Diphthongs and Triphthongs  


Dipthongs are two vowels blended together to produce one sound. The different vowel combinations creates a slurring of the two vowels. When “u” combines with another vowel, a “w” sound is produced (cuerpo). "I” followed by another vowel, produces a consonant “y” sound as in “year” (hielo, siete). The “ai” or “ay” combination is pronounced like the word “eye” (hay).

"A", "E" and "O" never form diphthongs together. They may form diphthongs and triphthongs only in combination with "I" and "U."


Diphthong: ai (ay)

aire - air
baile - dance
hay - there is or there are
paisaje - countryside
faisán - pheasant
caigo - I fall

Diphthong: ei (ey)

seis - six
veinte - twenty
treinta - thirty
reina - queen
ley - law
rey - king

Diphthong: oi (oy)

hoy - today
estoy - I am
oigo - I hear
coima - bribe
voy - I go
coincidencia - coincidence

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Diphthong: ui (uy)

muy - very
ruido - noise
cuidado - care
Luis - Louis
influir - to influence
construir - to construct

Diphthong: au

automóvil - automobile
autor - author
pausa - pause
fauna - fauna
aun - still
bautismo - baptism

Diphthong: eu

amateur - amateur
neutral - neutral
Europa - Europe
europeo - European
deuda - debt
neurótico - neurotic

Diphthong: ia

seria - serious
media - half
estudiar - to study
esencia - essence
infancia - infancy
pronunciar - to pronounce

Diphthong: ie

bien - well
cien - hundred
cielo - sky
siempre - always
tiene - he has
tiempo - time or weather

Diphthong: io

idioma - language
estudio - I study
capitolio - capital
novio - boyfriend
misterio - mystery
biblioteca - library

Diphthong: iu

ciudad - city
ciudadano - citizen
veintiuno - twenty-one
triunfo - triumph
viuda - widow
viudo - widower

Diphthong: ua

agua - water
adecuado - adequate
aduana - customs
Ecuador - Ecuador
igual - equal
guapo - handsome

Diphthong: ue

bueno - good
puerta - door
escuela - school
abuela - grandmother
dueño - proprietor
fuerte - strong

Diphthong: uo

antiguo - old
ambiguo - ambiguous
fluorescente - fluorescent
fructuoso - fruitful
luctuoso - mournful
monstruo - monster

Drag-N-Match Diphthongs





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