La La pronunciacipronunciacióónn en en EspaEspañolñol

Ema Mateica- SosaEma Mateica- Sosa

A – it will be A – it will be ALWAYSALWAYS pronouncedpronounced[ a ] - as in the English words:[ a ] - as in the English words:

aart – el artert – el arteaarm rm

B - Same as in English :B - Same as in English :

BBoat – el barcooat – el barco

C if followed byC if followed by AA

CA – as in the English CA – as in the English

cacar – el carror – el carro

ccarpetarpet

C if followed byC if followed by OO

CO – as in the English: CO – as in the English:

cocornrn

cocold ld

C if followed byC if followed by UU

CU – as in the English:CU – as in the English:

cucuckoo, ckoo, coocooll

C – followed by C – followed by EE

CE – as in the English words:CE – as in the English words:

cecent – el centavont – el centavocecemetery – el cemeteriometery – el cemeterio

C – followed by C – followed by II

CI – as in the English words:CI – as in the English words:

cicinnamon – la canelannamon – la canela

ccinema – el cineinema – el cine

CH followed by CH followed by AA

CHA – as in the English words:CHA – as in the English words:

ChaCharles , rles , chachart rt Chaqueta = jacketChaqueta = jacket

CH followed by CH followed by EE

CHE – as in the English word:CHE – as in the English word:

checheck – ck – el chequeel cheque

chechestst

CH followed by CH followed by II

CHI – as in the English word: CHI – as in the English word:

chichicken cken chicochico

CH followed by CH followed by OO

CHO – as in the English word:CHO – as in the English word:

chochocolate colate el chocolateel chocolate

chochorere

CH followed by CH followed by UU

CHU – as the English sound:CHU – as the English sound:

choochoose*se*

D – same as in EnglishD – same as in English

dday - ay - ddíía a

E - as in the English E - as in the English words:words:

EEgg, gg, eenter nter EntradaEntrada

F – same as in English:F – same as in English:

FFire - ire - el fuegoel fuego

G – if followed by A G – if followed by A

GA – as in GA – as in

GaGardenrden

gagarbagerbage

G – if followed by OG – if followed by O

GO – as in GO – as in

gogothicthic

gogoldld

G – if followed by UG – if followed by U

GU – as in the words:GU – as in the words:

googoofy, Guccify, Gucci

G followed by E G followed by E

GE – it is pronounced as in theGE – it is pronounced as in the

words : words : hehen*, n*, hehead, ad, hehellollo

* there is no word in English spelled with * there is no word in English spelled with GE and pronounced “he” as in the GE and pronounced “he” as in the above examplesabove examples

G followed by IG followed by I

GI – it is pronounces as in theGI – it is pronounces as in the

words: words: hihit, t, hihis, s, hihintnt

GUE GUE

GUE – it is pronounced as in the GUE – it is pronounced as in the EnglishEnglish

gueguest st guerraguerra

gueguess ss

GUIGUI

GUI – it is pronounced as in the GUI – it is pronounced as in the EnglishEnglish

geegeese se guitarraguitarra

GGÜÜEE

It is pronounced similar as in the It is pronounced similar as in the

English name : English name : GweGwenn

There are only a few words in There are only a few words in SpanishSpanish

eg. vergeg. vergüüenza - shameenza - shame

H – is silent in SpanishH – is silent in Spanish

It is graphically used, but It is graphically used, but NEVER NEVER pronounced by itself when is pronounced by itself when is placed at the beginning of the placed at the beginning of the word as in the English:word as in the English:

ThougThoughh ¡HOLA!¡HOLA! bougboughhtt

II

I – as in the English words:I – as in the English words:

EaEasy sy InglIngléés s

IIngles ngles

(the grocery shop)(the grocery shop)

JJ It is always pronounced / ha or hu, It is always pronounced / ha or hu,

ho / as in the English words:ho / as in the English words:

hhunt , unt , HHistory istory

JamJamáás = nevers = never

Juan = JohnJuan = John

Jose = JosefJose = Josef

KK

K – same as in EnglishK – same as in English

Kilogram Kilogram

Kilometer Kilometer kilómetro kilómetro

LL

It is pronounced as in the English It is pronounced as in the English words:words:

llake - ake - el lagoel lago

LLiter – iter – el litroel litro

LL – LL –

Is very much similar with the Is very much similar with the soundsound

yyes / es / yyoke / oke / yyummyummy

Me llamo X Me llamo X – My name is X– My name is X

LlorarLlorar – to cry – to cry

MM

Same as in English :Same as in English :

