Spanish pronunciation 101

Mastering Spanish pronunciation 🗣️ is an essential step 👣 for anyone learning the language. Known for its phonetic consistency, Spanish words are often pronounced as they’re written 📝. However, the nuances of regional accents across Spain and common challenges for learners add layers of complexity. In this blog, we’ll explore how Spanish pronunciation works, the different accents in Spain, and address common questions about pronouncing Spanish words 🗣️.

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How does Spanish pronunciation work?

The basics of pronunciation

Spanish pronunciation follows straightforward rules 🗣️ that make it beginner-friendly:

🅰️ Vowels remain consistent, no matter their placement:

A: Sounds like the "a" in "father"

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E: Sounds like the "e" in "met"

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I: Sounds like the "ee" in "machine"

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O: Sounds like the "o" in "note"

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U: Sounds like the "oo" in "food"

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🅱️ Consonants are mostly predictable :

C: Hard "k" sound before a, o, or u (casa 🏠), soft "s" or "th" before e or i (cielo ☁️).

casa
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cielo
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Z: Pronounced as "th" in Spain (zapato 👞 → thapato) and as "s" in Latin America (sapato).

zapato (Spain)
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zapato (Latin America)
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H: Silent in all positions (hola  👋→ ola).

hola
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Here you have one of our blogs speaking about it 😜

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Stress and accents:

- Words ending in a vowel 🔠, n, or s stress the penultimate syllable (amigo).
- Words ending in other consonants stress the last syllable (hotel 🏨).
- Accent marks indicate exceptions, highlighting the stressed syllable (camión 🚚).

Accents in Spain: Regional variations

Spanish is spoken differently across regions in Spain 🗺️, and understanding these accents enhances comprehension and fluency.

Castilian Spanish (Central and Northern Spain)

This accent is considered the standard and features the distinct ceceo:

Z and soft C are pronounced like "th" (gracias 😊 → grathias).

Andalusian Spanish (Southern Spain)

Andalusian Spanish is characterized by relaxed consonant use:

Final consonants are often dropped (estás → etá).

Sibilants like s may be softened.

Canarian Spanish (Canary Islands)

Closer to Latin American Spanish, Canarian Spanish includes:

Shortened words and omission of some sounds (chico 👦 → shico). 

Influences of regional languages

In regions with co-official languages 👅, pronunciation reflects linguistic diversity 🌍:

Catalan: Spoken in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.
Galician: Similar to Portuguese, spoken in Galicia.
Basque: A distinct language influencing Spanish spoken in the Basque Country.
 

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How are Spanish words pronounced?

Here are common Spanish words with their pronunciations:

Hola 👋→ oh-lah (Hello)

Hola
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Amigo 👥→ ah-mee-go (Friend)

Amigo
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Familia 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 → fah-mee-lee-ah (Family)

Familia
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Comida 🍲 → koh-mee-dah (Food)

Comida
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By practicing these words and applying the rules, learners 👨‍🎓 can improve their pronunciation skills effectively.

How Is Z pronounced in Spain?

  1. The pronunciation of z depends on the region 💤:
  2. In Castilian Spanish: Z is pronounced as "th" (zapato 👞 → thapato).
  3. In Latin American Spanish: Z is pronounced as "s" (zapato 👞→ sapato).

Top 20 Spanish words for practicing pronunciation

Below is a list of essential Spanish words for pronunciation practice:

Hola 👋 (oh-lah) – Hello

Hola
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Adiós 👋 (ah-dee-ohs) – Goodbye

Adiós
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Por favor 🙏(por fah-vor) – Please

Por favor
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Gracias 👐 (gra-thias or gra-sias) – Thank you

Gracias
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Amigo 👥 (ah-mee-go) – Friend

Amigo
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Casa 🏠 (kah-sah) – House

Casa
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Familia 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 (fah-mee-lee-ah) – Family

Familia
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Comida 🍲 (koh-mee-dah) – Food

Comida
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Perro 🐶 (peh-rro) – Dog

Perro
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Fiesta 🎊 (fee-es-tah) – Party

Fiesta
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Trabajo 👨‍💼 (trah-bah-hoh) – Work

Trabajo
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Tiempo ⏳ (tee-em-poh) – Time

Tiempo
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Día 📅 (dee-ah) – Day

Día
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Noche 🌕 (noh-cheh) – Night

Noche
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Niño 👶 (nee-nyo) – Child

Niño
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Escuela 🏫 (es-kwel-ah) – School

Escuela
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Agua 💦 (ah-gwah) – Water

Agua
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Libro 📖 (lee-bro) – Book

Libro
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Amor 😍 (ah-mor) – Love

Amor
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Corazón ❤️ (koh-rah-thon or koh-rah-son) – Heart

Corazón
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Improving Spanish pronunciation: Tips for success

1. Practice regularly

Repetition helps build confidence. Focus 👀 on vowels and challenging consonants like r.

2. Immerse yourself:

Watch Spanish films 🎞️, listen to podcasts 🎙️, or speak with native speakers to refine your ear and mimic pronunciation 🗣️.

3. Record yourself:

Compare your pronunciation to native speakers and adjust as needed.

4. Become a member of Soy Guiri ✨:

Take your pronunciation to the next level with our courses and put into practice what you have learnt with native and specialised teachers.

Take the level test now and book your free lesson!

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