Pronunciation of Spanish

1
Pronunciation of Spanish

• How to Sound Like a Native
• (If youll buy that, I have some ocean front
  property in Arizona.)

2
Vowels in Spanish

• a sounds like ah (strong)
• e sounds like a long a (strong)
• i sounds like a long e (weak)
• o sounds like a long o (strong)
• u sounds like oo, the sound you would make
  if you sat down in something slimey (weak)

3
Vowels in Spanish

• Do not divide syllables between a combination of
  weak and strong vowels-this is a diphthong and
  they must stay together, UNLESS there is an
  accent on one of them.
• There must be AT LEAST one vowel per syllable.

4
a Practice

• Ana
• animal
• alma
• alcanzar
• ahora
• abrazar
• boca abajo
• acabar

• Anna
• animal
• soul
• to reach
• now
• to hug, embrace
• face down
• to end, finish

5
e Practice

• enfrente de
• la enfermedad
• entender
• ella
• el elemento
• entretener
• el esqueleto
• excelente

• across from
• sickness
• to understand
• she
• element
• to entertain
• the skeleton
• excellent

6
i Practice

• indicar
• indio
• iniciar
• inquieto
• inscribir
• invitar
• ir
• insignificante

• to indicate
• Indian
• to initiate
• restless
• to enroll
• to invite
• to go
• insignificant

7
o Practice

• el hombro
• el objeto
• oscuro
• el ojo
• el olor
• otro
• otoZo
• oportuno

• shoulder
• object
• obscure, dark
• eye
• odor, smell
• other
• fall
• opportune

8
u Practice

• último
• único
• uno
• usar
• usted
• útil
• usual
• utilizar

• last
• only
• one
• use
• you(formal)
• useful
• usual
• utilize

9
Consonants in Spanish

• c s before e or i (ciencia)
• d th sound (dedo)
• g h before e or i (gigante)
• h silent (ahora)
• j h sound (Jorge)
• ll y sound (llama)

10
Consonants in Spanish

• Z ny sound (aZo)
• qu k sound (quiero)
• rr rolled r (carro)
• v same as b (vaca)
• x s, h, or ks sound
• z s sound (zanahoria)