Learn Spanish Pronunciation - Words are pronounced exactly the way they are spelled.  Vowel sounds are almost always pronounced consistently the same way, unlike the English language - making it much simpler to learn Spanish pronunciation.  Guides for vowels, consonants, and stress rules are also included.

 

 Learn Spanish Pronunciation - Vowels

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 -A -- pronounced "ah", as in father         Example: ala  (AH-la)     wing  

-I -- I  is pronounced ee like see in English.   Example: si  (SEE) yes

-E -- always pronounced "eh" as in best in English.        Example: inglés (een-GLEHS)  English

-O --  pronounced like "oh" in English.  Example: ojo (eye),    OH-hoh

-U -- like the U in "rule"    Example:  útil  (useful), Pronounced: OO-tihl

Once you learn Spanish pronunciation vowel sounds, its simple to sound out words. 

Learn Spanish Pronunciation - Consonants                                                                                                                

-C -- pronounced like k before  a,o, or u.     Example: casa  (KAH-sah)  house  

-C  -- pronounced  like "s" in English before i or e.     Example: centro (SEHN-troh)  center   

-G -- Before a, o, or u it is pronounced as the G in get. Before i or e it sounds like the H in English but with more emphasis.  Example: gente (HEHN-tay)  people

-H -- H is always silent.  Example: hotel  (oh-TEHL)  hotel

 

-J -- is always pronounced like the English H but with more empahsis. For example: jalapeño

-LL -- LL is pronounced like the Y in yellow. Example: llamar (yah-MAHR)  to call

-Ñ -- Ñ is pronounced ny as in canyon.   Example: mañana (tomorrow),   mah-NYAH-nah

-Q -- pronounced like  the Letter K in English.   Example:  queso (cheese),   KEH-soh

-RR -- rr is a rolled r, strongly trilled.   Example: perro (dog),   PEH-rroh

 -R -- slightly trilled and If it's the first letter of the word, it's strongly trilled.  Example: primo (male cousin)   PREE-moh

-V -- "V" sounds like a "B" at the beginning of a word or following a consonant. Sometimes their sound is something between b and  v.

 -X -- X sounds like "ks" or "s". Example: éxito  (EHKS-ee-toh)  success

 -W --  W is only found in words of foreign origin.  Example: whisky  (WEES-key)  whisky

 -Y -- Y is pronounced like the "y" in yellow. Example:  yerno  (YEHR-noh)  son-inlaw, When "y" (pronounced ee) stands alone as a word it is the word meaning "and".

-Z --Z in Latin America is pronounced as the English S.  Example: plaza (PLAH-sah) square

Any consonants not on this list are pronounced the same as in English.

Learn Spanish Pronunciation -  Rules for accented syllables:

• Words ending in a vowel (-a, -e, -i, -o, -u) or -s, or-n; the second to last syllable is stressed. For example: mano (MAH-noh), hand or playas (PLAH-yahs), beaches.

•  
•  Words ending in a any consonant except -s or -n, will be stressed on the last syllable. For example: verdad (vehr-DAHD), truth or azul (ah-SOOL), blue.
• When words don't follow these rules an accent mark is placed over the vowel to indicate the syllable that  is stressed. For example: médico (MEH-dee-coh), doctor or música (MOO-see-kah) music.
  

 Learn Latin America Pronunciation    

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