Spanish pronunciation guide for English speakers
Good news: Spanish is spelt the way it sounds. Learn these rules once and you can have a go at any word you see. This guide is for the Spanish spoken in Spain.
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Try it free today 👉The five vowels
This is the big one. Spanish vowels are short and they never change, whatever word they're in.
| Letter | Sounds like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a | like the a in "cat", but a bit longer | casa: KA-sa |
| e | like the e in "bed" | mesa: MEH-sa |
| i | like the ee in "see" | sí: SEE |
| o | like the o in "hot" | no: NO |
| u | like the oo in "food" | uno: OO-no |
The Spain "th"
In most of Spain, z, and c before e or i, sound like the "th" in "think".
| Español | English | Say it like |
|---|---|---|
| gracias | thank you | GRA-thyas |
| cerveza | beer | ther-BEH-tha |
| cinco | five | THEEN-ko |
| zumo | juice | THOO-mo |
| Barcelona | Barcelona | bar-theh-LO-na |
The letters that catch you out
| Letter | Sounds like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| h | silent, always | hola: OH-la |
| j | a throaty h, like the ch in "loch" | jamón: ha-MON |
| g + e / i | the same throaty h | gente: HEN-teh |
| ll | like the y in "yes" | paella: pa-EH-ya |
| ñ | like the ny in "canyon" | España: es-PA-nya |
| v and b | both sound like a soft b | vino: BEE-no |
| r | a quick tap of the tongue | pero: PEH-ro |
| rr (and r at the start) | rolled | perro: PEH-rro |
| qu | like k (the u is silent) | queso: KEH-so |
| gu + e / i | a hard g (the u is silent) | guitarra: gee-TA-rra |
Watch out for pero (but) and perro (dog). The rolled r is the only difference.
Where the stress goes
Three rules and you'll get it right nearly every time:
- Word ends in a vowel, n or s? Stress the second to last bit: casa (KA-sa), hablan (A-blan).
- Word ends in any other consonant? Stress the last bit: hablar (a-BLAR), Madrid (ma-DREED).
- Got an accent? The accent wins: café (ka-FEH), música (MOO-see-ka).
How to say Spanish place names
| Place | Say it like |
|---|---|
| Madrid | ma-DREED |
| Barcelona | bar-theh-LO-na |
| Sevilla | seh-BEE-ya |
| Málaga | MA-la-ga |
| Valencia | ba-LEN-thya |
| Ibiza | ee-BEE-tha |
| Mallorca | ma-YOR-ka |
| Benidorm | beh-nee-DORM |
Going to Mallorca or Barcelona? You'll see Catalan on the signs too. My Spanish for Mallorca page explains.
Try a tongue twister
Tres tristes tigres tragaban trigo en un trigal.
Three sad tigers were swallowing wheat in a wheat field. Say it three times fast 😄
Keep going: Greetings · Numbers · Spain vs Latin American Spanish · All my free Spanish guides, flashcards and games.
Questions people ask
Is Spanish pronunciation hard?
Not really. Spanish is spelt the way it sounds, and the five vowels never change. The rolled r and the throaty j take a bit of practice, that's all.
Why do Spanish people say th?
In most of Spain, z and c before e or i are said like the th in think. It's just how the language is spoken there, not a lisp. The s is still an s.
How do you pronounce Ibiza?
In Spain it's ee-BEE-tha, with the Spain th sound. Lots of English speakers say eye-BEE-tha, but locals won't.
Is the h silent in Spanish?
Yes, always. Hola is OH-la and hablar is a-BLAR.
Want to get the sounds right? 🗣️
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