Pronunciation

Question 0

G Soft G

Answer 0

When followed by E or I

G is soft

GE = Je

Gi = Ji

Gente Gimnasio

Question 1

G Hard G

Answer 1

Gato

Guitarra

Gordo

Question 2

ÜE

Answer 2

Gue = Ge

Güe = Guay

Vergüenza

Question 3

ÜI

Answer 3

ÜI = Uey

Pingüino

Question 4

Es

Después

Answer 4

Ehs or almost Ace

Days-poo- EHS (ace)

Question 5

Guayaquil

Answer 5

Gwhy- ya - keel

Question 6

Consonant: y

Answer 6

As a consonant, the Spanish “y” has two common sounds. Depending upon the region, the “y” might sound like the English “y” in the word “yes” or the “j” in the English word “joy.”

Question 7

Vowel: e

Answer 7

The Spanish “e” is most often pronounced like the “a” in the word “date,” except that it is shorter and crisper.

Question 8

Vowel: a

Answer 8

The Spanish “a” is pronounced like the “a” in the word “father.”

Question 9

Consonant Sounds: b/v

Answer 9

The Spanish “b” (be larga) and “v” (be corta) are pronounced exactly alike. These letters have two separate sounds, hard and soft. At the beginning of a word and after “m” or “n”, the hard Spanish “b/v” closely resembles the “b” in the word “boy,” except that the lips are held tense. In other situations, the “b/v” is pronounced like an English “b” in which the lips are not allowed to touch. (This is a sound that does not exist in English.)

Question 10

Diphthong Ai or Ay

Air

To dance

I bring

There is or there are

Answer 10

Aire EYE- rey
Bailar
Traigo
Hay

Diphthongs occur when an unstressed “i”, “u”, or “y-ending” appears next to another vowel in the same syllable. Their vowel sounds do not change, but they blend together to form a single syllable.

One such vowel combination, “ai” (or “ay” word ending), is pronounced like the English word “eye,”

Question 11

Diphthong ei

Six

To shave

Answer 11

“EI”
is pronounced like the “ay” in the English word “say,”

Seis

Afeitarse

Question 12

Diphthong Oi or Oy

I am

I hear

Answer 12

“OI”
Oigo
Estoy

or “oy” word ending), is pronounced like the “oy” in the English word “boy,” except that it is a somewhat shorter sound. Note that when there is a written accent over the letter “i”, the diphthong is “broken” and the two vowels are pronounced separately.

Question 13

Diphthong Ui or Uy

Noise
Construct
Very

Answer 13

“UI” or “uy” word ending,
Ruido

Construir

Muy
is pronounced like the English word “we,” except that it is a somewhat shorter sound.

Question 14

Diphthong au

Author

Fauna

Pause

Answer 14

“AU”

Autor

Fauna

Pausa

is pronounced like the “ow” in the English word “owl,” except that it is a somewhat shorter sound. Note that when there is a written accent over the letter “u”, the diphthong is “broken” and the two vowels are pronounced separately.

Question 15

Diphthong “ie”

Next
100
Old
Always
Date of birth

Answer 15

Yea

Viene   VYEA-ne 
Cien     SYEAN
Viejo     VYEA-ho 
Siempre   SYEAM-prey 
Nacimiento  na-see-MYEAN-tow

Question 16

Diphthong “ ue “

I remember

Good

Thursday

Answer 16

” ue “has no real English equivalent, but can be reproduced by combining the “oo” of the word “boot” with the “a” of the word “paper.” Be sure to combine these two sounds into a single sound.
recuerdo- I remember
bueno - good
jueves - Thursday