Vowels and Alphabet - Vocales y Alfabeto
1. Spanish Alphabet
The Spanish
alphabet is very similar to the English alphabet, but there are some
differences. There are vowels and consonants, but in Spanish there are 3
consonants that don’t exist in English: ch, ll, rr.
Unl
|
Letters |
Name |
Conditions for Pronunciation |
Pronunciation in English |
Example |
|
A |
ah |
|
father |
amigo
(friend) |
|
B |
b |
|
boy |
bella (beautiful) |
|
C |
se |
·
s before e and i ·
k (all other contexts) |
·
city ·
clay |
·
ciudad (city) ·
cabeza (head) |
|
Ch |
che |
|
chain |
|
|
D |
de |
|
dog |
domingo (Sunday) |
|
E |
eh |
soft e |
met |
elefante (elephant) |
|
F |
efe |
|
fox |
fin
(end) |
|
G |
ge |
·
g at beginning of word ·
harsh h before e and i ·
gw (all other contexts) |
·
great ·
hiccup (from back of the throat) ·
agua |
·
gato (cat) ·
gigante (gigantic) ·
agua (water) |
|
H |
hache |
not
pronounced |
hour |
hora (hour) |
|
I |
ee |
hard e |
meet |
idea
(idea) |
|
J |
jota |
h |
hose
(from back of the throat) |
jamón (ham) |
|
K |
ka |
|
bark |
kilo
(kilogram) |
|
L |
ele |
|
look |
libro (book) |
|
LL |
elle |
y |
yarn
|
lluvia (rain) |
|
M |
eme |
|
maple |
mano (hand) |
|
N |
ene |
|
north |
uno (one) |
|
Ñ |
eñe |
ny |
canyon |
señor (mister) |
|
O |
o |
|
open
|
ojos (eyes) |
|
P |
pe |
|
paper |
pelo (hair) |
|
Q |
ku |
|
quit |
queso (cheese) |
|
R |
ere |
|
radio |
pero (but) |
|
RR |
erre |
trilled r |
Rolling r
not pronounced in English |
perro (dog) |
|
S |
ese |
|
sit |
sol
(sun) |
|
T |
te |
|
tomato |
tres (three) |
|
U |
u |
|
super |
uno (one) |
|
V |
ve |
There is
no difference between V
and B be |
victory |
vida (life) |
|
W |
doble u or
doble ve |
|
welcome |
Web
(web) |
|
X |
equis |
ks |
extra |
examen (exam) |
|
Y |
ye or igriega |
·
Long e when alone ·
y (all other contexts) |
·
Betty ·
yellow |
·
Y (and) ·
Ya (already) |
|
Z |
zeta |
s in th in |
sit
|
zapato (shoe) |
2. Diphthongs
Diphthongs
occur when two vowels are side-by-side and pronounced together and the vowels
do not have an accent mark (the accent breaks the diphthong).
|
Diphthong |
Pronounce both but... |
Example (and translation) |
|
au |
emphasize
the first vowel |
pausa (pause) |
|
ei |
emphasize
the first vowel |
veinte (twenty) |
|
ia |
emphasize
the second vowel |
viaje (trip) |
|
ie |
emphasize
the second vowel |
viejo (old) |
|
iu |
emphasize
the second vowel |
ciudad (city) |
|
ua |
emphasize
the second vowel |
suave (smooth) |
|
ue |
emphasize
the second vowel |
fuego (fire) |
|
ui |
emphasize
the second vowel |
huida (escape) |
3. Syllable Stress
There are
three rules to syllable stress
|
Rules |
Pronunciation |
|
1. Accent mark |
Stress
the syllable with an accent mark |
|
2. Words ending in a vowel, s, or n |
Stress
the next to last syllable for words ending in a vowel, s, or n. |
|
3. Rules 1 & 2 do not apply |
If rules 1
& 2 do not apply then stress the last syllable. Usually the “default” pronunciation,
