Learning to speak a new language is exciting; learning to write a new language is even more exciting! It will open new worlds for you. So, dig into these tips and advice for learning how to master the Spanish alphabet easily - at SpanishPod101 we make it easy, fun and relevant for you!
Starting anything from scratch can be challenging, especially if you learn how to write in a language completely different from your own. It is really like navigating through a territory that is completely unknown to you.
However, this need not be a big hurdle or a problem! At SpanishPod101, we introduce you to Spanish writing in simple, easy-to-follow steps, and you can ask for advice or help anywhere along the way. It is important to master the Spanish alphabet completely from the start.
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The Spanish alphabet consists of twenty-seven letters (five vowels and twenty-two consonants). We use all of the letters in the Spanish alphabet also in the English alphabet, with the exception of -ñ. In addition, there are three two-letter combinations called digraphs that we traditionally analyze as single units: -ch, -ll, and -rr.
We stress Spanish words according to two patterns. The first regular pattern is for words that end in one of the five vowels, an -n, or an -s: we stress these words on the second-to-last syllable. This accounts for the vast majority of Spanish words. The second regular stress pattern is for words that do not end in a vowel, an -n, or an -s, and we stress those words on the final syllable. We write words that do not follow the two regular stress patterns listed above with an accent mark over the vowel of the syllable in question.
In addition to accent marks indicating stress, a few Spanish words carry a written accent to distinguish homonyms (e.g., definite article el vs. subject pronoun él).
Listening to Spanish speakers roll their Rs and sound out other letters, you may be tempted to think that the Spanish alphabet is mysterious and exotic, but you would be wrong. The 27-letter alphabet, which is based off the Latin alphabet, does have a few extra Spanish letters, but it is almost the same as the English alphabet with a few exceptions.
Pronunciation of individual letters is also strikingly similar with a few exceptions.
Note that the provided alphabet list below offers phonetic pronunciation; the actual spelling for each letter is similar but not the same.
① The Spanish alphabet and phonetic pronunciation:
A (a): ah
B (b): beh
C (c): she
CH (ch): che
D (d): deh
E (e): eh
F (f): efeh
G (g): heh
H (h): acheh
I (i): ee
J (j): hota
K (k): kah
L (l): eleh
LL (ll): eyeh
M (m): emeh
N (n): eneh
Ñ (ñ): enyeh
O (o): oh
P (p): peh
Q (q): cu
R (r): erreh
S (s): eseh
T (t): teh
U (u): uu
V (v): uveh
W (w): doble-uu or uveh-doble
X (x): equis
Y (y): yeh
Z (z): zetah
In the alphabet above there are two extra letters listed, making a grand total of 29 letters. Of the three extra letters, CHch, LLll, and Ññ, Ññ is the most well-known and is considered an official letter. The other two are not always listed as letters in Spanish alphabet guides, but you may come across them in older alphabet listings.
The history of the letter Ññ can be especially interesting to a history buff studying Spanish words. Originally a line above the letter, also called a tilde, such as the ones used over an Nn denoted double letters in a word. Over time the tilde was dropped from other double letters, and eventually it began to represent sound instead. Some examples of Spanish words that came to use the letter Ññ are:
Araña: Spider
Niña/Niño: Girl/Boy
Baño: Bathroom
Año: Year
Piñata: Piñata
Señor/Señora: Older man/Older woman can also be used for Sir/Madam
Señorita: Young lady/Miss
Piña: Pineapple
With only one major deviation from the English alphabet the Spanish alphabet can be a quick study. Even pronunciation of the letters is largely phonetic and simple for students to pick up on. Since the alphabet is one of the first things you will study as you learn Spanish it may feel like a daunting task to begin with, but once you see all the familiar letters you will quickly realize that learning the alphabet will be one of your easiest Spanish lessons
② Spanish Alphabet Chart:
Lexicon (Name)
English Approx.
