Pronunciation
Soft b, d and g, linked words, and Spain against Latin America.
Spanish spelling tells you which sounds to make. This page is about making them sound Spanish.
Soft b, d and g
b (and v), d and g are hard, as in English, at the start of a phrase and after m or n, and d after l too. Between vowels and in most other places they soften: the mouth doesn't quite close.
| Letter | Hard | Soft |
|---|---|---|
| b, v | bien, también | cabeza, la vida: the lips almost touch |
| d | dónde, cuando | cada, todo: like th in this |
| g | gato, tengo | amigo, agua: the back of the tongue almost touches |
At the end of a word d is very soft, and in much of Spain barely said: usted, Madrid, verdad.
Other differences from English
- p, t and k come without the puff of air English gives them: compare papá with English papa.
- t and d are said with the tongue against the back of the top teeth, not the ridge behind them.
- s is always s, never the z sound English gives it in rose: casa, presidente. Only right before a voiced consonant, as in mismo and desde, does it pick up some of that buzz.
- A single r between vowels is a quick tap, like the tt of American better: para, pero.
Linked words
Words in a phrase run together. A consonant at the end of a word joins the vowel that starts the next, and vowels meeting across words merge: ¿Qué es esto? sounds like "que-ses-to", and va a hablar "he's going to speak" almost like "va-blar".
Spain and Latin America
Spanish is spoken alike enough everywhere that speakers understand each other easily, but some sounds differ.
| Spain (most of it) | Latin America | |
|---|---|---|
| z, and c before e and i | th, as in think: cinco THIN-co | s: cinco SIN-co |
| j, and g before e and i | a strong kh | often softer, like English h |
| s at the end of a syllable | s | often a light h or dropped in the Caribbean, Chile, the Río de la Plata and much of coastal Latin America, as in southern Spain |
ll and y sound alike almost everywhere; in Argentina and Uruguay both are like sh or the s of measure: calle, yo. The recordings in this app use the Spanish of Spain.
Cards from this guide
9 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Getting started cards.
How is the d in todo (all) said?
Softly, like th in this.
Is the d in dónde (where) soft or hard?
Hard, like English d.
How is the g in amigo (friend) said?
Softly: the back of the tongue almost touches the roof of the mouth.
How do p, t and k differ from English?
They come without a puff of air.
Is the s of presidente said like English s or z?
s: Spanish s is never a z sound.
How is the c of cinco (five) said in Latin America?
s: SIN-co.
How does ¿Qué es esto? (What's this?) sound in speech?
Run together: que-ses-to.
How is the ll of calle said in Argentina?
Like sh, or the s in measure.
How is the final d of Madrid said in much of Spain?
Very softly, or not at all.