Language/Spanish/Grammar/Use-the-letters-V-and-B

Spanish is a language which sounds as it is written and is written as it sounds.

The letters "b" and "v" are pronounced exactly the same in Spanish.

Therefore it is common for Spanish-speakers to write "v" instead of "b" or "b" instead of "v".

Here are some rules to teach you how to use those letters correctly.

"b" before another consonant

Examples: libro, amable, subterráneo, obsequio.

"b" Before "m" and "p"

Examples: embajador, empezar

"v" after "n" and "d"

enviar, adversario, subvención.

"b" with words starting or ending with "bio"

Examples: biografía, biología, anfibio.

"b" for words ending with "bilidad" (except: "movilidad" and "civilidad")

Examples: responsabilidad, amabilidad.

"b" for terminations of the past imperfect indicative (1st conjugation) and preterite imperfect indicative of the verb "ir"

Examples: amábamos, cantabáis, alzaba, iba, ibas, íbamos.

"v" for all compound words of the verb "venir"

Examples: convenir, prevenir.