A Complete Guide to the Spanish Alphabet (2024)

Learning the Basics of the Spanish Alphabet

Mastering the Spanish alphabet is easier than you think. The best part?

When you learn the sounds of each Spanish letter, everything else about Spanish becomes easier.

As a result, you will have a much smoother journey learning Spanish when you know the sounds of the language. No joke! Especially when it comes to your Spanish listening and speaking skills.

Lucky for you, the Spanish alphabet isn’t as complicated as the English alphabet. Here is why Spanish letters are easier to learn than English letters.

Spanish Alphabet vs English Alphabet

For starters, the alphabet in Spanish is more straightforward than the English alphabet. Mostly because in Spanish, each letter typically only makes one sound.

For example, in Spanish, the letter ‘A’ is always pronounced ‘ah’ like in  “Adios”.

On the other hand, letters in the English alphabet have many sounds. Which means the same letter can sound different in different words.

Take the letter A for example in English.

‘A’ in English can make three sounds, like in ‘apple’, ‘are’, and ‘ate’. 

Thanks a lot, English – talk about confusing!

The good news is, you don’t have to worry about that with most Spanish letters, but you do have to know which sound each letter makes in Spanish.

In this guide, I want to help you master the basics of Spanish by reviewing each letter in the Spanish alphabet. Plus, you will be able to hear each letter and practice their sounds and pronunciation along the way.

By the end of this guide, you will be on your way to perfecting your Spanish listening and speaking skills. First, we need a quick overview of the Spanish alphabet before you can master its letters and sounds.

Why You Need to Learn the Spanish Alphabet

Spelling

Spelling your name to Spanish speakers is hard if you don’t know what the letters are called in Spanish. By learning the names of the letters in the alphabet, you will be able to spell the names of people and places whenever you need to make a reservation, share your information over the phone, or ask for an address.

Listening

Some Spanish words sound similar to other Spanish words. When you know what sound each letter makes, you’ll notice it’s easier to distinguish between similar words. Familiarizing yourself with the Spanish alphabet also makes it easier to understand individual words instead of sounding like they all run together.

Speaking

Your accent will be tough to master if you can’t properly pronounce your words. Learning to pronounce each letter will help you fine tune your Spanish accent to sound like a native Spanish speaker.

Table of Contents

A Quick Overview of the Alphabet in Spanish

Practice the Spanish Alphabet (With Sounds)

Spanish Letters With More Than One Sound

Spanish Vowels and Spanish Vowel Sounds

Understanding the Sounds of Spanish Vowel Combinations

Spanish Alphabet Pronunciation Exercise

Spanish Pronunciation Practice with Audio Clips

Conclusion: Embracing the Beauty of the Spanish Alphabet

A Quick Overview of the Alphabet in Spanish

The Spanish alphabet consists of 27 letters—yes, one more than the English alphabet! Each one has a unique sound you need to learn if you want to take the first step toward improving your Spanish.

First, we’ll introduce each letter, from A to Z (or rather, from A to Zeta), and give you tips on how to pronounce them with an authentic Spanish accent.

Spanish Alphabet Pronunciation Chart

Download your free printable Spanish alphabet pronunciation chart here!

Practice Pronouncing the Spanish Alphabet A to Z (With Sounds) 

A (ah)

In Spanish, the letter “A” is pronounced as a short, open “ah” sound. It is similar to the “a” in the English word “father” or “car.” The tongue is flat and low in the mouth, and the mouth is opened more widely than for the English “a” sound. This sound is usually shorter in duration than the corresponding sound in English.

B (beh)

In Spanish, the letter “B” is pronounced in a way that’s kind of like the English “B,” but it’s softer. Imagine pressing your lips together lightly and then letting them open again. This sound is not as strong as the “B” sound in English. When the “B” comes between two vowels or after an “M,” like in the words “hablar” (which means “to speak”) or “cambio” (which means “change”), it’s even softer. You don’t push out a big puff of air when you say it like you do in English. It’s more like a gentle touch of the lips while making a voiced sound.

C (seh) 

The Spanish C has two main sounds, depending on what letter follows it. If it’s before an “e” or an “i,” like in “cielo” (sky) or “centro” (center), it sounds like the English “S,” just like in “see” or “cent.”

But, when the “C” comes before other letters, like “a,” “o,” “u,” or consonants, as in “casa” (house) or “coco” (coconut), it’s pronounced like the English “K” in “cat” or “kite.” 

This “C” sound is clear and doesn’t have any extra air or hiss to it. It’s important to remember this difference because it helps in pronouncing words correctly in Latin American Spanish.