because most of words in Spanish end in a vowel or in s, therefore more words
are stressed on the next to last syllable |
4. Accents
Accents are
primarily used to indicate syllable stress. When accents are not
indicating syllable stress, they are used to differentiate words that have the
same spelling. For example,
|
Spanish |
English |
|
sí |
yes |
|
si |
if |
|
él |
he |
|
el |
the |
|
tú |
you |
|
tu |
your |
|
qué |
what |
|
que |
that |
5. Related Vocabulary
|
Spanish |
English |
|
VOCALES |
VOWELS |
|
A |
|
|
América |
|
|
Amigo |
Friend |
|
Amable |
Nice |
|
Aire |
Air |
|
Mamá |
Mom |
|
Pan
|
Bread |
|
Caro |
Expensive |
|
Arroz |
Rice |
|
Avión |
Airplane |
|
Ardilla |
Chipmunk |
|
E |
|
|
España |
|
|
Pedro
|
Peter |
|
Especial |
Special |
|
Té |
Tea |
|
Elefante |
Elephant |
|
Escalera |
Stair |
|
Equipo |
Team |
|
I |
|
|
Inglés |
English |
|
Idea |
Idea |
|
Ir |
To go |
|
Día |
Day |
|
Cita |
Date/meeting |
|
Iglesia |
Church |
|
Inteligente |
Smart |
|
O |
|
|
Ojos |
Eyes |
|
Oreja |
Ear |
|
Opinión |
Opinion |
|
Ocho |
Eight |
|
Cinco |
Five |
|
Caro |
Expensive |
|
Oso |
Bear |
|
Oveja |
Sheep |
|
U |
|
|
Unión |
|
|
Uno |
One |
|
|
|
|
Unir |
To unite |
|
Último |
Last |
|
Uña |
Finger
nail |
|
Uva |
Grape |
|
Universidad |
University |
|
Y |
|
|
Treinta y dos |
Thirty
two |
|
|
|
|
CONSONANTES |
CONSONANTS |
|
B |
|
|
Bella |
Beautiful |
|
Biblioteca |
Library |
|
Blanco |
White/blank |
|
Bicicleta
|
Bicycle |
|
Barco |
Boat |
|
Bailar |
To dance |
|
Banana |
Banana |
|
Boca |
Mouth |
|
C |
|
|
Cabeza |
Head |
|
Casa |
House |
|
Color |
Color |
|
Clase |
Class |
|
Cruz |
Cross |
|
Cristal |
|
|
Claro |
Clear |
|
Carro |
Car |
|
Caballo |
Horse |
|
Cuchara |
Spoon |
|
Cuchillo
|
Knife |
|
CH |
|
|
|
Boy/small |
|
Muchacha |
Girl |
|
Dichoso |
Happy/Fortunate |
|
Chistoso |
Funny |
|
Hacha |
Axe |
|
Champiñones
|
Mushrooms |
|
D |
|
|
Domingo |
Sunday |
|
Dios |
God |
|
Dólar |
Dollar |
|
Día |
Day |
|
Droga |
Drug |
|
Falda |
Skirt |
|
Donde |
Where |
|
Delfín |
Dolphin |
|
Dinero |
Money |
|
F |
|
|
Fotografía |
Photograph |
|
Fin |
End |
|
Flor |
Flower |
|
Falso |
FALSE |
|
Famoso |
Famous |
|
Café
|
Café/Coffee |
|
Foca |
Seal |
|
G |
|
|
General |
General |
|
Gente |
People |
|
Género |
Kind/type |
|
Generoso
|
Generous |
|
Gigante |
Gigantic/giant |
|
Imaginar |
Imagine |
|
Gitano |
Gypsy |
|
Gigantesco
|
Gigantic |
|
Gato |
Cat |
|
Gas |
Gas |
|
Abrigo |
Coat |
|
Algo |
Something |
|
Gusano |
Caterpillar/Worm |
|
Gustar |
To like |
|
Guerra |
War |
|
Guerrilla |
Guerrilla
(Warfare) |
|
Guitarra |
Guitar |
|
Guión |
Hyphen |
|
Águila |
Eagle |
|
Vergüenza |
Shame |
|
Antigüedad |
Antiquity |
|
Cigüeña |
Stork/Winch/Ostrich
|
|
Lingüista |
Linguist |
|
Pingüino |
Penguin |
|
|
|
|
Agua |
Water |
|
Guapo |
Handsome |
|
Aguacate |
Avocado |
|
Antiguo |
Old/Antique |
|
H |
|
|
(Es muda, no se pronuncia) |
(It's
silent, it is not pronounced) |
|