Spanish Example
Memorization Tips
A, a (a)
blond
damos
Always open, like the ‘o’ of ‘hot’ (i.e. ‘ah’); never the closed ‘a’ sound of ‘hate’
B, b (be)
boy
bueno
The same as the English ‘b’; also, the same as the Spanish ‘v’
C, c (ce)
face
hace
The soft ‘c’ or ’s’ sound
care
calor
The hard ‘c’ or ‘k’ sound
D, d (de)
dangle
diente
The ‘d’ in Spanish is equivalent to the ‘d’ in English
E, e (e)
say
brillante
Always the closed ‘a’ sound of ‘ape’; never the open “e” sound of ‘get’
F, f (efe)
fork
falda
The ‘f’ sound in the Spanish is equivalent to the ‘f’ and ‘ph’ sound in English
G, g (ge)
herald
escoge
Like the ‘h’ in English, but slightly guttural
gale
gato
This hard ‘g’ sound is equivalent to the hard ‘g’ in English
H, h (hache)
rhapsody
hora
The ‘h’ in Spanish is always silent, like the silent ‘h’ in English
I, i (i)
meet
imponer
The ‘i’ in Spanish is always the ‘ee’ sound; never the open ‘i’ of ‘hit’, nor the closed sound of ‘bite’
J, j (jota)
hope
julio
The ‘j’ in Spanish is similar to the ‘h’ in Englis, except the Spanish ‘j’ is harsher, slightly gutteral
K, k (ka)
coat
kilogramo
The hard ‘c’ or ‘k’, like in English
L, l (ele)
lady
lograr
The ‘l’ in Spanish is the same as in English
LL, ll (elle)
shove
llover
Between the ‘yuh’ sound of ‘y’ and the ’shuh’ in english
M, m (eme)
morning
martes
The ‘m’ in Spanish is equivalent to the ‘m’ in English
N, n (ene)
nature
noche
The ‘n’ in Spanish is the same as in English
ñ, ñ (ñ)
canyon, unyoke
niño
Unlike any single letter in English, the ‘ñ’ must be distinguished from the ‘n’
O, o (o)
home
hablo
Always the closed ‘o’ of ‘hope’; never the open ‘o’ of ‘hop’
P, p (pe)
parent
persona
The Spanish ‘p’ is the same as the English
Q, q (cu)
take
trueque
Always the hard ‘k’ sound; although always followed by the ‘u’, the ‘u’ is always silent
R, r (ere)
NONE
rodeando
The ‘r’ in Spanish requires the tip of the tongue to touch the front part of the roof of the mouth
S, s (ese)
single
sonido
Always the soft ’s’ of ‘sound’ never the ‘z’ sound of ‘lands‘
T, t (te)
touch
tomar
The Spanish ‘t’ is equivalent to the ‘t’ in English
U, u (u)
tube
suponer
Always the ‘oo’ sound of ‘fume’; never the open ‘u’ sound of ‘upper’, nor the closed ‘u’ of ‘unicycle’
V, v (ve)
big
ver
B, like the English ‘b’; there is no phonetic difference between the ‘b’ and ‘v’ in Spanish
W, w (ve doble)
water
water
Only used for foreign words, sounds like w or v in English
X, x (equis)
expresar
express
Ex, the hard consonant, as in English
xylophone
xenófobo
The soft ‘c’ or ’s’, not vibrating ‘z’ of buzz
Y, y (i griega)
yellow
yegua
The ‘yuh’ sound, very similar to the English, sometimes with a soft ’sh’
A language’s alphabet is its building blocks. Trying to learn how to write in Spanish without first learning its alphabet is a bit like trying to build a brick house without touching the individual bricks! It is impossible to do a good job that way. So don’t believe language schools and methods that try to teach you otherwise. You will regret it later.
Also, once you start recognizing symbols and words, you will be encouraged by your own progress and motivated to learn even faster. Even just learning the basics of the alphabet will allow you to start recognizing simple Spanish words, and it will feel great!
Furthermore, knowing the alphabet even helps with pronunciation, as learning the individual letters of any language will start uncovering nuances and intricacies that are not always apparent when you’re simply listening to the words.
