Tópico: El abecedario en español Pregunta Esencial: How do I pronounce the letters and differentiate their sounds in Spanish?

3-column note format: Letter Pronunciation Example

A=a (“ah” as in ‘taco’ ) avi ó n

B = be (pronounced bay) like English b botas

C = ce (pronounced say) “k” sound, except for “ce” and “ci” which make the “s" sound carro C = ce (pronounced say) “k” sound, except for “ce” and “ci” which make the “s" sound carro

D = de (pronounced day) put tongue on back of teeth disco compacto

E=e (“eh” as in “d a te” ) elefante

F=efe (pronounced eh-fay) fruta

G=ge (pronounced hey) hard “g” sound as in go, except “ge” and “gi” which make the “h” sound gato

H=hache (no sound) helado

I=i (“ee” as in eel) iglesia

J=jota (pronounced hotah) English “h” but more gutturalo sound jarra

K=ka (pronounced kah) like the English k kayak

L=ele (pronounced ehlay) like English l leche

LL=elle (pronounced ehyay) like English y Lluvia

M=eme (pronounced ehmay) like English m manzana

N=ene (pronounced ehnay) like English n nariz

Ñ=eñe (pronounced ehnyay) like the English ny in canyon ñu

O=o (pronounced oh as in boat) ocho

P=pe (pronounced pay) like the English p, but less aspirated perro

Q=cu (pronounced coo) like the English k queso

R=ere (pronounced ehray) like the English d; put tongue on palate just above front teeth rat ó n When 2 r’s are together like in perro, the rr is trilled; words that start with R are trilled also

S=ese (pronounced ehsay) like the English s Sopa

T=te (pronounced tay) almost a “th” sound; tongue is slightly between teeth tigre

U=u (pronounced “oo” as in pool) uñas

V=ve, ve pequeña (pronounced bay) like the English b, though sometimes a softer sound; never English v vaca

W=doble ve (pronounced dohbley bay) like the English w; used only in words of foreign origin wafle

X=equis (pronounced ehkeys) makes a “gs” sound; an “h” sound in Mexican words of Indian origin xilófono

Y=i griega (pronounced ee gree-eh-gah ) like the English “y”; sometimes is a vowel and makes the “ee” sound yogur

Z=zeta (pronounced saytah) like the English “s” zapato