This article offers information about how to pronounce Spanish language and basic phrases and sentences. It helps to improve your overall travel experience. This is 5th of 6 articles.
Immerse in a series of 6 articles about Spain:
- Spain, Barcelona and San Cugat (1),
- Zaragoza (Aragon), thieves and high-speed trains (2),
- Girona, Montserrat and a grilled pigeon (3),
- Spanish cuisine and overall impressions about Spain (4),
- Spanish pronunciation and dictionary (this article),
- Spaniards, Catalans, integration of foreigners and capitalism (6).
If there isn’t a link to the article yet, it means the article hasn’t been published yet. Wait for a while please.
Spanish dictionary and pronunciation
Spanish is easily pronounceable and it is a phonetic language. Phonetic means that words are pronounced in a way they are written. Not for native English speakers, sorry, without knowledge of any other language. Spanish is also easy to remember.
The language evolved from Latin and has a lot of in common with other European languages. It means that if you are a speaker of English as a second language or another Roman language, you won’t have any issues with basic understanding. It can even reach the point when you can deduce meaning of words when Spaniards speak.
A great example is me visiting a restaurant. I asked: “Halbas inglés?” (Do you speak English?). The waitresses gave me an answer in which she mentioned a word compañero. I deduced she had a colleague who speaks English. After a while, compañero indeed came over to my table.
There is a table of pronunciation below where IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is used and other means of explanation as Achmed the dead terrorist of The Pink Panther. Use this dictionary to play recorded pronunciation of Spanish words.
| Pronunciation | |
| Spanish | Explained pronunciation |
| Y | fierce = As I when it is written alone. Example: Pablo y María J, voYager = Other cases. Examples: payaso [pajaso] – clown Hoy [oj] – now |
| B, V | Bean = As B. Examples: boca, ve chica [be tʃika] – go girl beso, [´be so], bombón, [bom´bon], vaca [´ba ka]. Veracity – As V in the middle of words. It is somehow softened. Examples: uba [´u βa], La Habana [la a ´βa na], uva [´u βa]. |
| C | K as in Key Examples: calle – street, clave [´kla βe], cacao [ka´ka o], coco [´ko ko] |
| [θ], – if it is followed with e or i. Examples: cine [´θi ne] – cinema, cebolla [θe´βo λa] | |
| D | D as in Dabble – at the beginning and in the middle of words. Examples: decir [de´θir], dar [´dar], Granada [gra´na ða], Fidel [fi´ðel] D – When at the end of words. It is silent, almost not pronounced. Example: libertad [li βer´tad], Madrid [ma´ðrid] |
| CH | Chick Example: checo [´t∫e ko], chico [´t∫i ko], muchacha [mu´t∫a t∫a] |
| G | Pronounce as CH in Achmed the dead terrorist, if it is followed by e/i. Examples: general [cheneral], Origen [orichen] – beginning, origin genial [xe´njal] , girar [xi´rar]. |
| Pronounced as G in great in the rest of the cases. Examples: Gato – cat, gramática [gra´ma ti ka], tango [´taŋ go] | |
| gue, gui | Pronounced as gecko and gizmo. Examples: guía [´gi a], hamburguesa [am bur´γe sa] |
| güe, güi, gua, guo | Pronounced as [gue], [gui], [gua], [guo]: Examples: lingüística [liŋ´gwis ti ka], agua [´a γwa], Guatemala [gwa te´ma la] |
| H | It is not pronounced as in French. As in The Pink Panther. Examples: Hola [ola], Hora [ora]. |
| J | Pronounce as CH in Achmed the dead terrorist. Examples: Jamón [chamon] – ham Jiménez [chi´me neθ], jefe [´che fe] |
| K | Pronounced as K in Key. Examples: Engordó cinco kilos. [Engordo θinko kilos] – I have put on 5 kg. |
| LL | Pronounced as J in a voyager. Example: llamar [jamar] – call. |
| N | Pronounced as N as in No. Examples: noche [not∫e]– night, ancla [ankla] – anchor If n is followed by b or p, then it is pronounced as M as in mama: Examples: en Praga [em´pra ga], enviar [em´bjar] |
| Ñ | Pronounced as Ň. Use the dictionary to hear it. Examples: cañón [kaňon] – cannon Año – year !Ano – anal |
| Q(u) – it is always followed by u. | Pronounced as K in Key. Examples: queso [„keso“] – sýr |
| R, RR | R = R (Hard pronunciation of r as the Scottish do in English). R == RR (One r after another r, double hard r, trembling tongue). Examples: Pero = but Perro [perro] – dog |
| X | Pronounced as S as in season. Examples: xilófono [silofono] – xylophone. |
| Z | [θ], Example: zorro [θorro] – fox. |
| Definite articles | |
| La | Singular noun, feminine |
| Las | Plural noun, feminine |
| El | Singular noun, masculine |
| Los | Plural noun, masculine |
| Spanish | English |
| menú del migdia / menú del día | 3-course menu, day menu |
| Chupito | A shot of hard liquor |
| Jamón (Spanish) Pernil (Catalan) | Ham |
| Buenos días / Hola | Good day / Hi |
| Hasta la vista | Good bye |
| Adiós | Bye |
| ¿Cómo estás? | How are you? |
| ¿Bien, y tú? | Good, and you? |
| Encantad | Pleased to meet you. |
| Gracias | Thank you. |
| Por favor | Please |
| Un café, por favor. | One coffee please. |
| ¿Cómo te llamas? | What is your name? |
| Mi nombre es Bretislav. Soy de la República Checa. | My name is Bretislav. I am from the Czech Republic. |
| De nada | You are welcome. |
| Si | Yes |
| No | No |
| Yo | I |
| Tú | You (singular) |
| Él | He |
| Ella | She |
| Nosotros | We |
| Usted | You (plural) |
| Disculpe | Excuse me |
| Perdone | Sorry |
| No entiendo | I don’t understand you. |
| ¿Hablas inglés? | Do you speak English? |
| Ayuda [Ajuda] | Help! |
| ¿Dónde está el baño por favor? | Where is the toilet please? |
| Déjame en paz | Leave me alone. |
| Llamaré a la policía | I will call the police. |
| ¡Alto, ladrón! | Halt. Thief. |
| Necesito ayuda. | I need help. |
| Estoy perdido | I got lost. |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta? | How much does it cost? |
| Numbers | |
| Cero – 0 Uno – 1 Dos – 2 Tres – 3 Cuatro – 4 Cinco – 5 Seis – 6 Siete – 7 | Ocho – 8 Nueve – 9 Diez – 10 Veinte – 20 Treinta – 30 Cien – 100 Mil – 1000. |
To be continued in the next article
The preceding article is (4) Spanish cuisine and overall impressions about Spain.
The series continues and ends with (6) Spaniards, Catalans, integration of foreigners and capitalism. If there isn’t a link yet, it means the article hasn’t been published yet. Wait for a while please.