Completely mastering the Spanish alphabet, no matter how long it takes, will give you an excellent head start in learning how to write and read the language. It will offer you a solid foundation on which to build the other language skills, so set a goal to learn the alphabet so well that you’re able to recite it in your sleep!
Read on for helpful tips and secrets to learning the Spanish alphabet quickly and effectively.
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Why are we giving it away?
Learning to read and write is a must for all beginners. Although you get video lessons on how to write in Spanish at SpanishPod101, you’ll still need physical worksheets to practice on. That’s why you’re getting this printable tutorial PDFs as a gift.
With a language, like with anything you have to learn from scratch, having a few mnemonic devices handy are key to learning it fast. A mnemonic device is basically any method or technique that helps you to retain or commit something to memory more easily.
Here are a few mnemonic devices to memorize the Spanish alphabet so you can speed up learning how to write in Spanish.
① Find and Learn an Alphabet Song or Poem in Spanish
Can you still remember your childhood alphabet song in your own language? The best way to commit it to memory so you can recite it is still your mom or first teacher’s way - with music, a song and/or a poem! Find a recording and learn to sing the song, or recite the poem along as best as you can. Ask your SpanishPod101 teacher to help you understand exactly what you are singing or saying, and soon you’ll have reciting the alphabet under your belt! Repeat it out loud as often as possible.
However, you still need to learn how to write it.
② Study a Few Letters At a Time
Remember when you were young and learning to write for the first time? You didn’t start with words or sentences; you started with letters, one at a time!
Decide on tackling only a few letters each week, and then don’t move on from these till you are completely familiar with them. Don’t take on too many at once, or you may become discouraged. Also, remember to ask your teacher at SpanishPod101 if you have questions!
Learn to incidentally spot the letters in books, road signs (If you’re living in the country), magazines, on TV, anywhere you encounter written Spanish. Remember to write them out!
③ Write Out the Letters of the Alphabet By Hand
Make it a goal to write out your week’s letters at least once a day, and commit to this goal. You can also do it every time you have a free moment. Get yourself a special notebook for this purpose that you can carry with you anywhere you go. Sitting on the train or bus? Waiting for someone somewhere? Whip out your notebook and write the Spanish alphabet, or the letters you are learning. Aim for about 20 repetitions, while silently saying the letter in your head as you write it out. This way, you will soon be able to form and write words all by yourself! Exciting, isn’t it?
Writing something down with a pen also seems to engrave it in the brain in a way that nothing else does. As an added benefit, it gives you the satisfaction of seeing a new language in your own writing!
Once you’ve mastered the whole alphabet, commit to writing it out in its entirety at least once a day, for at least one month. More repetitions are obviously better.
④ Involve Your Whole Body
Research has shown that the more senses and actions we use to learn something, the quicker the new information sticks in the memory and becomes habitual. To apply this principle while learning the Spanish alphabet, write out huge letters by tracing them in the soil, or with chalk on the floor. Now, while saying the letter out loud, walk on the lines you have just traced. In this way, you ‘write’ the letter by moving your whole body!
Having fun just makes it even easier to learn something, so why not ‘write’ the letters out with dance steps while moving to your favorite Spanish music!
This is a simple trick that seems silly, but you’ll be surprised how quickly you will commit intricate letters to memory this way. It really works!
⑤ Use Associations To Memorize Letters
This technique would involve saying the Spanish letter out loud, and then thinking of a word in your own language that sounds the same as the letter. That would then create a phonic association that should make it easier for you to remember the letter. Better even if the association is something you can draw or picture.
If the script of the new alphabet is very different from your own, look at it closely, and see if you can find an image that the letter reminds you of
⑥ Now Have Fun Trying To Write Words!
Try to write words from your own language in Spanish, and ask your friendly SpanishPod101 teachers for feedback! Or post them on the forum and see if anyone can read them. You will be so pleased with yourself when you start writing words that are readable and recognizable by native speakers.
