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Vowels and Alphabet - Vocales y Alfabeto

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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.

Unlike in English, Spanish letters are almost always pronounced the same. In English for example, the first “o” in “doctor” is pronounced differently than the second. In Spanish, the first “o” in “doctor” pronounced the same as the second.

Letters

Name

Conditions for Pronunciation

Pronunciation in English

Example
(and transalation)

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

chico (boy)

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 Latin America

th in Spain

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

America

Amigo

Friend

Amable

Nice

Aire

Air

Mamá

Mom

Pan

Bread

Caro

Expensive

Arroz

Rice

Avión

Airplane

Ardilla

Chipmunk

E

España

Spain

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

Union

Uno

One

Cuba

Cuba

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

Crystal

Claro

Clear

Carro

Car

Caballo

Horse

Cuchara

Spoon

Cuchillo

Knife

CH

Chico

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

nero

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

Guatemala

Guatemala

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 Wash

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

Q

What

Queso

Cheese

Quetzal

Quetzal (native bird to Guatemala)

Porque

Because

Aq

Here

Quiero

I want

Quien

Who

Química

Chemical/Chemistry

R

Rosa

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

Sombrero

Hat

Sol

Sun

Sacerdote

Priest

Silencio

Silence

T

Tener

To have

Tres

Three

Tren

Train

Tiempo

Time

Tomar

To take

Tortuga

Tortoise

Tiburón

Shark

Tenedor

Fork

V

Víbora

Viper

Vida

Life

Victoria

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



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