How to Pronounce the Spanish Alphabet
Knowing how to pronounce the Spanish alphabet is a great foundation for learning the language. Some of the letters sound about the same as they do in English. Others switch out the long e sound (ē) we have in the pronunciation of letters like b and t so that they’re pronounced “bay” and “tay”. And many of the others sound distinct, like z, which is pronounced “say-tah” in Spanish.
While it helps to hear each of the letters spoken out loud, here’s a quick rundown of each letter’s pronunciation written out:
- a
- be
- ce/che
- de
- e
- efe
- ge
- hache
- i
- jota
- ka
- ele/elle
- eme
- eñe
- o
- pe
- cu
- ere/erre
- ese
- te
- u
- ve
- doble ve
- equis
- i griega
- zeta/zeda
Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion® methodology teaches you the language, not just the words. What makes it so effective is that we prepare you to use your new language in your everyday life. So, it’s not just about the features, but what you’re able to do because of them. That way, you’ll be ready to handle situations with ease and confidence.
Learn Spanish Words and Phrases
Many people make the decision to learn Spanish because they find that they frequently encounter the language in their everyday life. This is entirely understandable, considering that Spanish is spoken throughout the United States, and is featured in popular music, TV, movies, and restaurant fare. Others choose to embark on learning Spanish due to plans to volunteer, work, or vacation in any one of the 20 countries worldwide where Spanish is the official language. Whether your reason for learning Spanish is business or pleasure, you can get off to a solid start by first focusing on learning the most commonly used Spanish words and short phrases. Starting here is quite important and will go a long way in helping you become comfortable with how Spanish is used in everyday conversation—by the approximately 437 million Spanish speakers worldwide.
Sometimes, new learners get bogged down trying to memorize long lists of Spanish vocabulary. Unfortunately, they become frustrated when they find that they don’t have the ability to understand or speak in everyday conversations. That’s why it’s strongly suggested that you develop the ability to understand and accurately pronounce basic words and short phrases. This proven, practical approach to learning will allow you to develop the confidence to comfortably engage in conversation with locals.
Of note, Spanish does have some characteristics that can make proper pronunciation of some Spanish words a bit challenging for new learners. As one example, the letter r is pronounced differently and takes some practice for most new learners. This distinct sound is formed by tapping the tip of the tongue on the roof of the mouth, about a third of the way back in the mouth. Some Spanish language experts counsel new Spanish learners to practice making the “tt” sound, as it sounds in the English word butter.
Refining your Spanish pronunciation requires that you get specific and immediate feedback on your pronunciation effort. This feedback will allow you to make corrections to your pronunciation. From there, you can practice speaking out loud, until you can comfortably shape the sounds that make up the spoken Spanish language.
Rosetta Stone helps you get the pronunciation right with our patented TruAccent™ speech engine that instantly compares your voice to native and non-native speakers, so you get real-time feedback for the most accurate pronunciation. It’s also adjustable, which allows you to fine-tune your accent. TruAccent is a powerful tool for helping you learn and speak the Spanish language.
After new learners have acquired basic Spanish words, short phrases, and their proper pronunciation, they will find it to be a natural transition to move onto learning the longer Spanish phrases that make up much of everyday Spanish conversation. Rosetta Stone’s easily digested 10-minute lessons help you learn in exactly this way—first teaching the basics of Spanish, then teaching longer Spanish phrases, always emphasizing proper pronunciation. Rosetta Stone language lessons help you to acquire the skills to comfortably understand and confidently speak in Spanish.
Try Our Award-Winning App
Surround yourself with Spanish whenever, wherever with the Rosetta Stone app.
Download a unit and knock it out on the train or a flight. Select a 5-10 minute lesson and sneak it in while you wait in line or for your ride to show up. And explore dynamic features, like Seek and Speak, where you can point at an object in the real world and get a translation.
The best part? You don’t have to choose between app or desktop. Both come with your subscription and sync, so you can switch between devices seamlessly.
