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How To Pronounce the Spanish Alphabet
Published October 14, 2009 | 
ALPHABET-ABECEDARIO
Most of the letters in Spanish ‘say’ more or less what they do in English. The main difference is, once you know the ‘rules’, you will be able to read or spell any word correctly. Did you know that kids in Spanish schools don’t have ‘spelling tests’, like they do in the UK? This is because the spelling is straightforward & logical -none of this ‘rough, trough, Slough – or there, their, they’re’! Obviously there will be regional variations in pronunciation – this is a sort of ‘generic’ guide. Also remember that when reading a word in spanish, every letter is pronounced, except with gue/gui & qu – and of course the silent ‘h’.
VOWELS-VOCALES (A E I O U)
| name-nombre | sound-sonido | English example | Ejemplo español | |
| A | a | a | apple | agua |
| E | e | eh | egg | escribe |
| I | i | ee | igloo | kilo |
| O | o | o | orange | español |
| U | u | oo | you | uva |
N.B. The examples are just that – examples. They are not (except in a few cases) the same words translated!
CONSONANTS – CONSONANTES
| name-nombre | sound-sonido | English example | ejemplo español | |
| B | be | b | bed | bien |
| C | ce(seh) | c + a, o, u = k c + e, i = th | cat, cot, cut ceiling | casa, cine, cerrado |
| CH | che | tch | chocolate | chocolate |
| D | de | d | day | día |
| F | efe | f | find | fumar |
| G | ge(heh) | g + a, o, u = g gu + e, i = g g + e, i = x | gate, gone, gun genie | gato, pago, agua genio,giro |
| H | hache (atcheh) | - | - | hotel |
| J | jota (hota) | x | - | jefe, jirafa |
| K | ka | k | kilo | kilo |
| L | ele | l | lamp | lámpara |
| Ll | elle (elyeh) | lyer | - | llave, amarillo |
| M | eme | m | mix | mesa |
| N | ene | n | nothing | nada |
| /V/ | ||||
| N | eñe(enyeh) | nyer | - | niño, año |
| P | P | pear | pera | |
| Q | cu(koo) | qu + e, i = k | - | queso, quiero |
| R | ere | r/rr | rose | rosa, arroz |
| S | ese | s | sun | sol |
| T | te | t | tomato | tomate |
| V | uve | bv | - | vino, vaca |
| W | uve doble | w | William | William |
| X | equis (ekees) | ks | exam | examen |
| Y | i griega | ee/y | yoghurt | (Ana) y (Juan) yogur |
| Z | zeta | z + a, o, u = th | - | zapato, azul |
Many thanks to Lynn for this information – Lynn lives on the mainland and provides Spanish lessons, and online translations – you can contact her for her services on learn-aprender@hotmail.com
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