D (deh)

The letter “D” has a dual sound. At the start of words or after a pause, it’s pronounced like the English “D” in “dog.” However, when it’s between vowels, as in “nada” (nothing) or “lado” (side), the sound softens. It becomes similar to the “th” in the English word “this.” The tongue lightly touches the roof of the mouth just behind the teeth, but without a strong push of air.

E (eh)

The “E” is pronounced like the ‘e’ in the English word “met,” but it’s crisper and shorter. It’s consistently pronounced this way, whether at the beginning, middle, or end of a word. Your mouth stays a bit more open, and your tongue is positioned near the front.

F (efeh)

The “F” sound is similar to its English counterpart, as in “fish” or “fun.” You make this sound by pressing your upper teeth lightly against your lower lip and pushing air out. It’s a breathy sound that does not involve vibrating your vocal cords, and it remains consistent in all positions in a word.

G (hay)

The letter “G” has two different sounds. When followed by “e” or “i,” like in “gente” (people) or “girar” (to turn), it sounds like the “h” in the English word “huge.” But, when it’s before “a,” “o,” “u,” or a consonant, like in “gato” (cat) or “gusto” (pleasure), it’s pronounced like the “g” in “go” or “get.”

H (hache)

The “H” is always silent in Spanish. It’s not pronounced at all. So, words like “hola” (hello) or “hijo” (son) start with the sound of the next letter.

I (ee)

The letter “I” in Spanish sounds like the “ee” in the English word “see.” It’s a high, front vowel sound, made with the mouth slightly closed and the tongue near the roof of the mouth, but not touching it. This sound remains consistent, regardless of the word’s position.

J (hota)

The “J” sound is like the English “H” in “hot,” but a bit stronger. It’s a raspy, breathy sound. Imagine breathing out heavily with a bit of friction in your throat, as in “jalapeño” or “reloj” (clock). This sound is made with the back of the throat and is quite distinctive in Spanish.

K (kah)

The “K” sound in Spanish is like the English “K” in “kite” or “kangaroo.” It’s a hard, clear sound made at the back of the mouth.

L (eleh)

The “L” sound is similar to the English “L” in “love” or “light.” The tongue touches the roof of the mouth just behind the front teeth.

M (emeh)

The “M” sound is pronounced like the English “M” in “moon” or “music.” It’s made by pressing the lips together and then opening them as you vocalize.

The “N” sound is like the English “N” in “night” or “name.” The tongue touches the roof of the mouth, near the front, just behind the teeth.

N (eneh)

Ñ (enyeh)

The Spanish Ñ sound is unique to Spanish and is similar to the “ny” in the English word “canyon.” The tongue touches the roof of the mouth further back than for the “N” sound.

O (oh)

The “O” sound is a pure vowel, like the “o” in “go” or “no” in English. It’s pronounced with a consistent shape of the mouth.

P (pe)

The Spanish P is like the English “P” in “pot” or “play.” It’s made by pressing the lips together and then releasing them with a puff of air.

Q (koo)

The “Q” in Spanish is always followed by a “u” and is pronounced like the “K” sound, as in “kite.” For example, in “que” (what), it sounds like “k.”

R (erreh)

The single “R” is a soft, rolling sound made with a single tap of the tongue against the roof of the mouth. It’s lighter than the rolling “rr.”

S (eseh)

The “S” sound is like the English “S” in “see” or “sun.” It’s a hissing sound made by placing the tongue close to the roof of the mouth.

T (teh)

The “T” sound is like the English “T” in “top” or “time.” It’s made with a sharper and quicker touch of the tongue to the roof of the mouth than in English.

U (oo)

The “U” sound is like the “oo” in “moon” or “true.” The lips are rounded, and the sound is made with a consistent shape of the mouth.

V (uveh)

The “V” sound is pronounced exactly like the “B” sound in Spanish, with a soft touch of the lips.

W (doble oo)

The “W” sound is not common in native Spanish words and is usually found in foreign words. It’s pronounced like the English “W” in “water” or “win.”

X (eh-quis)

The Spanish X sound can vary in pronunciation. In some words, it’s like the English “X” in “extra” (e.g., “México”), while in others, it’s pronounced like the “s” in “see” (e.g., “éxito”).

Y (i griega)

The “Y” sound is often like the English “Y” in “yes.” However, in some regions, it’s pronounced like the “J” in “jeep.”

Z (zeta)

The “Z” sound is pronounced like the English “S” in “see.” It’s a hissing sound, not like the buzzing “Z” in English.

