Minggu, 19 September 2010
While many of the Spanish consonants have sounds that are similar to those in English, many are distinctly different. These are listed below.
One thing to keep in mind about Spanish consonants is that they're generally softer and somewhat less distinct than their English equivalents (the most notable exceptions are the r and rr). Although their vowel sounds may be distinct, some hispanohablantes may sound to the untrained ear like they're mumbling. Keep in mind that there are some regional variations as well, although if you follow the descriptions in these lessons you will be understood.
Note the differences between the sounds of these consonants and their English counterparts in the following examples. Note also that these pronunciations are a guide only, as there are many subtle variations that can vary with locality.
• C, at least in most of Latin America, is pronounced like the "c" in "cereal" when it comes before an e or an i, and like the "c" in "car" when it is other positions. Examples: complacer, hacer, ácido, carro, acabar, crimen. Note: Although you will be understood if you use the Latin American pronunciation, in parts of Spain the c sounds like the "th" in "thin" when it comes before an e or i. Learn more details in the lesson on pronouncing the C.
• B and V are pronounced exactly the same. In fact, one of the few spelling problems that many Spanish speakers have is with these two letters, because they don't distinguish them at all from their sound. Generally, the b and v are pronounced like the "b" in "beach." When either of the letters is between two vowels, the sound is formed kind of like the English "v," except that the sound is made by touching the lips together instead of the upper teeth and lower lip. See our lesson on pronouncing the B and V for more details and a brief audio lesson.
• D generally is pronounced somewhat like the "d" in "diet," although often the tongue touches the bottom of the teeth instead of the top. But when d comes between vowels, it has a much softer sound, kind of like the "th" in "that." Examples: derecho, helado, diablo. See our lesson on pronouncing the D for more details.
• G is pronounced much like the English "g" in "go," although softer, except when it precedes an i or e. In those cases, it is pronounced like the Spanish j. Examples: gordo, gritar, gigante, mágico. See the lesson on pronouncing the G.
• H is always silent. Examples: hermano, hacer, deshacer. See also the lesson on the silent H.
• J (and the g when before an e or i) can be difficult, as its sound, that of the German ch, is absent in English except for a few foreign words where it is sometimes retained, as in the final sound of loch or the initial sound of Channukah. The sound is sometimes described as a heavily aspirated "h," made by expelling air between the back of the tongue and the soft palate. If you can't pronounce it well, you'll be understood by using the "h" sound of "house," but it's worthwhile to work on the correct pronunciation. Examples: garaje, juego, jardín. See the lesson on pronouncing the J.
• L is always pronounced like the first "l" in "little," never like the second one. Examples: los, helado, pastel. See the lesson on pronouncing the L.
• LL is usually pronounced like the "y" in "yellow." There are some regional variations, however. In parts of Spain it has the sound of the "ll" in "million," and in parts of Argentina it has the "zh" sound of "azure." Examples: llama, calle, Hermosillo. See the lesson on pronouncing the LL.
• N usually has the sound of the "n" in "nice." If it is followed by a b, v, f or p, it has the sound of "m" in "empathy." Examples: no, en, en vez de, andar. Learn more in our lesson on the N.
• Ñ is pronounced like the "ny" in "canyon." Examples: ñoño, cañón, campaña. See the lesson on pronouncing the Ñ.
• R and RR are formed by a flap of the tongue against the roof of the mouth, or a trill. See the R and RR "how to" guides for these letters.
• X varies in sound, depending on the origin of the word. It is often pronounced like the "x" in "example" or "exit," but it also may be pronounced like the s or the Spanish j. In words of Mayan origin it can even have the English "sh" sound. Examples: éxito, experiencia, México, Xela. See also our explanation of the Spanish X.
• Z generally sounds like the "s" in "simple." In Spain it is often pronounced like the "th" in "thin." Examples: zeta, zorro, vez. See our lesson on pronouncing the C and Z.
One thing to keep in mind about Spanish consonants is that they're generally softer and somewhat less distinct than their English equivalents (the most notable exceptions are the r and rr). Although their vowel sounds may be distinct, some hispanohablantes may sound to the untrained ear like they're mumbling. Keep in mind that there are some regional variations as well, although if you follow the descriptions in these lessons you will be understood.
Note the differences between the sounds of these consonants and their English counterparts in the following examples. Note also that these pronunciations are a guide only, as there are many subtle variations that can vary with locality.
