1

GUIDE TO GUIDE TO SPANISH SPANISH

PRONUNCIATIONPRONUNCIATION

2

How do you say that in English?• He could lead if he would get the lead out.• She thought it was time to present the present.• Does the boy shoot does out of season?• When I saw the tear in the painting I shed a tear.• Did I read that you have read my book?

3

To pronounce Spanish correctly To pronounce Spanish correctly

85% of what you need to know 85% of what you need to know is found in three things:is found in three things:

•TTAACCOO•BBUURRRRIITOTO•PPEEPPEE

A = “ah” O= “oh”A = “ah” O= “oh”

U = “ooh” I = “ee”U = “ooh” I = “ee”

E = “ay”E = “ay”

4

fromfrom

Singing the Basics: Beginning SpanishSinging the Basics: Beginning Spanish

by Mental Note Musicby Mental Note MusicAll songs written and performed All songs written and performed

by Todd Hawkins © 2001by Todd Hawkins © 2001

www.mentalnotemusic.comwww.mentalnotemusic.com

5

Why is it that in EnglishWhy is it that in EnglishWe’ve got words likeWe’ve got words like

GGOOOOD and FD and FOOOODDRREAEAD and RD and REAEADD

That look more or less the That look more or less the same but sound different?same but sound different?

In English you can’t In English you can’t necessarily sound words out,necessarily sound words out,

but in but in SPANISH…SPANISH…

6

If you know “If you know “ttaaccoo””And “And “bbuurrrriitoto””And “And “PPeepepe””

You know the vowels.You know the vowels.There’s no exceptions,There’s no exceptions,

like with English vowels.like with English vowels.This is always This is always

how they sound!how they sound!

7

In Spanish,In Spanish,

All you’ve gotta do isAll you’ve gotta do is

Pronounce these vowelsPronounce these vowels

EXACTLY THE SAMEEXACTLY THE SAME

Everytime you see ‘em.Everytime you see ‘em.

AA, , EE, , II, , OO and and UU..

8

If you know “If you know “ttaaccoo””And “And “bbuurrrriitoto””And “And “PPeepepe””

You know the vowels.You know the vowels.There’s no exceptions,There’s no exceptions,

like with English vowels.like with English vowels.This is always This is always

how they sound!how they sound!

9

It really is that simple!It really is that simple!

85% 85% of what you of what you

need to know need to know

to pronounce to pronounce

every word in Spanishevery word in Spanish

is found in is found in

THESE THREE WORDS!THESE THREE WORDS!

10

If you know “If you know “ttaaccoo””And “And “bbuurrrriitoto””And “And “PPeepepe””

You know the vowels.You know the vowels.There’s no exceptions,There’s no exceptions,

like with English vowels.like with English vowels.This is always This is always

how they sound!how they sound!

11

¡El Fin!¡El Fin!

12

The Other 15%The Other 15%(And you already know a lot of them!)(And you already know a lot of them!)

• LLLL = “y” like in = “y” like in tortillatortilla • JJ = “h” like in = “h” like in jalapeñojalapeño• ÑÑ = “ni” like in = “ni” like in jalapeñojalapeño• QUQU = “k” like in = “k” like in tequilatequila • ZZ = = “s”“s” (like a hissing snake) (like a hissing snake)• HH = always = always silent silent (*but CH still sounds like “Ch-uh”)(*but CH still sounds like “Ch-uh”)

• VV = a = a soft soft “B“B””• II’s and ’s and EE’s ’s softensoften “ “GG’s” and “’s” and “CC’s”’s” -- Hard G (“guh”) like in -- Hard G (“guh”) like in gatogato becomes an “h” like in becomes an “h” like in

GeraldoGeraldo

-- Hard C (“k”) like in -- Hard C (“k”) like in Carmen Carmen becomes “s” like in becomes “s” like in ciencias.ciencias.

13

Vowel BlendsVowel Blends

• When there is a When there is a strongstrong and and weakweak vowel together they make something vowel together they make something called a diphthong or vowel blend.called a diphthong or vowel blend.

A

O

E I

U

14

Vowel BlendsVowel Blends• The two vowels are pronounced as ONE The two vowels are pronounced as ONE

SYLLABLE. You still HEAR each vowel, SYLLABLE. You still HEAR each vowel, but one is “drowned out” a bit.but one is “drowned out” a bit.

• uuaa like in like in cuandocuando

• uuee like in like in puertapuerta

• iiaa like in like in demasiadodemasiado

• iiee like in like in viernesviernes

• iiuu like in like in ciudadciudad

15

NOT Vowel BlendsNOT Vowel Blends

• If a weak and a strong vowel appear If a weak and a strong vowel appear together but one has an together but one has an ACCENTACCENT MARKMARK, they are , they are NOTNOT pronounced as pronounced as ONE SYLLABLE. You hear each ONE SYLLABLE. You hear each vowel alone.vowel alone.

• uuó ó like in like in continuó continuó

• ííaa like in like in díadía

• ííoo like in like in fríofrío

16

Pronunciation Promises

• If you determine to pronounce every word you see correctly, in four weeks you won’t have to think about pronunciation anymore − it will become natural.

• If you do this, you won’t have to memorize spelling (with the exception of H, B/V, C/S). If you can say the word correctly, you can get it in your head and spell it like it sounds.

17

PRACTICE

Working with a partner, you should find a vocabulary page in the textbook together. Practice

saying the words listed.

We will come back and practice as a whole group later.

18

PRACTICE

civil

19

bicicletaPRACTICE

20

matePRACTICE

21

funeralPRACTICE

22

doctorPRACTICE

23

tallerPRACTICE

24

chocolatePRACTICE

25

naturalPRACTICE

26

gasolinaPRACTICE

27

tornadoPRACTICE

28

radicalPRACTICE

29

violenciaPRACTICE

30

paganPRACTICE

31

capitalPRACTICE

32

dicePRACTICE

33

fatalPRACTICE

34

realPRACTICE

35

federalPRACTICE

36

automóvilPRACTICE

37

prácticaPRACTICE

38

melónPRACTICE

39

posiblePRACTICE

40

JUST TRY IT!

impermeabilización