How to read the Spanish alphabet
Do you know
how to read the Spanish alphabet? Here is how:
a (ah)
b (bveh)
c (seh)
d (deh)
e (eh)
f (eh-feh)
g (Heh)
h (ah-cheh)
i (ee)
j (Hoh-tah)
k (kah)
l (eh-leh)
m (eh-meh)
n (eh-neh)
ñ (eh-nyeh)
o (oh)
p (peh)
q (koo)
r (eh-reh)
s (eh-seh)
t (teh)
u (oo)
v (bveh)
w (doh-bleh bveh) (bveh doh-bvleh [Spain])
x (eh-kees)
y (ee–gree–eh-gah)
z (seh-tah).
How to pronounce the Spanish letters
a (a)
This letter sounds like the "ah" sound you use to express realization in English: "Ah, that is the one!"
b (be)
This letter often sounds like an English "b". Especially when it occurs between two vowels, it is pronounced with the lips not touching, much like the Spanish "v". You may also hear it called "be larga", "be grande" or "be de burro".
c (ce)
This letter often sounds like the English "k". Before "e" or "i", it sounds like an "s" (or like the "th" in "thin" in many parts of Spain.)
ch (che)
While this is not considered a letter anymore by the RAE (Real Academia Española), it sounds like the "ch" in "cheesy".
d (de)
This letter sounds much like an English "d", except you should place your tongue against your upper teeth (instead of the roof of your mouth) when pronouncing it. It often sounds like the "th" in English "there", especially when it comes between two vowels.
e (e)
This letter sounds like the "eh" sound you make when asking for clarification or agreement in English: "Eh? What does he mean?"
f (efe)
This letter just sounds like the English "f".
g (ge)
This letter usually sounds much like an English "g". Before "e" or "i", it sounds like a harsh English "h". It's very similar to the "j" in Spanish.
h (hache)
In general, this letter is silent. However, in words adopted from other languages, the breathy aspiration is maintained. For example, "Hawái".
i (i)
This letter sounds like English "ee", but shorter.
j (jota)
This letter sounds close to the English "h" sound (though it varies from country to country). In some places, it makes a harsh sound (almost like you're trying to spit something up). It never sounds like the "j" in English "judgement".
k (ca)
This letter is uncommon in Spanish, but sounds much like the English "k".
l (ele)
This letter sounds close to the English "l", but with the tongue raised closer to the roof of the mouth (rather than dipped down).
ll (elle)
While this is not considered a letter anymore by the RAE (Real Academia Española), it sounds like the "y" sound in English "yellowish" in many places. It can also be pronounced like the "j" in "judge" or the "s" in "pleasures". You may also hear it called "doble ele".
m (eme)
This letter sounds just like the English "m".
n (ene)
This letter sounds just like the English "n".
ñ (eñe)
It's a completely separate letter from the letter "n", this letter sounds much like the "ni" in "onions" or the "ny" in "canyons".
o (o)
This letter sounds close to the "o" in "so", but shorter.
p (pe)
This letter sounds close to the English "p", but with less breath.
q (cu)
This letter is always followed by the letter "u" and it sounds like English "k".
r (ere)
This letter sounds a bit similar to the "d" sound in English "caddy". At the beginning of a word, it's pronounced like the Spanish trilled "rr".
rr (doble ere)
To make the famous trilled "rr", the key is practice.
s (ese)
This letter sounds just like the English "s".
t (te)
Softer than the English "t", to say "t" in Spanish, the tongue should touch the teeth and there should be no explosion of breath after moving the tongue away.
u (u)
This letter sounds close to the "oo" in "foods".
v (ve)
This letter sounds much like the Spanish "b". The lips do not touch and there is less aspiration. You may also hear it called "ve corta", "ve chica", "ve de vaca".
w (doble ve)
This letter is not native to Spanish, but sounds similar to English "w". You may also hear it called "doble uve" or "doble u".
x (equis)
This letter is pronounced like the "ks" in English "socks". However, in place and person names (especially those from México), it can be pronounced like a raspy English "h", an "s", or even the "sh" in English "shows".
y (i griega)
Most of the time, this letter sounds like the "y" in English "yes". At the end of a word, it sounds like the letter "i" (hay). You may also hear it called "ye".
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In Spanish "alphabet" is "
abecedario".