• C, at least in most of Latin America, is pronounced like the "c" in "cereal" when it comes before an e or an i, and like the "c" in "car" when it is other positions. Examples: complacer, hacer, ácido, carro, acabar, crimen. Note: Although you will be understood if you use the Latin American pronunciation, in parts of Spain the c sounds like the "th" in "thin" when it comes before an e or i. Learn more details in the lesson on pronouncing the C.
• B and V are pronounced exactly the same. In fact, one of the few spelling problems that many Spanish speakers have is with these two letters, because they don't distinguish them at all from their sound. Generally, the b and v are pronounced like the "b" in "beach." When either of the letters is between two vowels, the sound is formed kind of like the English "v," except that the sound is made by touching the lips together instead of the upper teeth and lower lip. See our lesson on pronouncing the B and V for more details and a brief audio lesson.
• D generally is pronounced somewhat like the "d" in "diet," although often the tongue touches the bottom of the teeth instead of the top. But when d comes between vowels, it has a much softer sound, kind of like the "th" in "that." Examples: derecho, helado, diablo. See our lesson on pronouncing the D for more details.
• G is pronounced much like the English "g" in "go," although softer, except when it precedes an i or e. In those cases, it is pronounced like the Spanish j. Examples: gordo, gritar, gigante, mágico. See the lesson on pronouncing the G.
• H is always silent. Examples: hermano, hacer, deshacer. See also the lesson on the silent H.
• J (and the g when before an e or i) can be difficult, as its sound, that of the German ch, is absent in English except for a few foreign words where it is sometimes retained, as in the final sound of loch or the initial sound of Channukah. The sound is sometimes described as a heavily aspirated "h," made by expelling air between the back of the tongue and the soft palate. If you can't pronounce it well, you'll be understood by using the "h" sound of "house," but it's worthwhile to work on the correct pronunciation. Examples: garaje, juego, jardín. See the lesson on pronouncing the J.
• L is always pronounced like the first "l" in "little," never like the second one. Examples: los, helado, pastel. See the lesson on pronouncing the L.
• LL is usually pronounced like the "y" in "yellow." There are some regional variations, however. In parts of Spain it has the sound of the "ll" in "million," and in parts of Argentina it has the "zh" sound of "azure." Examples: llama, calle, Hermosillo. See the lesson on pronouncing the LL.
• N usually has the sound of the "n" in "nice." If it is followed by a b, v, f or p, it has the sound of "m" in "empathy." Examples: no, en, en vez de, andar. Learn more in our lesson on the N.
• Ñ is pronounced like the "ny" in "canyon." Examples: ñoño, cañón, campaña. See the lesson on pronouncing the Ñ.
• R and RR are formed by a flap of the tongue against the roof of the mouth, or a trill. See the R and RR "how to" guides for these letters.
• X varies in sound, depending on the origin of the word. It is often pronounced like the "x" in "example" or "exit," but it also may be pronounced like the s or the Spanish j. In words of Mayan origin it can even have the English "sh" sound. Examples: éxito, experiencia, México, Xela. See also our explanation of the Spanish X.
• Z generally sounds like the "s" in "simple." In Spain it is often pronounced like the "th" in "thin." Examples: zeta, zorro, vez. See our lesson on pronouncing the C and Z.
One factor that makes Spanish pronunciation fairly easy for English speakers is that many of the consonants are pronounced almost like their English equivalents. Although there are some subtle differences in a few cases, generally you can pronounce the consonants covered in this lesson as you would in English and be easily understood - provided you're doing OK on your other letters, of course!
One thing to keep in mind about Spanish consonants is that they're generally softer and somewhat less distinct than their English equivalents (the most notable exceptions are the r and rr). Although their vowel sounds may be distinct, some hispanohablantes may sound to the untrained ear like they're mumbling. Keep in mind that there are some regional variations as well, although if you follow the descriptions in these lessons you will be understood.
Here are the pronunciations of the consonants with sounds most like English's:
• CH is pronounced the same as the "ch" in "church." Examples: chico, machismo, Chile. Learn more details in the lesson on pronouncing the CH.
• F is pronounced like the "f" in "fox." Examples: eficaz, frío, frenes. Learn more in the lesson on pronouncing the F.
• K has basically the same sound in Spanish, although somewhat softer. It is found primarily in words of foreign origin. Examples: kilómetro, Irak. Learn more in the lesson on pronouncing the K and Q.
• M is pronounced like the "m" in "mother." Examples: madre, música, embajada. See our lesson on pronouncing the M.