Do you know how to say hello in Spanish? It’s the most basic phrase that you’ll need to say and hear in everyday life. If you don’t know yet, learn 15 ways to say hello and greet others in Spanish. Why 15? The more variations you know, the more you can speak and the more fluent you become!
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Has anyone thanked you today? We will. Thank you for reading this article and learning with us! In fact, today, you’ll learn the many different ways to say “Thank You” in Spanish. It’s one of the most important Spanish phrases. Check it out and watch the video too to practice your pronunciation.
I am glad to hear that you found this list helpful.❤️ I hope you like the rest of our series. 😊
Please don't hesitate to contact us if any questions arise throughout your studies. We would be happy to help you!
Cheers,
Ali
Team SpanishPod101.com
David Rubenstein
Friday at 04:13 AM
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
I am teaching a friend Spanish. This will be very helpful. Thanks
SpanishPod101.com
Saturday at 09:05 PM
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Hola EspañolMaestro,
Thank you for your comment.
I'm not quite sure what you mean by your comment.
It's just how languages work.
Saludos,
Carla
Team SpanishPod101.com
EspañolMaestro
Sunday at 10:59 PM
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Hola yo soy EspañolMaestro. mucho gusto, I searched up maestro. I'm confused how can you write words with just the alphabet? And how can you know what words sound like without seeing them?
SpanishPod101.com
Sunday at 08:20 PM
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Hola Daniel Shalev,
Thank you for your comment.
Yes, and there is only one Spanish alphabet.
Sigamos practicando.
Saludos,
Carla
Team SpanishPod101.com
Daniel Shalev
Wednesday at 04:31 AM
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Look I will be honest- these all lessons of phonetics arent good at all , is isnt organized in a table of letters and IPA , plus there is no option for the pronounciation of these letters here on your site(IN MEXICAN SPANISH ofc... )I'm really lost , I dont know where can I find a simple table with the letters and their corresponding sounds in mexican spanish ...
Daniel Shalev
Tuesday at 08:54 PM
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Are these pages teaching the Spanish alphabet of the Mexican Spanish ?
Hi , I want to ask my question also regarding the R after N,L,S letters , and even to ask you directly another question - does in mexican spanish it is always trilled R after these letters ?
Please let me know the answer to my question in the previous message , and in this message regarding my direct question , whic by the way I want to know the answer to my first question , and to this one REGARDING ALL LETTERS WHICH HAVE FEW SOUNDS IN MEXICAN SPANISH, I will really appreciate of you will have to finally understand a priper answer to my questions after a long time of not knowing this basic rules .
I will mention another last point: I have no money at all to pay for a teacher , I can only learn for free.
Daniel Shalev
Friday at 11:25 PM
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Hi , important question of me in mexican spanish : I want to know something in the spanish pronunciation of few letters : D,B,V,G - are the sounds of them after when they are in the beginning of an utterance/sentence after N&L(for D),and M(for B&G) are automatically "HARD" (strong) sounds because it is considered pretty difficult to pronounce them other way? By other way I mean B&V in spanish as a sound somewhere between ENGLISH B & V (β) ? I ask the same for D as English th in the word then , and spanish G as soft G ? I really sruggle to know how to pronounce each sounds every time, and I'm really don't know where to learn it ... in spanish groups on facebook they (very surprisingly) have no idea what to say to me and I have no other choice to learn it anywhere else ...
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A language’s alphabet is its building blocks. Trying to learn how to write in Spanish without first learning its alphabet is a bit like trying to build a brick house without touching the individual bricks! It is impossible to do a good job that way. So don’t believe language schools and methods that try to teach you otherwise. You will regret it later.
With a language, like with anything you have to learn from scratch, having a few mnemonic devices handy are key to learning it fast. A mnemonic device is basically any method or technique that helps you to retain or commit something to memory more easily.
Hi David,
Thanks for taking the time to write to us.👍
I am glad to hear that you found this list helpful.❤️ I hope you like the rest of our series. 😊
Please don't hesitate to contact us if any questions arise throughout your studies. We would be happy to help you!
Cheers,
Ali
Team SpanishPod101.com