis
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Like the yi in yipes |
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iau
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miau
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Like the eow in meow |
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iei
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confiéis
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Like yea |
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uai, uay
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continuáis, Uruguay
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Like the wi in wire |
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uau
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guau
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Like wow |
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uei, uey
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continuéis, buey
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Like the wei in weight |
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