The Spanish Alfabeto

What is probably the first thing you would do in your basic Spanish class? Answer: Learn the alphabet. Why is this so important you may ask? Well, if you know how to pronounce the letters in Spanish, you'll know how to correctly pronounce words.

Just like English, Spanish letters are divided as vowels (vocales) and consonants (consonantes). Let's look at these letters and learn how to pronounce them as a letter and in a word.

A = a = ah, sounds like you're at the doctor and he tells you to "open wide and say ahhhh"

B = be = as a letter it is pronounced as beh, but in a word it makes a buh sound like in Boca Burgers

C = ce = ceh, but can take different sounds. If a Spanish word begins with ca, co, or cu, then the c is pronounced as a K. However, if a Spanish word begins with ce or ci, the c is pronounced as a S.

CH = che = This letter used to be in the Spanish alphabet, but it has been dropped.

D = de = deh.

E = eh.

F = efe = eh-feh. This is how to say the actual letter, but the sound for F is fuh.

G = ge = heh is the letter's pronunciation. Now if a Spanish word begins with ga, go, or gu, then the G is pronounced as a G in Go. On the other hand, if a Spanish word begins with ge or gi, then the G makes a H sound like in hospital.

H = hache = ah-chey is how you pronounce the Spanish letter H. The letter H itself is always silent, like in Hola.

I = e = ee.

J = jota = ho-ta. The letter J takes an English H sound (huh, as in hut).

K = ca = kah.

L = ele = eh-leh.

LL = eh-ye. When you see a Spanish word with double L's, then you'll pronounce them as a y or yuh sound as in "you."

M = eme = eh-meh.

N = ene = eh-neh.

N with a ~ over top = enyeh.

O = o = oh.

P = pe = peh

Q = cu = koo. When you see Que in Spanish, this is pronounced as Kay. When you see Qui, you'll pronounce it as Key.

R = ere = eh-rey

RR = erre = eh-rrey where you will roll the R's with your tongue.

S = ese = eh-sey

T = te = teh

U = u = oo

V = ve = beh. V's and B's in Spanish are pronounced the same.

W = doble ve = do-bleh beh

X = equis is the letter X. In a word, it is pronounced either as an American X as in exercise or as an S.

Y = I griega = ee-gree-ay-gah. The y sound is pronounced in Spanish words the same as it is in English words like "you".

Z = zeta = seh- ta. The letter Z sounds like a S in Spanish words. An interesting note is that in Spain, the Z is pronounced as a "th".