Spanish Alphabet
To hear the Spanish alphabet and its pronunciation, click on the link!
SPANISH ALPHABET
The list below will serve as a guide for how to pronounce each letter alone and in combination with other letters.
a
ah
Close to “ah.”
b
beh
After a pause or the letters l, m, or n, it sounds much like an English b. However, in all other cases, the lips do not even touch, producing a more whisper like sound almost close to the pronunciation of the letter v.
c
ceh
Sounds like k in most cases. Before e or i, it sounds like an s (or th (thick) in many parts of Spain).
ch
cheh
Sounds like the ch in "cheese" in English.
d
deh
After a pause or the letters l, m, or n, it sounds much like an English d except you should place your tongue to your upper teeth instead of the roof of your mouth. However, in all other cases, the tongue touches nothing, creating a whispery th sound like “the”.
e
eh
Close to “eh.” This sound does not exist exactly in English, but sounds much like the a in mate.
f
effe
Sounds like the f in English.
g
ge
After a pause, or the letters l, m, or n, it sounds much like an English g. Before e or i, it sounds like a harsh h (much like the Spanish j).
h
ache
In general, this sound is silent. However, words with foreign spelling and no Spanish equivalent, the breathy aspiration is maintained: Hawái, Hollywood, etc.
* Many newly introduced words are written in italics to highlight their foreign origin (hámster, hip-hop, etc.).
i
Close to “ee”, but short. Before vowels a, e, and o, it forms a y sound.
j
hota
Close to the English h sound. It never sounds like the English J.
k
kah
Uncommon in Spanish, but sounds much like the English k with less breath.
l
ele
Close to the English l, but with the tongue raised closer to the roof of the mouth rather than dipped down
ll
elle
It has a distinct y sound in most countries. In other countries it can sound like the g in genre.
m
eme
Just like the English m.
n
ene
Just like the English n.
ñ
eñe
A completely separate letter from the n, it sounds much like the ni combination in onion or the ny combination in canyon.
o
oh
Close to “oh” as in so, but shorter.
p
peh
Close to the English, but with less breath aspirated
q
koo
Always followed by the letter u, it makes the same sound as the letter k
r
ere
When following a pause or the letters l, n, or s or in the combination rr, it has a trilled sound.
s
ese
Just like the English s.
t
te
Softer than the English t, the tongue touches the teeth and there is no explosion of breath after moving the tongue away.
u
Close to the “oo” in food, but shorter.
v
veh
Much like the Spanish b where the lips do not touch and there is less aspiration.
w
doble veh
Not native to Spanish, but with the same pronunciation as the English w.
x
equis
Between vowels and at the end of a word, it sounds like the English ks. At the beginning of a word, it sounds like the letter s.
y
y griega
Most of the time, it sounds like the English y in yes. At the end of a word, it functions as a vowel and sounds like the letter i.
* Many books in Spain will say the sound is different from the ll, but the difference is small and you will be understood pronouncing both as y
z
zeta
Mostly pronounced like the English s, but can sound like the th in thin in many parts of Spain.
SPANISH ALPHABET
The list below will serve as a guide for how to pronounce each letter alone and in combination with other letters.
a
ah
Close to “ah.”
b
beh
After a pause or the letters l, m, or n, it sounds much like an English b. However, in all other cases, the lips do not even touch, producing a more whisper like sound almost close to the pronunciation of the letter v.
c
ceh
Sounds like k in most cases. Before e or i, it sounds like an s (or th (thick) in many parts of Spain).
ch
cheh
Sounds like the ch in "cheese" in English.
d
deh
After a pause or the letters l, m, or n, it sounds much like an English d except you should place your tongue to your upper teeth instead of the roof of your mouth. However, in all other cases, the tongue touches nothing, creating a whispery th sound like “the”.
e
eh
Close to “eh.” This sound does not exist exactly in English, but sounds much like the a in mate.
f
effe
Sounds like the f in English.
g
ge
After a pause, or the letters l, m, or n, it sounds much like an English g. Before e or i, it sounds like a harsh h (much like the Spanish j).
h
ache
In general, this sound is silent. However, words with foreign spelling and no Spanish equivalent, the breathy aspiration is maintained: Hawái, Hollywood, etc.
* Many newly introduced words are written in italics to highlight their foreign origin (hámster, hip-hop, etc.).
i
Close to “ee”, but short. Before vowels a, e, and o, it forms a y sound.
j
hota
Close to the English h sound. It never sounds like the English J.
k
kah
Uncommon in Spanish, but sounds much like the English k with less breath.
l
ele
Close to the English l, but with the tongue raised closer to the roof of the mouth rather than dipped down
ll
elle
It has a distinct y sound in most countries. In other countries it can sound like the g in genre.
m
eme
Just like the English m.
n
ene
Just like the English n.
ñ
eñe
A completely separate letter from the n, it sounds much like the ni combination in onion or the ny combination in canyon.
o
oh
Close to “oh” as in so, but shorter.
p
peh
Close to the English, but with less breath aspirated
q
koo
Always followed by the letter u, it makes the same sound as the letter k
r
ere
When following a pause or the letters l, n, or s or in the combination rr, it has a trilled sound.
s
ese
Just like the English s.
t
te
Softer than the English t, the tongue touches the teeth and there is no explosion of breath after moving the tongue away.
u
Close to the “oo” in food, but shorter.
v
veh
Much like the Spanish b where the lips do not touch and there is less aspiration.
w
doble veh
Not native to Spanish, but with the same pronunciation as the English w.
x
equis
Between vowels and at the end of a word, it sounds like the English ks. At the beginning of a word, it sounds like the letter s.
y
y griega
Most of the time, it sounds like the English y in yes. At the end of a word, it functions as a vowel and sounds like the letter i.
* Many books in Spain will say the sound is different from the ll, but the difference is small and you will be understood pronouncing both as y
z
zeta
Mostly pronounced like the English s, but can sound like the th in thin in many parts of Spain.