- Recognise all 27 Spanish letters and their names
- Pronounce the 5 Spanish vowels (a, e, i, o, u) with clear, consistent sounds
- Master unique Spanish sounds: n (like canyon), ll (like yes), rr (rolled r)
- Understand that h is always silent and j sounds like English h
- Read simple Spanish words with correct pronunciation
- Distinguish Spanish sounds from similar-looking English letters
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FoundationsBeginner
Spanish Alphabet and Pronunciation
Learn all 27 letters, special sounds like ñ, and essential pronunciation rules
What You'll Learn
Overview
The Spanish alphabet has 27 letters - the same 26 as English plus the special letter ñ. The good news? Spanish pronunciation is much more consistent than English - each letter usually makes the same sound every time!
The 5 Most Important Differences from English
- H is always silent - hola sounds like "ola"
- J sounds like English H - jamón sounds like "hamon"
- Ñ is a new sound - like "ny" in canyon
- LL sounds like Y - calle sounds like "caye"
- RR is rolled - a trilled sound that doesn't exist in English
Master these 5 differences and you'll avoid 90% of pronunciation mistakes!
Why Spanish is Easier Than English
In English, the letter 'a' can sound different in "cat", "cake", "father", and "about". In Spanish, 'a' always sounds like "ah" (as in "father"). This consistency makes Spanish much easier to read aloud!
Structure & Formation
The Spanish Alphabet Organization
The Spanish alphabet is organised as follows:
Vowels (5 letters)
A, E, I, O, U
Always pronounced clearly and consistently
Consonants (22 letters)
B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, Ñ, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y, Z
Most have consistent pronunciation rules
Complete Spanish Alphabet
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N Ñ O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Total: 27 letters (including Ñ)
A (a)
ah (as in "father")
ah (as in "father")
B (be)
beh
beh
C (ce)
seh ("k" before a/o/u; "th/s" before e/i)
seh ("k" before a/o/u; "th/s" before e/i)
D (de)
deh
deh
E (e)
eh (short "e" like in "bet")
eh (short "e" like in "bet")
F (efe)
EH-feh
EH-feh
G (ge)
heh ("g" as in "go" before a/o/u; like "ch" in "loch" before e/i)
heh ("g" as in "go" before a/o/u; like "ch" in "loch" before e/i)
H (hache)
AH-che (always silent)
AH-che (always silent)
I (i)
ee (as in "see")
ee (as in "see")
J (jota)
HOH-tah (like Scottish "loch" or German "Bach")
HOH-tah (like Scottish "loch" or German "Bach")
K (ka)
kah
kah
L (ele)
EH-leh
EH-leh
M (eme)
EH-meh
EH-meh
N (ene)
EH-neh
EH-neh
Ñ (eñe)
EN-yeh (like "ny" in canyon)
EN-yeh (like "ny" in canyon)
O (o)
oh (pure "o" sound)
oh (pure "o" sound)
P (pe)
peh
peh
Q (cu)
koo (always followed by "ue" or "ui")
koo (always followed by "ue" or "ui")
R (erre)
EH-rreh (tapped/flipped)
EH-rreh (tapped/flipped)
S (ese)
EH-seh
EH-seh
T (te)
teh
teh
U (u)
oo (as in "food")
oo (as in "food")
V (uve)
oo-beh (sounds like soft "b")
oo-beh (sounds like soft "b")
W (uve doble)
oo-beh DOH-bleh (rare, in foreign words)
oo-beh DOH-bleh (rare, in foreign words)
X (equis)
EH-kees (like "ks" or "h" in some words)
EH-kees (like "ks" or "h" in some words)
Y (i griega)
ee GREE-eh-gah ("ee" or consonant "y")
ee GREE-eh-gah ("ee" or consonant "y")
Z (zeta)
SEH-tah ("th" in Spain, "s" in Latin America)
SEH-tah ("th" in Spain, "s" in Latin America)
💡 Tip: Spanish letter names are pronounced consistently - this helps with spelling!
🔤 Interactive Spanish Alphabet
Click any letter to jump to its pronunciation, or use the play button to hear the complete alphabet.
Download Study Guide
Get a comprehensive PDF study guide with all alphabet information, pronunciation guides, and practice exercises.
