Pronunciation Flashcards
A
-the a in father
(La casa, la tapa, Panamá, Canadá)
E
Two sounds:
1. The e in café when final
(Elefante, come, vive, verde, que)
2. The e in set elsewhere
(Pero, es, hotel)
I
-The i in machine
(Sí, cine, comida)
O
Two sounds:
1. The o in hope
(Oso, otro, hospital)
2. The o in for if followed by r
(Doctor, profesor)
U
- The u in rule
(Uno, tú, puro) - Written as ü when pronounced in güe and güi
(Agüero, güira) - Silent in gue and gui elsewhere
(Guerra, guitarra)
Y
-Spanish i
(Y, soy, hay)
B
- The b in boat when they occur at the beginning of a breath group, or following l, m, or n
(Baño, burro, embargo, alba, el vino, el voto, invierno, vamos) - Softer elsewhere, produced through slightly opened lips
(Cuba, la boca, Havana, la vaca)
C
- The c in cat before a, o, u, or before a consonant
(Camisa, color, concreto) - The s in sail before e or i
(Centavo, cita, cinco)
Ch
-The ch in chum
(Chocolate, chorizo)
D
-Two sounds:
1. The d in dog when it occurs at the beginning of a breath group, or following l or n
(Donde, falda, conde)
2. The th in other elsewhere
(Boda, poder, verdad, nada, cada, estudio
F
-English f
(Futuro, fila, oficina)
G
- The g in game before a, o, u, or before a consonant
(Gato, gusto, grande) - The h in hat before e or i
(Genio, generoso, gitano)
H
-Silent
(Hombre, hasta, hablar)
J
-English h. It can also be given a slightly guttural sound.
(Juan, ojo, mujer)
K
-English k
(Kayak, kilómetro, kiwi)
L
-English l, but with the tip of the tongue touching the roof of the mouth
(El, hotel, mil, palo)
LL
-The y in beyond, or in some countries the s in pleasure
(Caballo, bello, llave)
M
-English m
(Menos, cama, marrón)
N
-English n
Ñ
-The ny in canyon or the ni in onion
(Mañana, España, señor)
P
-English p, but not explosive (without the puff of air in the English sound)
(Papel, persona, pobre)
Q
-The k in key (found only in the combinations que and qui)
(Quito, queso, equipo)
R
- The dd in ladder (a single tongue flap)
(Caro, barato, para, hablar) - The r at the beginning of a word or after l, n, or s is trilled like rr
(Rosa, el río, Enrique, las rosas)
RR
-A trill or tongue roll. There is no English equivalent
(Perro, horrible, carro)