🔊 Pronunciation - Pronunciación

Aa ⏱ ≈ 19 minutes

Beginner Spanish · Sounds and word stress

Spanish Pronunciation Basics

Your eyes may recognize a Spanish word before your mouth knows what to do with it. Give your ears the first turn: listen, repeat, and let the sounds settle in. We’ll start with five vowels, meet a few consonants, and put the emphasis where it belongs.

Your next small win: say the five vowel sounds, notice the difference between r and rr, and find the stressed syllable in a word.

Spanish Vowel Sounds

Five vowels, fewer costume changes. Spanish vowel sounds are generally more consistent than English ones. Keep each sound clear and steady; use the English hints as a starting point, then listen to the Spanish word.

árbolTree · vowel aOpen your mouth for a short, steady “ah” sound. The accent marks stress; it does not turn a into a different vowel.
estrellaStar · vowel eStart near the “e” in English “bet.” Keep it steady instead of sliding into an “ay” sound.
islaIsland · vowel iSimilar to the vowel in “machine,” kept short and steady.
océanoOcean · vowel oRound your lips. Avoid the extra “w” glide often heard at the end of English “go.”
universoUniverse · vowel uSimilar to “oo” in “food.” Avoid adding an English “y” sound before it.

Listen in order: a, e, i, o, u Then try the example words. The hints describe sounds, not English spellings to memorize.

Important Consonant Sounds

Some letters look familiar and sound different. Others, like the h in helado, show up on the page and sit out the conversation.

heladoIce cream · silent hDo not add an English “h” sound. The letter h on its own is silent in common Spanish words like this one.
jardínGarden · jListen for a breathy or raspy sound toward the back of the mouth or throat. Its strength varies by region; it is not the English “j” in “jump.”
niñoBoy / child · ñA useful first approximation is the “ny” sound in English “canyon.” Ñ is its own Spanish letter.
lluviaRain · llIn many regions, ll sounds roughly like English “y.” Other regional sounds are explained below.

Try it aloud

Look at helado. Say it once without the audio. Which written letter stays silent?

One spelling detail: ch

The letters ch work together to make a sound similar to English “ch” in “chair.” The silent-h hint applies to h on its own, not this combination.

chocolateChocolateListen to the opening ch.

R and RR

One extra letter can turn “but” into “dog.” Give these pairs a little extra listening time: the vowel sounds stay the same, but the tongue does something different.

peroButA single r between vowels uses one quick tongue tap.
perroDogRr has a rolled or trilled sound: several quick vibrations.
caroExpensiveListen for the single tap.
carroCarListen for the trill. This word for “car” is common in many Latin American countries.

Where to start: for the tap, let the tip of your tongue briefly touch the ridge just behind your upper front teeth. For the trill, the tongue tip vibrates with the airflow. Keep it relaxed; pushing harder is not the goal.

rojoRedAt the beginning of a word, a single written r also has the strong sound.

Try it aloud

Say pero, then perro. Which word has the rolled sound?

Word Stress and Accent Marks

Every word with more than one syllable has a beat that stands out. An accent mark can point you toward it; when there isn’t one, the ending often gives you the clue. Stress means emphasis, not shouting.

In the guides below, CAPITALS mark the stressed syllable. They are pronunciation guides, not the normal way to write the word.

No accent mark: vowel, n, or s endings

Words with more than one syllable that end in a vowel, or in n or s after a vowel, normally stress the second-to-last syllable when there is no written accent mark.

casaHouseCA-sa
computadoraComputercom-pu-ta-DO-ra
No accent mark: other endings

Words ending in most other consonants normally stress the last syllable when there is no written accent mark.

hotelHotelho-TEL
comerTo eatco-MER
Words with an accent mark

In these words, the written accent shows which syllable gets the emphasis. It does not change the basic vowel sound.

teléfonoTelephonete-LÉ-fo-no
árbolTreeÁR-bol
murciélagoBatmur-CIÉ-la-go

These examples cover the main beginner patterns. Accent marks also have other jobs, such as distinguishing tú (“you”) from tu (“your”). Vowel combinations and some endings need extra rules.

Try it aloud

Open the rules above, then try casa and hotel. Say each word and emphasize one syllable.

Regional Pronunciation

Spanish travels, and its sounds travel with it. Two speakers can say the same word differently without either one getting it wrong.

LL and Y

Many speakers pronounce ll and consonant y alike. A sound roughly like English “y” is common. In parts of Argentina and Uruguay, you may hear something closer to “sh” or the sound in “measure.” Some speakers keep ll and y distinct.

C and Z

In Latin America, the Canary Islands, and parts of southern Spain, z and c before e or i usually sound like “s.” In much of Spain, they have a sound similar to “th” in English “think.” The c in casa has a “k” sound in both patterns.

The audio on this page uses your device’s Spanish voice. It demonstrates that voice’s pronunciation, not every regional variety. Learn to recognize the differences without trying to perform them all.

Speaking Practice

Start with one word and work up to a sentence. Long words are still made of small pieces—your mouth is allowed to take them one at a time.

mariposaButterflyma-ri-PO-sa
océanoOceano-CÉ-a-no
Longer words
desarrolladorDeveloperde-sa-rro-lla-DOR
extraordinarioExtraordinaryex-tra-or-di-NA-rio
ferrocarrilRailwayfe-rro-ca-RRIL · two opportunities to practice the trill.
Complete sentences
¿Quieres tomar un café conmigo?Would you like to have a coffee with me?
¡Que tengas un día maravilloso!Have a wonderful day!

A simple practice routine

Listen once. Repeat slowly. Listen again and choose one thing to adjust: a vowel, a consonant, or the stressed syllable. Then try it at a comfortable pace.

Practice: Pronunciation Patterns

Give your ears a rest and check what you’ve noticed. Choose the word or letter that fits each clue. These questions check the patterns you’ve studied; the speaking practice is still yours to do aloud.

Audio uses your existing Spanish pronunciation buttons and your device’s Spanish voice.