Spanish Alphabet and Pronunciation Guide

Overview of the Spanish Alphabet

The Spanish alphabet, or 'abecedario,' consists of 27 letters. It includes all the letters of the English alphabet except for 'k' and 'w,' which are only used in foreign words. Additionally, it has the letter 'ñ,' which is unique to Spanish.

• A (a)
• B (be)
• C (ce)
• D (de)
• E (e)
• F (efe)
• G (ge)
• H (hache)
• I (i)
• J (jota)
• K (ka)
• L (ele)
• M (eme)
• N (ene)
• Ñ (eñe)
• O (o)
• P (pe)
• Q (cu)
• R (erre)
• S (ese)
• T (te)
• U (u)
• V (uve)
• W (uve doble)
• X (equis)
• Y (i griega)
• Z (zeta)

Pronunciation Basics

Spanish pronunciation is generally straightforward because it is a phonetic language, meaning words are pronounced as they are written. However, there are some key differences from English that learners should be aware of.

Vowels in Spanish

Spanish vowels are pronounced consistently, unlike in English where they can have multiple sounds. The five vowels are:

• A: pronounced as [a], like 'ah' in 'father'
• E: pronounced as [e], like 'e' in 'met'
• I: pronounced as [i], like 'ee' in 'see'
• O: pronounced as [o], like 'o' in 'go'
• U: pronounced as [u], like 'oo' in 'food'

Consonants with Unique Sounds

Some consonants in Spanish have pronunciations that differ from English. Here are a few examples:

Tips for Improving Pronunciation

To improve your Spanish pronunciation, practice regularly by listening to native speakers and repeating after them. Pay attention to the rhythm and intonation of the language.