Spanish Letters With More Than One Sound

C in Spanish | Casa vs Cielo

Soft and Hard Sounds: The letter ‘C’ has a soft sound similar to the English ‘s’ when followed by ‘e’ or ‘i’ (e.g., “cielo,” meaning sky). In other cases, especially before ‘a’, ‘o’, ‘u’, or a consonant, it has a hard sound like the English ‘k’ (e.g., “casa,” meaning house).

G in Spanish | Gato vs General

Soft and Hard Sounds: Like ‘C’, ‘G’ also has a soft and a hard sound. It sounds like the English ‘h’ when followed by ‘e’ or ‘i’ (e.g., “general,” meaning general). In other positions, particularly before ‘a’, ‘o’, ‘u’, it sounds like the English ‘g’ in “go” (e.g., “gato,” meaning cat).

Y in Spanish | Yo vs Muy

Consonant and Vowel Sounds: ‘Y’ can sound like the English ‘y’ in “yes” (e.g., “yo,” meaning I). In other contexts, especially in regional dialects, it merges with ‘LL’ and is pronounced similarly. It also functions as a vowel with a sound like ‘ee’ in “see” (e.g., “muy,” meaning very).

Double Letters in Spanish

How to Pronounce the LL in Spanish

The pronunciation of ‘LL’ in Spanish varies by region, often sounding like the ‘y’ in “yes”, the ‘j’ in “joy”. If you’re in Argentina or Uruguay, the LL may sound like the ‘sh’ in “show”. In most Latin American dialects though, it’s indistinguishable from the Spanish ‘y’.

Pronouncing the RR in Spanish

The ‘RR’ in Spanish is a rolled sound, made by vibrating the tongue against the roof of the mouth behind your two front teeth. It’s similar to a purring sound in cats. This sound is distinct and longer than the single tap of the tongue used for a single ‘R’.

Spanish Vowels and Spanish Vowel Sounds

A in Spanish (ah)

The ‘A’ in Spanish is pronounced like the ‘a’ in “father.” It’s an open and clear sound, produced with the mouth wider than in English.

E in Spanish (eh)

This vowel is pronounced like the ‘e’ in “bed.” It’s a bit clearer and crisper in Spanish and doesn’t vary much regardless of its position in a word.

I in Spanish (ee)

Similar to the ‘ee’ in “see,” the Spanish ‘I’ is a high, front vowel. It’s pronounced with a consistent and sharp sound, with the mouth less open.

O in Spanish (oh)

The ‘O’ sound in Spanish is like the ‘o’ in “no,” but more rounded and with a consistent shape of the mouth. It’s a pure vowel sound, not diphthongized as in English.

U in Spanish (oo)

The ‘U’ is pronounced like the ‘oo’ in “moon.” The lips are rounded, and the sound is produced in a uniform way throughout its pronunciation.

Understanding the Sounds of Spanish Vowel Combinations

In Spanish, vowel combinations, also known as diphthongs and triphthongs, play a significant role in pronunciation. As a beginner Spanish student, understanding these combinations will enhance your speaking skills. Let’s look at some common vowel combinations:

“AI” and “AY” 

These combinations produce a sound similar to the English word “eye.” For example, “bailar” (to dance) is pronounced “bai-LAHR.” It’s like saying the English word “buy” with a little extra flair at the end.

“EI” and “EY”

This combination sounds like the “ey” in “they.” A word like “rey” (king) is pronounced “REY,” almost as if you’re saying “ray” of sunshine.

“OI” and “OY”

These sound like the “oy” in “boy.” In the word “hoy” (today), it’s pronounced “HOY.” It’s like you’re calling out to someone, “Hey!”

“UI” and “UY”

 This combination is pronounced like the English “wee.” The word “muy” (very) sounds like “MOO-ee.” It’s a quick, sliding sound, like you’re smoothly connecting two syllables.

“UE” 

This sounds like “way” but starts with a quick ‘w’ sound. In “cuerpo” (body), it’s pronounced “KWEHR-poh.” It’s as if you’re starting to say “quell” but end with ‘po’.

“IE”

This combination is similar to the English “ye” in “yes.” For instance, “tiempo” (time) is pronounced “TYEHM-poh.” It’s like saying ‘tea’ with an extra ‘m’ sound.

“IA”

Here, it’s similar to saying “yah.” In “familia” (family), you say it like “fah-MEE-lee-ah,” with a smooth transition between the ‘mee’ and ‘lee’ sounds.

“UA”

This sound is like “wah.” In “cuatro” (four), it’s pronounced “KWAH-troh.” It’s a bit like saying “quarter” but with a ‘wah’ at the start.

“AO” and “AU” 

These are less common but still important. They sound like “ow” in “how.” For example, “mao” (a type of hat) is pronounced “MA-ow.”