• P is pronounced like the "p" in "spot." Note that the "p" in "spot" is softer and less explosive than the "p" in "pot." Examples: papas, padre, suponer. Learn more in the lesson on pronouncing the P.
• Q is pronounced the same as the k. Note that the u following a q is not pronounced. Examples: quetzal, siquiatra, que. Learn more in the lesson on pronouncing the K and Q.
• S is pronounced like the "s" in "simple." You do not give it the "z" sound heard in "wears" and many other English plural words, although it can be slightly voiced (like a soft "z") when it comes before an m, b, d, v, g, l, n or r. Examples: Susana, seres humanos, sencillo, fantasma. Learn more in the lesson on pronouncing the S.
• T is pronounced like the "t" in "stop." Note that the "t" of "stop" is softer and less explosive than the "t" of "top." Examples: todo, yate, temer. Learn more details in our lesson on pronouncing the T.
• W can usually be pronounced like the "w" in "water." It is found primarily in words of foreign origin. Examples: web, Zimbabwe. Learn about variations in our lesson on pronouncing the W.
• Y is generally pronounced the same as in English. See the lesson on vowels for a more thorough explanation.
Pronouncing Spanish Vowels
English speakers generally find the pronunciation of Spanish vowels fairly easy. Close approximations of all their sounds exist in English, and, with the exception of the E and the sometimes silent U, each of the vowels have basically one sound.
The main thing to keep in mind is that in Spanish the vowels' sounds are generally more distinct than they are in English. In English, any vowel can be represented by what's known as the schwa, an unstressed vowel sound such as the "a" in "about," the "ai" in "mountain," and the "u" in "pablum." But in Spanish, such an indistinct sound isn't used. Although, as in most languages, the sounds of the vowels can vary slightly with the letters before and after them, in general the sound remains the same regardless of the word it's in.
First, the more or less invariable sounds:
• A is pronounced similarly to the "a" in "father" or the "o" in "loft." Examples: madre, ambos, mapa. There are some speakers who sometimes pronounce the a something halfway between the "a" in "father" and the "a" in "mat," but in most areas the first sound given is standard. See also the lesson on pronouncing the a.
• I is pronounced similarly to the "ee" in "feet" and the "e" in "me," although usually a little briefer. Examples: finca, timbre, mi. This letter is covered in more detail in the lesson on pronouncing the i.
• O is pronounced like the "oa" in "boat" or the "o" in "bone," although usually a little briefer. Example: teléfono, amo, foco. See the lesson on pronouncing the o for more information.
Now, the two vowels whose sound can change:
• E is generally pronounced like the "e" in "met" when it is at the beginning or within a word. It is pronounced similarly to the Canadian "eh," kind of a shortened version of the "é" in the English "café," when it is at the end of the word. Sometimes it can be somewhere between those two sounds. It's not quite the sound of the English letter "A," which if pronounced slowly often has an "ee" sound at the end, but closer to the "e" of "met." Keep in mind that even when it's at the end of the word, in a sentence it may sound more like the "e" of met. For example, in a phrase such as de vez en cuando, each e has approximately the same sound. Examples: café, compadre, embarcar, enero. See also the lesson on pronouncing the e.
• U is generally pronounced like the "oo" in "boot" or the "u" in "tune." Do not pronounced it like the "u" in "uniform." Examples: universo, reunión, unidos. In the combinations gui and gue, as well as after q, the u is silent. Examples: guía, guerra, quizás. If the u should be pronounced between a g and i or e, an umlaut (also called a dieresis) is placed over it. Examples: vergüenza, lingüista. This letter is covered in more detail in the lesson on pronouncing the u.
Diphthongs and triphthongs: As in English, two or three vowels in Spanish can blend together to form a sound. The sound is basically the sound of the two or three vowels rapidly pronounced. For example, the u when followed by an a, e, i or o ends up sounding something like the "w" in "water." Examples: cuaderno, cuerpo, cuota. The ai combination sounds something like the sound of "eye." Examples: hay, airear. The i when followed by an a, e, i or u sounds kind of like the "y" in "yellow.": hierba, bien, siete. And other combinations are possible as well: miau, Uruguay, caudillo.
Y: Generally, the y is pronounced the same as it would if it were an i, as part of a diphthong. Examples: rey, soy, yacer. In some words that are derived from English and have a y at the end often retain the English pronunciation. For example, in popular songs you may hear words such as sexy and phrases such as oh baby.
