Letter
Sound
Equivalent in English
English explanation of pronunciation
Example word
with sound file
   b    1. [b] 1. The same pronunciation as in English is used
when the "b" is the first letter of a sentence.

1.baño

   2. [ß] 2. This softer b sound does not exist in English. It resembles a b sound but it is continuous rather than explosive.   2. abogado
   c    1.[k]
 1.

When followed by the vowels 'a', 'o' and 'u', it sounds like the English 'k'. 1.cantante
   2.[s] 2. When followed by the vowels 'e' and 'i', it sounds like the English 's'.   2. cine
   g    1. [g]
 1. When followed by the vowels 'a', 'o', and 'u', the 'g' sounds like the soft English 'g' of 'gum'. 1. guante
   2. [g] 2. When followed by the vowels 'u+e' or 'u+i', the g sounds like the soft English 'g' of 'gum', but the 'u' is silent. 2. guitarra
   3. [g] 3. The only exception to the second rule above is signaled by the use of a dieresis over the 'u', and it appears as follows: 'ü'. Thus in the following syllables, one pronounces every letter: 'g+ü+e', and 'g+ü+i'.

3. Argüello
4. [h] 4. When followed by 'e' or 'i' (without a 'u' in between), the 'g' sounds like an English 'h'   4. imagen
   h    silent 1. The 'h' in Spanish is always silent.   1. hoja
   j    [h] 1. The Spanish 'j' sounds like the English 'h'. 1. jabón
   ll    [y] 1. The Spanish 'll' sounds like the English 'y'.   1. calle
   ñ    [ny] 1. The Spanish 'ñ' sounds like the 'ny' combination in English. 1. niño
   q    [k] 1. The Spanish 'q' sounds like the English 'k'. It is always followed by 'u', but the 'u' is always silent.   1. queso
   r    1.[d] 1. When located in the middle of a word, the Spanish 'r' sounds like the US English 'd' in the word 'ladder'. 1.cartero
   2.[t] 2. When located in the middle of a word, the Spanish 'r' sounds like the US English 't' in the word 'later'. 2.cuchara
   3. [rr] 3. When it is the first letter in a word, or when it follows the consonants 'l', 'n' and 's', the Spanish 'r' sounds like the Spanish 'rr'.   3. recibo
   rr    [rr] 1. The Spanish 'rr' does not have an equivalent sound in English. It is a sound made by a rapid vibration of the tip of the tongue against the gum ridge. 1. carreta
   v    [b] 1. The Spanish 'v' sounds like the English b. 1. valija