Spanish Alphabet Pronunciation Exercises (With Audio Clips)

Now it’s your turn! Here is your chance to see if you’ve got the hang of how to pronounce all the letters and vowel combinations in Spanish. Take a second to test yourself with these audio clips and practice examples. You won’t just see the words and letters; you’ll hear them in action!

Remember, every pro was once a beginner, and every conversation, story, and song in Spanish starts with these very letters. Let’s dive in and get those letters rolling off your tongue with some quick practice!

Spanish Pronunciation Practice with Audio Clips

A (ah) – “Amigo” (Friend)

Practice saying “Ah-mee-goh,” emphasizing the open “ah” sound.

B (be) – “Biblioteca” (Library)

Pronounce it “Bee-blee-oh-teh-kah,” with a soft B sound.

C (ce) before E/I – “Cielo” (Sky)

Say “See-eh-loh,” with the C sounding like an English S.

C (ce) before A/O/U – “Casa” (House)

Practice “Kah-sah,” with the C as a hard K sound.

D (de) – “Día” (Day)

Pronounce it “Dee-ah,” with a soft D, almost like “th” in “this.”

E (e) – “Elefante” (Elephant)

Say “Eh-leh-fahn-teh,” focusing on the clear E sound.

F (efe) – “Familia” (Family)

Pronounce it “Fah-mee-lee-ah,” with a soft F sound.

G (ge) before E/I – “Girafa” (Giraffe)

Say “Hee-rah-fah,” with the G sounding like an English H.

G (ge) before A/O/U – “Gato” (Cat)

Practice “Gah-toh,” with the G as in “go.”

H (hache) – “Hola” (Hello)

Pronounce it “Oh-lah,” remembering the H is silent.

I (i) – “Isla” (Island)

Say “Ees-lah,” with the I sounding like “ee” in “see.”

J (jota) – “Jugo” (Juice)

Practice “Hoo-goh,” with the J as a strong H sound.

K (ka) – “Kilómetro” (Kilometer)

Pronounce it “Key-loh-meh-troh,” with a clear K sound.

L (ele) – “Luna” (Moon)

Say “Loo-nah,” with a clear L sound.

M (eme) – “Manzana” (Apple)

Practice “Mahn-sah-nah,” with a clear M sound.

N (ene) – “Nerda” (Nerd)

Pronounce nerda “Nehr-duh,” with a clear N sound.

Ñ (eñe) – “Niño” (Boy)

Say “Nee-nyoh,” focusing on the unique NY sound of the Spanish N.

O (o) – “Oso” (Bear)

Practice “Oh-soh,” with a round O sound.

P (pe) – “Pájaro” (Bird)

Pronounce it “Pah-hah-roh,” with a soft P sound.

Q (cu) – “Queso” (Cheese)

Say “Keh-soh,” with the Q sounding like a K.

R (erre) – “Rosa” (Rose)

Practice saying “Roh-sah,” with a soft, single tap of the tongue for the R.

RR (doble erre) – “Carro” (Car)

Pronounce it “Cah-rroh,” rolling the R with a stronger, vibrating sound.

S (ese) – “Sol” (Sun)

Say “Sohl,” with the S sounding like the English S in “sun.”

T (te) – “Tierra” (Earth)

Practice “Tee-ehr-rah,” with a sharp and clear T sound.

U (u) – “Universo” (Universe)

Pronounce it “Oo-nee-vehr-soh,” with the U sounding like “oo” in “moon.”

V (uve) – “Viento” (Wind)

Say “Vee-ehn-toh,” with the V sounding similar to the B in Spanish.

W (doble u) – “Wifi”

Practice “Wee-fee,” using the English W sound, as W is mainly used in foreign words in Spanish.

X (equis) – “Taxi”

Pronounce it “Tak-see,” with the X sounding like an English KS.

Y (i griega) – “Yogurt”

Say “Yoh-gurt,” with the Y sounding like the English Y in “yes.”

Z (zeta) – “Zapato” (Shoe)

Practice “Sah-pah-toh,” with the Z sounding like the S in “see.”

Conclusion: Embracing the Beauty of the Spanish Alphabet

Exploring the Spanish alphabet is more than learning letters and sounds; It’s about embracing a new way of expressing thoughts, emotions, and experiences.

For learners at any level, patience and practice are crucial. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, remember that patience and practice are your best allies. Along the way, make sure to have fun with the language, listen to native speakers, and enjoy your learning journey.

Thank you for joining me! I hope this overview has helped you improve your understanding of Spanish pronunciation. ¡Hasta la próxima! (Until next time!)