The sounds of Spanish
Spanish pronunciation is remarkably consistent. Once you learn the rules, you can pronounce any Spanish word correctly — even words you've never seen before. Unlike English with its chaotic spelling-to-sound relationships, Spanish is almost perfectly phonetic. This makes it one of the most learner-friendly languages for pronunciation.
The alphabet
Spanish uses the Latin alphabet with one additional letter: ñ (eñe), which represents the sound in "canyon". The letters k and w appear mainly in foreign loanwords. Most letters have predictable sounds, with just a few context-dependent variations to learn:
| Letter | Name | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| A | a | like "a" in "father" |
| B | be | like English "b" |
| C | ce | "k" before a/o/u; "th" or "s" before e/i (see below) |
| D | de | like English "d", softer between vowels |
| E | e | like "e" in "bed" |
| F | efe | like English "f" |
| G | ge | "g" as in "go" before a/o/u; "h" sound before e/i |
| H | hache | always silent |
| I | i | like "ee" in "see" |
| J | jota | like "h" in "hot" (stronger in Spain) |
| K | ka | like English "k" |
| L | ele | like English "l" |
| M | eme | like English "m" |
| N | ene | like English "n" |
| Ñ | eñe | like "ny" in "canyon" |
| O | o | like "o" in "or" |
| P | pe | like English "p" |
| Q | cu | like "k" (always followed by "u") |
| R | ere | single tap or rolled (see below) |
| S | ese | like English "s" |
| T | te | like English "t" |
| U | u | like "oo" in "moon" |
| V | uve | same as Spanish "b" |
| W | doble u | like English "w" |
| X | equis | "ks" or "s" or "h" (varies) |
| Y | i griega | like "y" in "yes"; like "ee" when alone |
| Z | zeta | "th" in Spain, "s" in Latin America |
Vowels
Spanish has only five pure vowel sounds — far fewer than English's 15 or so. Each vowel has one consistent pronunciation regardless of position or surrounding letters. This simplicity is a major advantage for learners. Master these five sounds and you've conquered Spanish vowels:
Spanish has only five pure vowel sounds, and they never change:
| Vowel | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | "ah" | casa (house) |
| E | "eh" | mesa (table) |
| I | "ee" | libro (book) |
| O | "oh" | como (how) |
| U | "oo" | uno (one) |
Unlike English, Spanish vowels are:
- Short and crisp — No drawling or diphthongisation
- Consistent — Always the same sound regardless of position
- Clear — Even in unstressed syllables, vowels keep their full sound
Vowel combinations
When two vowels appear together:
Strong vowels (a, e, o) — Usually pronounced separately:
- leo (I read) = le-o (two syllables)
- caer (to fall) = ca-er (two syllables)
Weak vowels (i, u) — Combine with strong vowels into one syllable:
- bien (well) = one syllable
- cuatro (four) = cua-tro
- ciudad (city) = ciu-dad
Consonants
B and V
In Spanish, B and V sound identical. Both are pronounced:
- Like English "b" at the start of a phrase or after m/n
- Like a soft "b" (lips almost touching) elsewhere
vaca (cow) and baca (roof rack) sound exactly the same.
C, Z, and S
This is where Spain and Latin America differ:
In Spain:
- C before e/i = "th" as in "think"
- Z = "th" as in "think"
- S = "s"
In Latin America:
- C before e/i = "s"
- Z = "s"
- S = "s"
| Word | Spain | Latin America |
|---|---|---|
| cinco (five) | "THEEN-ko" | "SEEN-ko" |
| zapato (shoe) | "tha-PA-to" | "sa-PA-to" |
| casa (house) | "KA-sa" | "KA-sa" |
G and J
G before a, o, u = hard "g" as in "go"
- gato (cat) = "GA-to"
G before e, i = "h" sound (like English "h" but stronger)
- gente (people) = "HEN-te"
J = always the "h" sound
- jardín (garden) = "har-DEEN"
To get a hard "g" sound before e or i, add a silent "u":
- guerra (war) = "GE-ra" (hard g)
- guitarra (guitar) = "gi-TA-ra" (hard g)
H
H is always silent in Spanish:
- hola (hello) = "O-la"
- hora (hour) = "O-ra"
- hospital = "os-pi-TAL"
LL and Y
Traditionally different, these now sound the same in most dialects:
- Both sound like "y" in "yes" in most regions
- In Argentina/Uruguay, both sound like "sh" or "zh"
Ñ
This represents the "ny" sound:
- año (year) = "A-nyo"
- España (Spain) = "es-PA-nya"
- mañana (tomorrow/morning) = "ma-NYA-na"
R and RR
Single R:
- Beginning of a word = rolled (trilled)
- Elsewhere = single tap (like the "tt" in American "butter")
Double RR:
- Always rolled (trilled)
| Word | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| pero (but) | single tap |
| perro (dog) | rolled |
| rosa (rose) | rolled (word-initial) |
| caro (expensive) | single tap |
| carro (car) | rolled |
To roll your R, place your tongue behind your upper teeth and let it vibrate with airflow.
X
The pronunciation of X varies:
- Usually "ks": examen = "ek-SA-men"
- Sometimes "s": explicar = "es-pli-KAR"
- In Mexican place names, often "h": México = "ME-hi-ko"
Stress and accents
Natural stress rules
Words ending in a vowel, n, or s: stress the second-to-last syllable
- casa = CA-sa
- hablan = HA-blan
- estudiantes = es-tu-DIAN-tes
Words ending in any other consonant: stress the last syllable
- ciudad = ciu-DAD
- español = es-pa-ÑOL
- comer = co-MER
Accent marks
An accent mark (´) overrides these rules:
- mamá = ma-MA (not MA-ma)
- fácil = FA-cil (not fa-CIL)
- teléfono = te-LE-fo-no
Accent marks also distinguish words:
- si = if; sí = yes
- tu = your; tú = you
- el = the; él = he/him
Practice words
| Spanish | English | Phonetic hint |
|---|---|---|
| Hola | Hello | O-la |
| Gracias | Thank you | GRA-syas (or GRA-thyas) |
| Por favor | Please | por fa-VOR |
| Buenos días | Good morning | BWE-nos DEE-as |
| Adiós | Goodbye | a-DYOS |
| Perdón | Sorry/Excuse me | per-DON |
| Sí | Yes | see |
| No | No | no |