Language/Spanish/Grammar/The-Spanish-Alphabet-and-Pronunciation

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Spanish Grammar → Introduction to Spanish → The Spanish Alphabet and Pronunciation

As a Spanish language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I am excited to introduce you to the Spanish alphabet and its correct pronunciation. In this lesson, you will learn the fundamentals of Spanish pronunciation and how to pronounce each letter correctly.

Take a moment to explore these relevant pages as you conclude this lesson: Questions & Negation.

The Spanish Alphabet

The Spanish alphabet consists of 27 letters, which is one more than the English alphabet. The additional letter is called "Ñ" (eñe), and it is placed between the letters "N" and "O." The Spanish alphabet is pronounced differently from its English counterpart, so it is essential to learn the correct pronunciation of each letter to communicate effectively in Spanish.

Here are the 27 letters of the Spanish alphabet, along with their pronunciation and English translation:

Spanish	Pronunciation	English
A	ah	A
B	bay	B
C	say	C
CH	cheh	CH
D	day	D
E	eh	E
F	eff-eh	F
G	hay	G
H	ah-cheh	H
I	ee	I
J	hoh-tah	J
K	ka	K
L	el	L
LL	eh-yeh	LL
M	emme	M
N	enne	N
Ñ	enyeh	Ñ
O	oh	O
P	pay	P
Q	coo	Q
R	err-reh	R
RR	err-reh erre	RR
S	ess	S
T	tay	T
U	oo	U
V	bay chikah	V
W	doh-blay bay chikah	W
X	eh-keys	X
Y	ee griega	Y
Z	setah	Z

Note that "LL" and "RR" are no longer considered letters of the alphabet but unique sound blends. Furthermore, "CH" and "LL" are pronounced identically to their English counterparts.

How to Pronounce Spanish Letters

The Spanish language has a specific set of pronunciation rules that apply to every letter in the alphabet. Here are some basic guidelines for pronouncing each letter:

- "A" is pronounced as "ah" in "car."

- "B" sounds the same in Spanish as it does in English.

- "C" is pronounced as "th" in "think" when it comes before the letters "e" or "i", and like "k" when it comes before the other letters: casa (ka-sa).

- "Ch" sounds the same in Spanish as it does in English.

- "D" sounds the same in Spanish as it does in English.

- "E" is pronounced as "eh" in "met."

- "F" sounds the same in Spanish as it does in English.

- "G" is pronounced as "ch" in "loch" when it comes before the letters "e" or "i" and like "g" in "go" when it comes before the other letters: gente (hen-teh).

- When "Gu" comes before the letters "e" or "i", it is pronounced like "g" in "go" (there is no "u" sound).

- "Gü" comes before "e" or "i" and is pronounced like "gu" in "penguin".

- "H" is silent in Spanish.

- "I" is pronounced as "ee" in "meet."

- "J" is pronounced as a throaty "h" sound.

- "K" sounds the same in Spanish as it does in English, except that it is not aspirated in Spanish.

- "L" sounds the same in Spanish as it does in English.

- "Ll" sounds like the Spanish consonant "y" or as a voiced palatal lateral approximant (i.e. the palatal version of "l").

- "M" sounds the same in Spanish as it does in English.

- "N" sounds the same in Spanish as it does in English.

- "Ñ" is pronounced as "en-yeh" in "canyon."

- "O" is pronounced as "oh" in "rose."

- "P" sounds the same in Spanish as it does in English, except that it is not aspirated in Spanish.

- "Q" is always followed by a "u," and the combination is pronounced as "k" in "kite": queso (keh-so).

- "R" is rolled in Spanish when it comes at the start of a word or a morpheme, or when it is preceded by "l", "n", "s", or "z", and is a tap in other environments, unlike in English.

- "Rr" is always rolled in Spanish.

- "S" sounds the same in Spanish as it does in English.

- "T" sounds the same in Spanish as it does in English, except that it is not aspirated in Spanish.

- "U" is pronounced as "oo" in "mood."

- "V" is pronounced as "b" in Spanish because the letter "v" is not commonly used.

- "W" sounds the same in Spanish as it does in English, and it is mostly used in borrowed words.

- "X" is pronounced as "ks" in "fox."

- "Y" is pronounced as Spanish "i" when it is a vowel, and similar to the English "y" in "you" but with more friction when it is a consonant.

- "Z" is pronounced as "th" in "thank" in Spain and "s" in Latin America.

Don't worry if it takes time to learn the correct pronunciation of each letter, practice makes perfect!

Conclusion

Learning the Spanish alphabet and pronunciation is the foundation of any Spanish language journey. By mastering the pronunciation of each letter, you will be able to speak Spanish more fluently and communicate effectively with Spanish speakers. Keep practicing, and you'll have the Spanish alphabet down in no time!

Sources

• Spanish Alphabet Pronunciation | SpanishDict
• The Spanish Alphabet - Spelling and Pronunciation
• Spanish Alphabet: A Complete Guide - Busuu

Well done on mastering this lesson! Don't miss these related pages to expand your knowledge: The Articles & Conditional Mood.

Table of Contents - Spanish Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Spanish

• The Spanish Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Nouns and Gender
• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Subject Pronouns

  ---

Verbs

• Present Tense Verbs
• Ser and Estar
• Reflexive Verbs

  ---

Adjectives

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Demonstrative Adjectives

  ---

Pronouns

• Direct Object Pronouns
• Indirect Object Pronouns

  ---

Common Words and Phrases

• Greetings and Salutations
• Numbers and Counting
• Days of the Week and Months of the Year

  ---

Food and Drink

• Common Foods
• Restaurant Phrases

  ---

Travel and Directions

• Asking for Directions
• Hotel Vocabulary

  ---

Spanish-Speaking Countries

• Spain: History and Culture
• Latin America: History and Culture

  ---

Celebrations and Festivals

• Día de los Muertos
• Cinco de Mayo

  ---

Hispanic Heritage Month

• Notable Hispanic Figures
• Hispanic Influence on Music and Dance

Other Lessons

• Questions
• El tiempo presente
• How to Use Be (SER and ESTAR)
• Masculine and Feminine
• Use the letters V and B
• Por vs Para
• Sentense Structure
• Present Perfect Tense
• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Conditional Mood

Next Lesson — Nouns and Gender ▶️