Spanish Alphabet
Fortunately for English speakers the Spanish alphabet (el Alphabeto) is not too different at all. Most of the same characters are present and the pronunciation of the Spanish alphabet is also quite similar.
Some Spanish letters are pronounced differently however and you will need to be aware of these as you learn Spanish.
OK, here is the entire Spanish alphabet:
| Letter | Sound | Letter | Sound | Letter | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a | ah | j | h | r | r |
| b | be | k | k | s | s |
| c | th or s | l | l | t | t |
| ch | che | ll | y | u* | oo |
| d | d | m | m | v | v or b |
| e | eh | n | n | w | v |
| f | f | ñ | n-y | x | s or k-s |
| g | h | o | oh | y | ee |
| h | silent | p | p | z | th or s |
| i | ee | q | k |
Spanish Alphabet Notes
* The letter u is just like in English - silent and always follows the letter q.
The Double rr
When you see 'rr' you must roll the r's much harder than you would in English. This is something English learners of Spanish often struggle with.
Accented Characters
You will often see characters with accents (for example á) in written Spanish. Keep in mind it is the same letter but may have a slightly different pronunication. You'll pick these up as you learn Spanish more thoroughly.
C and Z Pronunciation
Here is a case where European is different to Central and South American Spanish. Spanish spoken in Spain nearly always pronounces C and Z as a 'th' sound. A lisping sound as it is often described. Central and South American speakers pronounce these two like an S.
How To Say Ñ
This sound is best described as the 'gn' sound used in the name of the drink Cognac.
B's and V's
As you listen to Spanish speakers you may start to notice that B and V are pronounced in the same way. Don't let this confuse you, you are hearing things correctly. Just be wary of the spelling as the difference matters in written Spanish. The Spanish alphabet throws the occassional 'curveball' at you like this.
This isn't the Spanish Alphabet I know!
If you have seen the Spanish alphabet before you may think there are some letters missing. The fact is there is some conjecture over whch letters actually make up the Spanish alphabet. Spanish course books and Spanish phrasebooks can often have a different set of letters in their alphabet section.
Some Spanish alphabet listings will have combinations of the letters above described as separate letters in their own right.