Hombre |
Man |
|
Hablar |
To speak |
|
Hormiga |
Ant |
|
Helado |
Ice Cream |
|
Hombro |
Shoulder |
|
Hambre |
Hunger |
|
J |
|
|
Jamón |
Ham |
|
Viaje |
Trip |
|
Mujer |
Woman |
|
Joven |
Young |
|
Juventud
|
Youth |
|
Rojo |
Red |
|
Jabón |
Soap |
|
Jirafa |
Girafe |
|
Jueves |
Thursday |
|
K |
|
|
Kilómetro |
Kilometer |
|
Kilo |
Kilogram |
|
Koala |
Koala
bear |
|
L |
|
|
Libro |
Book |
|
Labios |
Lips |
|
Lavar |
To |
|
Lunes |
Monday |
|
Luna |
Moon |
|
Lápiz |
Pencil |
|
Lechuga |
Lettuce |
|
LL |
|
|
Llamar |
To call |
|
Taller
|
Workshop |
|
Lluvia |
Rain |
|
Caballo |
Horse |
|
Llegar |
To arrive |
|
Llave |
Key |
|
Calle |
Street |
|
M |
|
|
Mano |
Hand |
|
Mamá |
Mom |
|
Camino
|
Path |
|
Mono |
Monkey |
|
Manzana |
Apple |
|
Miel |
Honey |
|
N |
|
|
No |
No |
|
Uno |
One |
|
Norte |
North |
|
Noche |
Night |
|
Nada |
Nothing |
|
Nieve |
Snow |
|
Nido |
Nest |
|
Navaja |
Pocket
knife |
|
Ñ |
|
|
Sólo se utiliza en medio de las palabras |
Only used
in the middle of words |
|
Año |
Year |
|
Señor |
Mister |
|
Mañana |
Tomorrow |
|
Señorita |
Miss |
|
Cigüeña |
Ostrich |
|
P |
|
|
Pan |
Bread |
|
Papá |
Dad |
|
Puente |
Bridge |
|
Palacio |
Palace |
|
Perro |
Dog |
|
Pies |
Feet |
|
Pelo |
Hair |
|
Papaya |
Papaya |
|
Piña |
Pineapple |
|
Piel |
Skin |
|
Pepino |
Cucumber |
|
Q |
|
|
Parque |
Park |
|
Qué |
What |
|
Queso |
Cheese |
|
Quetzal |
Quetzal
(native bird to |
|
Porque |
Because |
|
Aquí |
Here |
|
Quiero |
I want |
|
Quien |
Who |
|
Química |
Chemical/Chemistry |
|
R |
|
|
|
Rose |
|
Región |
Region |
|
Alrededor |
Around |
|
Honrado |
Honest |
|
Enrique
|
Richard |
|
Pero |
But |
|
Profesora |
Professor/Teacher |
|
Estudiar |
To study |
|
Comprender |
To
understand |
|
Rana |
Frog |
|
Ratón |
Mouse |
|
RR |
|
|
Perro |
Dog |
|
Correr |
Run |
|
Cerrar |
To close |
|
Guitarra |
Guitar |
|
S |
|
|
Suéter |
Sweater |
|
Isla |
Island |
|
Historia |
History |
|
Estudiante |
Student |
|
Escuela |
School |
|
|
Hat |
|
Sol |
Sun |
|
Sacerdote |
Priest |
|
Silencio
|
Silence |
|
T |
|
|
Tener |
To have |
|
Tres |
Three |
|
Tren |
Train |
|
Tiempo |
Time |
|
Tomar |
To take |
|
|
Tortoise |
|
Tiburón |
Shark |
|
Tenedor |
Fork |
|
V |
|
|
Víbora |
Viper |
|
Vida |
Life |
|
|
Victory |
|
Venado |
Deer |
|
Vaca |
Cow |
|
Vaso |
Glass |
|
X |
|
|
Examen |
Exam |
|
Existir |
Exist |
|
Exótico |
Exotic |
|
Éxito |
Success |
|
Extranjero |
Foreigner |
|
Explorar |
To
explore |
|
Explicar |
To
explain |
|
Extraño |
Strange |
|
Xilófono |
Xylophone |
|
Y |
|
|
Yo |
I |
|
Ya |
Already |
|
Mayo |
may |
|
Desayuno |
Breakfast |
|
Vaya |
Go
(subjunctive) |
|
Playa |
Beach |
|
Hoy |
Today |
|
Hay |
There
are/is |
|
Soy |
I am |
|
Voy |
I go |
|
Estoy |
I am |
|
Ley |
Law |
|
Rey |
King |
|
Sal y
pimienta |
Salt and
pepper |
|
¿Y
te vas? |
And
you're going? |
|
Y |
And |
|
Yoyo |
Yo yo |
|
Z |
|
|
Zorro |
Fox |
|
Lápiz |
Pencil |
|
Zapato |
Shoe |
|
Paz |
Peace |
|
Zanahoria |
Carrot |