🇪🇸 Spanish Pronunciation Guide
📖 About Spanish
Spanish is celebrated for its consistent, phonetic pronunciation — words are almost always pronounced exactly as written. Vowels are pure and short, never diphthonged as in English. The rolled r (rr) and the soft r require tongue placement unique to the language. Regional variation is significant: Castilian Spanish uses a th-sound for c and z, while Latin American Spanish uses an s-sound. Stress typically falls on the second-to-last syllable unless an accent mark indicates otherwise.
Sound Patterns in Spanish
- 5 pure vowels — always the same sound regardless of position in the word
- Rolled r vs tap r — rr is fully trilled, single r between vowels is a light tap
- Regional c/z variation — Castilian th-sound vs Latin American s-sound
Popular Spanish Words
Andalucia
Bogota
Barcelona
Nerja
Costa Adeje
Majorca
Benalmadena
Cinque Terre
Juan
Mallorca
Malaga
Curacao
Quinoa Salad
/ˈkiːnwɑː ˈsæləd/
Medium
Nevada
/nɪˈvædə/
Medium
Ibiza
/ɪˈbiːθə/
Medium
Oaxaca
/wəˈhɑːkə/
Hard
Seville
/sɪˈvɪl/
Medium
Axolotl
/ˈæksəlɒtəl/
Hard
Quinoa
/ˈkiːnwɑː/
Hard
Tajin
/tɑːˈhiːn/
Medium
Loewe
/ˈloʊ.eɪ/
Hard
Spanish Names
❓ Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Spanish really phonetic?
Spanish is much more phonetic than English — each letter almost always represents the same sound. The main exceptions are the silent h, the variable pronunciation of g and c before certain vowels, and regional accent differences between Spain and Latin America.
What is the difference between r and rr in Spanish?
Single r between vowels (caro) is a light tap of the tongue against the roof of the mouth. Double rr (carro) and r at the start of a word require a full trill — multiple rapid taps — which changes word meaning entirely.
Why does Spanish stress vary?
Spanish stress follows two rules: words ending in a vowel, n, or s are stressed on the second-to-last syllable; words ending in other consonants are stressed on the last syllable. An accent mark overrides both rules and marks the stressed syllable explicitly.