SPANISH GRAMMAR

Pronunciation of consonants

Spanish consonants c, k, p, t are pronounced without aspiration.

Pronunciation of consonants :

bis pronounced like English b at the beginning of a word and after m and n: boca, ambos
in other positions it is pronounced similar to b, but without touching the lips : haber, labor; it's as if it were an intermediate consonant between b and w
cbefore a, o, u , before consonants and at the end of the word it's k like in kick : cara
before e, i in Latin America and Andalusia as s in sin : cierto, cera, cielo
in the rest of Spain c before e, i is pronounced like th w think
chlike English ch in chair, choose: chucho, charla
dmostly as d:
at the beginning of the word and after l and n like English d: dato, dar, andar
in other positions, d becomes similar to th in this: hada
at the end of the word many persons don't pronounce it at all, some persons pronounce it very weakly: maldad
fas f
gbefore e, i like ch in Loch Ness : general, giro
in other positions like English g:
like English g, especially at the beginning of the word and after n: fandango, gana
in other positions (not at the beginning of the word, not after n ) (but also not before e, i) g is slightly weakened
gubefore e, i like g: guerra
before other consonants: like gw in Gwen : guarida, guardia
like gw in Gwen : averigüe
his not pronounced at all: he, haber, haba
jlike English ch in Loch Ness: jamás
klike English k: kéfir
llike English l in late, lock (it's never dark l like in spell, until): lama
llin most parts of Spain and Latin America like English y in yes : llamar, llorar
in some regions like ly
m like English m: mamá, menor
only at the end of the word like English n: harem
nbefore b, v, p like English m: tranvía, enviar
in other positions like English n: nota, nacer
nvlike English mb: tranvía, enviar
ñit's similar to English n + y , but it's one sound : señorita, año
plike English p: papá
qulike English k (before e, i): querella, quitar
rat the beginning of the word and after n, l, s pronounced very strong, it's rolled or trilled: rana, alrededor
in other positions it's a tap, similar to English d in added : caro, haber
rrrr is always rolled or trilled (pronounced with a strong vibration) : carro, perro
slike s; pronounced like z before voiced consonants: b, d, g, v, l, r, m, n, np. mismo, desde
before ce, ci it's not pronounced at all : ascender
in Spain it sounds sometimes like sh (never in Latin America)
vis pronounced like English b at the beginning of a word and after m and n: vaca, tranvía
in other positions it is pronounced similar to b, but without touching the lips : haber, labor; it's as if it were an intermediate consonant between b and w
wvery rare letter, pronunced like v (see above)
xmost often pronounced like cs or x in extra, hoax, taxi : taxi, extremo
in some geographical names like ch in Loch Ness : México, Oaxaca, także mexicano
ylike English y: muy, buey
zpronounced in Latin America and Andalusia like English s: zona, estupidez
in Spain c before e, i is pronounced like th in think

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