Learning the Alphabet by Julie Gutin
In Spanish, the alphabet is called el abecedario (ehl ah-beh-seh-DAH-ryoh). When you take a look at the alphabet, you will see how similar it is to the one we use in English. For the most part, the Spanish letters are the same graphically as those employed in English. What's nice about them is that, unlike their American English counterparts, their pronunciation is consistent (most of the time!), which makes learning to read in Spanish a whole lot easier.
El Abecedario (The Spanish Alphabet)
There used to be another letter in the alphabet, rr, but it was officially dropped by the Royal Academy of Spain in the nineties. It was rumored that other double letters, ch and ll, would be dropped as well, but such hasn't been the case.
Quick Pronunciation Guide
Letter Pronunciation
| Example |
| a |
“a” in “father” |
mano (MAH-noh), hand |
| b |
“b” in “box” |
bella (BEH-yah), pretty |
| c |
“c” in “call” |
caja (KAH-hhah), box |
| “c” in “city” |
cine (SIH-neh), movies |
| ch |
“ch” in “change” |
chicle (CHIH-kleh), gum |
| d |
“d” in “deck” |
día (DIH-ah), day |
| e |
“e” in “pen” |
pera (PEH-rah), pear |
| f |
“f” in “fine” |
fe (feh), faith |
| g |
“g” in “go” |
ganar (gah-NAHR), to win |
| a hard “h” |
gemelo (hheh-MEH-loh), twin |
| h |
silent |
hola (OH-lah), hello |
| i |
“ee” in “seen” |
listo (LIH-stoh), ready |
| j |
a hard “h” |
justo (HHOOS-toh), just |
| k |
“k” in “karma” |
kiosco (KYOH-skoh), kiosk |
| l |
“l” in “lick” |
lado (LAH-doh), side |
| ll |
“y” in “yay” or “j” in “déjà vu” |
llanto (YAHN-toh, ZHAHN-toh), crying |
| m |
“m” in “more” |
mayo (MAH-yoh), May |
| n |
“n” in “nickel” |
nada (NAH-dah), nothing |
| ñ |
similar to “ni” in “onion” |
niño (NIH-nyoh), baby |
| o |
“o” in “more” |
mosca (MOHS-kah), fly |
| p |
“p” in “open” |
país (pah-EES), country |
| q |
“q” in “quiet” |
queso (KEH-soh), cheese |
| r |
a hard “r” sound, like“tt” in “matter” |
oro (OH-roh), gold |
| s |
“s” in “smart” |
sonar (soh-NAHR), to ring |
| t |
“t” in “stay” |
tocar (toh-KAHR), to touch |
| u |
“oo” in “boot” |
tuyo (TOOH-yoh), yours |
| v |
between “v” and “b” |
vencer (vehn-SEHR, behn-SEHR), to overcome |
| w |
“w” in “way” |
waterpolo (wah-tehr-POH-loh), waterpolo |
| x |
“x” in “taxes” |
exilio (eh-KSIH-lyoh), exile |
| y |
“y” in “yellow” or “j” in “déjà vu” |
yo (yoh, zhoh), I |
| z |
“s” in “smart” or “z” in zebra |
zapato (sah-PAH-toh, zah-PAH-toh), shoe |