One thing to keep in mind about Spanish consonants is that they're generally softer and somewhat less distinct than their English equivalents (the most notable exceptions are the r and rr). Although their vowel sounds may be distinct, some hispanohablantes may sound to the untrained ear like they're mumbling. Keep in mind that there are some regional variations as well, although if you follow the descriptions in these lessons you will be understood.
Here are the pronunciations of the consonants with sounds most like English's:
• CH is pronounced the same as the "ch" in "church." Examples: chico, machismo, Chile. Learn more details in the lesson on pronouncing the CH.
• F is pronounced like the "f" in "fox." Examples: eficaz, frío, frenes. Learn more in the lesson on pronouncing the F.
• K has basically the same sound in Spanish, although somewhat softer. It is found primarily in words of foreign origin. Examples: kilómetro, Irak. Learn more in the lesson on pronouncing the K and Q.
• M is pronounced like the "m" in "mother." Examples: madre, música, embajada. See our lesson on pronouncing the M.
• P is pronounced like the "p" in "spot." Note that the "p" in "spot" is softer and less explosive than the "p" in "pot." Examples: papas, padre, suponer. Learn more in the lesson on pronouncing the P.
• Q is pronounced the same as the k. Note that the u following a q is not pronounced. Examples: quetzal, siquiatra, que. Learn more in the lesson on pronouncing the K and Q.
• S is pronounced like the "s" in "simple." You do not give it the "z" sound heard in "wears" and many other English plural words, although it can be slightly voiced (like a soft "z") when it comes before an m, b, d, v, g, l, n or r. Examples: Susana, seres humanos, sencillo, fantasma. Learn more in the lesson on pronouncing the S.
• T is pronounced like the "t" in "stop." Note that the "t" of "stop" is softer and less explosive than the "t" of "top." Examples: todo, yate, temer. Learn more details in our lesson on pronouncing the T.
• W can usually be pronounced like the "w" in "water." It is found primarily in words of foreign origin. Examples: web, Zimbabwe. Learn about variations in our lesson on pronouncing the W.
• Y is generally pronounced the same as in English. See the lesson on vowels for a more thorough explanation.
Pronouncing Spanish Vowels
English speakers generally find the pronunciation of Spanish vowels fairly easy. Close approximations of all their sounds exist in English, and, with the exception of the E and the sometimes silent U, each of the vowels have basically one sound.
The main thing to keep in mind is that in Spanish the vowels' sounds are generally more distinct than they are in English. In English, any vowel can be represented by what's known as the schwa, an unstressed vowel sound such as the "a" in "about," the "ai" in "mountain," and the "u" in "pablum." But in Spanish, such an indistinct sound isn't used. Although, as in most languages, the sounds of the vowels can vary slightly with the letters before and after them, in general the sound remains the same regardless of the word it's in.
First, the more or less invariable sounds:
• A is pronounced similarly to the "a" in "father" or the "o" in "loft." Examples: madre, ambos, mapa. There are some speakers who sometimes pronounce the a something halfway between the "a" in "father" and the "a" in "mat," but in most areas the first sound given is standard. See also the lesson on pronouncing the a.
• I is pronounced similarly to the "ee" in "feet" and the "e" in "me," although usually a little briefer. Examples: finca, timbre, mi. This letter is covered in more detail in the lesson on pronouncing the i.
• O is pronounced like the "oa" in "boat" or the "o" in "bone," although usually a little briefer. Example: teléfono, amo, foco. See the lesson on pronouncing the o for more information.
Now, the two vowels whose sound can change:
• E is generally pronounced like the "e" in "met" when it is at the beginning or within a word. It is pronounced similarly to the Canadian "eh," kind of a shortened version of the "é" in the English "café," when it is at the end of the word. Sometimes it can be somewhere between those two sounds. It's not quite the sound of the English letter "A," which if pronounced slowly often has an "ee" sound at the end, but closer to the "e" of "met." Keep in mind that even when it's at the end of the word, in a sentence it may sound more like the "e" of met. For example, in a phrase such as de vez en cuando, each e has approximately the same sound. Examples: café, compadre, embarcar, enero. See also the lesson on pronouncing the e.
• U is generally pronounced like the "oo" in "boot" or the "u" in "tune." Do not pronounced it like the "u" in "uniform." Examples: universo, reunión, unidos. In the combinations gui and gue, as well as after q, the u is silent. Examples: guía, guerra, quizás. If the u should be pronounced between a g and i or e, an umlaut (also called a dieresis) is placed over it. Examples: vergüenza, lingüista. This letter is covered in more detail in the lesson on pronouncing the u.