Special Letters
Ñ (eñe): Unique to Spanish, pronounced like 'ny' in 'canyon'
LL (elle): Traditionally pronounced like 'y' in 'yes' in most regions
RR (erre): Rolled 'r' sound, stronger than single 'r'
Examples
Vowels
A
like 'a' in 'father'
casa, mapa
/KAH-sah/, /MAH-pah/
E
like 'e' in 'bed'
mesa, verde
/MEH-sah/, /BEHR-deh/
I
like 'ee' in 'see'
libro, fin
/LEE-broh/, /feen/
O
like 'o' in 'go'
hola, dos
/OH-lah/, /dohs/
U
like 'oo' in 'moon'
luna, uno
/LOO-nah/, /OO-noh/
Key Consonants
J
like 'h' in 'huge'
jamón, trabajo
/hah-MOHN/, /trah-BAH-hoh/
H
always silent
hola, hora
/OH-lah/, /OH-rah/
Ñ
like 'ny' in 'canyon'
niño, año
/NEE-nyoh/, /AH-nyoh/
LL
like 'y' in 'yes'
llave, calle
/YAH-veh/, /KAH-yeh/
RR
rolled 'r'
perro, carro
/PEH-rroh/ (rolled r), /KAH-rroh/
Common Words for Practice
Hola(hello)
/OH-lah/ - Notice the silent 'h'
Niño(child)
/NEE-nyoh/ - Practice the 'ñ' sound
Perro(dog)
/PEH-rroh/ - Roll the 'rr'
Jamón(ham)
/hah-MOHN/ - 'j' sounds like 'h'
Calle(street)
/KAH-yeh/ - 'll' sounds like 'y'
Common Mistakes
Common Pronunciation Mistakes
Wrong: Pronouncing 'h' like English 'h'
Correct: Always silent 'h' (hola = ola)
Spanish H is always silent
Wrong: Pronouncing 'j' like English 'j'
Correct: 'j' like 'h' in 'huge' (jamón)
Spanish J sounds like English H
Wrong: Not rolling 'r' sounds
Correct: Rolled 'r' for 'rr' and 'r' at start
Double R needs a trill
Wrong: Pronouncing 'll' like English 'll'
Correct: 'll' like 'y' in 'yes' (calle = caye)
Spanish LL sounds like Y
Wrong: Not distinguishing 'ñ' from 'n'
Correct: 'ñ' like 'ny' in 'canyon' (niño)
Ñ is a distinct letter
Advanced Note: Regional Variations
(Click to expand)
While learning standard Spanish pronunciation is perfect for beginners, be aware that pronunciation can vary by region:
Spain
'z' and 'c' (before 'e'/'i') pronounced like 'th' in 'think'
Latin America
'z' and 'c' (before 'e'/'i') pronounced like 's'
Argentina/Uruguay
'll' and 'y' pronounced like 'sh' in 'ship'
Tip: Don't worry about these variations yet. Focus on standard pronunciation first!
Did You Know? The Spanish Alphabet Used to Have 29 Letters!
(Click to expand)
Until 2010, the Spanish alphabet had 29 letters! The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) officially removed CH, LL, and RR as separate letters, reducing the alphabet to 27 letters.
What this means for learners:
- CH is now alphabetized under C (like "chocolate" comes after "casa")
- LL is now alphabetized under L (like "llave" comes after "libro")
- RR was never used at the start of words anyway
- These combinations still exist and sound the same - they're just not separate letters
Why does this matter? If you're using older Spanish textbooks or dictionaries (pre-2010), you might see words with CH and LL listed in separate sections. Modern materials follow the current 27-letter system.
What About Accented Letters?
You might see letters like á, é, í, ó, ú in Spanish words. These are not separate letters - they're the same vowels with accent marks to show stress and syllable emphasis.
Examples:
- café (coffee) - accent on final E
- teléfono (telephone) - accent on second E
- música (music) - accent on first U
- matemáticas (mathematics) - accent on A
These accent marks (called tildes) are crucial for proper pronunciation and meaning. They tell you which syllable to stress when speaking.
Ready to master Spanish stress and syllables?
Learn when and how to use accent marks with our comprehensive guide
Spanish Rhythm: Syllables and Stress Made Simple →
Quick Test
1. How do you pronounce the letter 'n' in Spanish?
2. Which letter is pronounced like the 'h' in 'hello'?
3. How do you pronounce 'll' in most Spanish-speaking countries?
4. Which letters are pronounced like the 'th' in 'think' in Spain?
5. How many letters are in the Spanish alphabet?
6. In Spanish, which letter is ALWAYS silent?
7. How is the letter 'J' pronounced in Spanish?
8. Which Spanish vowel sounds like 'oo' in 'food'?