Alphabet and pronunciation with examples

The Spanish alphabet, or "abecedario" in Spanish, consists of 27 letters. This includes the same 26 letters as the English alphabet with the addition of the letter "ñ" (pronounced "eñe"). Each letter in the Spanish alphabet has a specific pronunciation, and understanding these pronunciations is crucial for effective communication in Spanish.

A - E - I - O - U

These five vowels are fundamental in the Spanish language. Unlike English, where vowels can have various pronunciations, in Spanish, each vowel has a single, consistent sound.

1. A . Pronounced as "ah", similar to the "a" in "father."
2. E. Pronounced as "eh", similar to the "e" in "met."
3. I. Pronounced as "ee", similar to the "ee" in "see."
4. O. Pronounced as "oh", similar to the "o" in "go."
5. U. Pronounced as "oo", similar to the "oo" in "mood."

The consonants in Spanish generally have similar pronunciations to English, but there are some differences and nuances to be aware of.

• B and V: In Spanish, the letters "b" and "v" are pronounced identically, like the English "b" in "ball." This can cause confusion for English speakers as the distinction between the two sounds is not as significant as in English.
• C: The pronunciation of the letter "c" depends on the following vowel. Before "a", "o", or "u", it is pronounced as a hard "k" sound, as in "cat". Before "e" or "i", it is pronounced as a soft "s" sound, as in "cent".
• D: The letter "d" is pronounced like the English "d" in "dog".
• F: The letter "f" is pronounced similarly to English, as in "fun".
• G: Like "c", the pronunciation of "g" depends on the following vowel. Before "a", "o", or "u", it is pronounced as a hard "g" sound, similar to the English "go". Before "e" or "i", it is pronounced as an aspirated "h" sound, as in "hello".
• H: The letter "h" is always silent in Spanish.
• J: The letter "j" is pronounced as a strong, guttural sound, similar to the Scottish "ch" in "loch".
• K: The letter "k" is rarely used in native Spanish words and is primarily found in loanwords.
• L: The letter "l" is pronounced similarly to English, as in "love".
• M: The letter "m" is pronounced similarly to English, as in "man".
• N: The letter "n" is pronounced similarly to English, as in "now".
• Ñ: The letter "ñ" is unique to Spanish and is pronounced similarly to the "ny" sound in "canyon" or "onion".
• P: The letter "p" is pronounced similarly to English, as in "pet".
• Q: The letter "q" is always followed by "u" and is pronounced like a hard "k" sound, as in "queen".
• R: The pronunciation of the letter "r" varies between Spanish dialects. In some regions, it is pronounced with a trill, similar to the "rr" sound in "perro" (dog), while in others, it is pronounced as a flap, similar to the "r" in "car".
• S: The letter "s" is pronounced similarly to English, as in "sun".
• T: The letter "t" is pronounced similarly to English, as in "top".
• W: Like "k", the letter "w" is primarily found in loanwords and foreign names.
• X: The letter "x" can be pronounced as "ks" as in "extra" or "gz" as in "exist".
• Y: The letter "y" is pronounced similarly to the Spanish "i" sound, as in "ee".
• Z: The letter "z" is pronounced as an "s" sound, similar to the "s" in "sun".