MMichael – ichael – MiguelMiguel

Monkey – Monkey – el monoel mono

NN

Same as in English Same as in English

Nicholas – Nicholas – NicolNicolááss

Name – Name – nombrenombre

Ñ – it’s a sound that does not Ñ – it’s a sound that does not exist inexist in

English, so there is no graphical English, so there is no graphical representation representation

SeSeññora Sosaora Sosa

El niEl niññoo

OO

As in the English – As in the English –

OOracle racle optimistaoptimista

OOrganizerganize

PP

Same as in English – Same as in English – ppart – art – la partela parte

Q followed by UE Q followed by UE

QUE – it is pronounced / KE / as QUE – it is pronounced / KE / as in the words:in the words:

keketchup tchup QuesoQueso

KeKenya nya

Q followed by UIQ followed by UI

QUI – it is pronounced / KI / as in QUI – it is pronounced / KI / as in the words:the words:

KiKick ck QuinceQuince

KiKingng

RR

Same as in English Same as in English

RReality - eality - RealidadRealidad

RRRR

You have to stress and roll your You have to stress and roll your tongue tongue . .

There is a small diference in pronouncing these 2 wordsThere is a small diference in pronouncing these 2 words

carocaro ≠≠ carrocarro

expensive expensive carcar

S - same as in English: S - same as in English:

SSun – el Solun – el Sol

T – same as in EnglishT – same as in English

Thomas - TThomas - Toomásmás

U – it is pronounced as the U – it is pronounced as the English sound: /oo / from English sound: /oo / from the the words:words:

g gooood, chd, choooose, se, únicoúnico g goooosese

V V

Same as in English:Same as in English:

vvanity – anity – la vanidadla vanidad

W W

This letter only occurs in This letter only occurs in occasional loanwords occasional loanwords

E.g.: William / WashingtonE.g.: William / Washington

XX

/ ks / like in the English word/ ks / like in the English word

Box; Fox Box; Fox exámen exámen

YY

Same as in EnglishSame as in English

Yes, yesterday, Yes, yesterday,

Yegua -Yegua - mare mare

ZZ

It is pronounced like It is pronounced like SisterSister For instance in the word: For instance in the word:

la cerveza – beerla cerveza – beer

You will pronounce it as if was You will pronounce it as if was writtenwritten

la cervela cervessaa

PRACTIQUEMOS PRACTIQUEMOS

azulazul Bebida Bebida

armarioarmarioBorachoBoracho

amigoamigoBanderaBandera

actrizactriz BaBaññoo

CansadoCansado champchampúú CaminarCaminar chaquetachaqueta CantarCantar chequecheque CenarCenar ChinaChina CiruelaCiruela CerezaCereza

DesearDesear distanciadistancia DivertidoDivertido dormidodormido EconomiaEconomia encantadoencantado ElenaElena enemigoenemigo EquipoEquipo espejoespejo FalsoFalso fantfantáástico stico FamiliaFamilia fin de semanafin de semana

GalletasGalletas gallinagallina GasolinaGasolina generalgeneral GirasolGirasol girogiro GobiernoGobierno gorragorra GuapoGuapo guanteguante GGüüeroero hablamoshablamos HabitacionHabitacion hamburguesahamburguesa

IgualmenteIgualmente imaginaciimaginacióón n InvestigaciInvestigacióón n juegojuego JuntosJuntos justiciajusticia LangostaLangosta lláápizpiz LenguaLengua llamarllamar LlaveLlave llorarllorar LlenarLlenar luzluz

Materiales escolaresMateriales escolares MayorMayor menormenor MentiraMentira mirarmirar NombreNombre novianovia NuevoNuevo nnúúmeromero OjoOjo oficinaoficina OlvidarOlvidar ordenorden