Diphthongs and triphthongs: As in English, two or three vowels in Spanish can blend together to form a sound. The sound is basically the sound of the two or three vowels rapidly pronounced. For example, the u when followed by an a, e, i or o ends up sounding something like the "w" in "water." Examples: cuaderno, cuerpo, cuota. The ai combination sounds something like the sound of "eye." Examples: hay, airear. The i when followed by an a, e, i or u sounds kind of like the "y" in "yellow.": hierba, bien, siete. And other combinations are possible as well: miau, Uruguay, caudillo.
Y: Generally, the y is pronounced the same as it would if it were an i, as part of a diphthong. Examples: rey, soy, yacer. In some words that are derived from English and have a y at the end often retain the English pronunciation. For example, in popular songs you may hear words such as sexy and phrases such as oh baby.
If you know the alphabet in English and Indonesia, you can easily learn it in Spanish.
That is because the Spanish alphabet is very similar to the alphabets of most other western European languages, including English. According to the Real Academia Española, which is considered the arbiter of what's official Spanish, the following letters make up the Spanish alphabet:
a, b, c, ch, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, ll, m, n, ñ, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z
The following chart shows the capital letters along with name of each letter.
A: a
B: be
C: ce
CH: che
D: de
E: e
F: efe
G: ge
H: hache
I: i
J: jota
K: ka
L: ele
LL: elle
M: eme
N: ene
Ñ: eñe
O: o
P: pe
Q: cu
R: ere
S: ese
T: te
U: u
V: ve
W: uve doble
X: equis
Y: i griega
Z: zeta
It may interest you to know that not all authorities (or at least not all textbooks) agree on which letters make up the alphabet. Some lists don't include W (sometimes referred to as doble ve) and K, which exist almost exclusively in words of foreign origin, such as kilowatt. And some lists count RR (erre), which isn't pronounced the same as R.
It used to be that dictionaries would place ch after c, so, for example, the word achatar would be listed after acordar. But that is no longer the case. In most modern dictionaries, the words are alphabetized as they would be in English (except that the Ñ comes after the N).
Note also that the letters B and V have exactly the same pronunciation, and their names are pronounced exactly alike. Some colorful expressions are used to indicate which letter is being used, such as B de burro and V de vaca (roughly, "B as in burro" and "V as in vaca"). Sometimes B is referred to as be grande ("big B") and the V as uve or ve chica ("little V").
You will find as you learn Spanish that vowels are often written with accents, as in tablón, and the U is sometimes topped with a dieresis or umlaut, as in vergüenza. However, vowels with such diacritical marks are not considered separate letters as they can be in some other languages.
That is because the Spanish alphabet is very similar to the alphabets of most other western European languages, including English. According to the Real Academia Española, which is considered the arbiter of what's official Spanish, the following letters make up the Spanish alphabet:
a, b, c, ch, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, ll, m, n, ñ, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z
The following chart shows the capital letters along with name of each letter.
A: a
B: be
C: ce
CH: che
D: de
E: e
F: efe
G: ge
H: hache
I: i
J: jota
K: ka
L: ele
LL: elle
M: eme
N: ene
Ñ: eñe
O: o
P: pe
Q: cu
R: ere
S: ese
T: te
U: u
V: ve
W: uve doble
X: equis
Y: i griega
Z: zeta
It may interest you to know that not all authorities (or at least not all textbooks) agree on which letters make up the alphabet. Some lists don't include W (sometimes referred to as doble ve) and K, which exist almost exclusively in words of foreign origin, such as kilowatt. And some lists count RR (erre), which isn't pronounced the same as R.
It used to be that dictionaries would place ch after c, so, for example, the word achatar would be listed after acordar. But that is no longer the case. In most modern dictionaries, the words are alphabetized as they would be in English (except that the Ñ comes after the N).
Note also that the letters B and V have exactly the same pronunciation, and their names are pronounced exactly alike. Some colorful expressions are used to indicate which letter is being used, such as B de burro and V de vaca (roughly, "B as in burro" and "V as in vaca"). Sometimes B is referred to as be grande ("big B") and the V as uve or ve chica ("little V").
You will find as you learn Spanish that vowels are often written with accents, as in tablón, and the U is sometimes topped with a dieresis or umlaut, as in vergüenza. However, vowels with such diacritical marks are not considered separate letters as they can be in some other languages.
Langganan:
Postingan
(Atom)