Pronunciation

Alphabet ABCDEFGHI JKLLL M N ñOP QRSTUVWXY Z

Vowels U – smaller than “o”; tongue down U – smaller than “o”; tongue down A – open mouth; tongue downA – open mouth; tongue down E – open mouth; slightly wide; tongue downE – open mouth; slightly wide; tongue down I – “e” in English I – “e” in English O – small, round; tongue downO – small, round; tongue down

Consonants B – lips get close B – lips get close - don’t touch - make and “o” abuela C – like “k” or “s” C – like “k” or “s” breaksoup cocinar piscina con D – soft “th” sound D – soft “th” sound although cuando although cuando F – like English F – like English fabulousfeo fabulousfeo H – not pronounced H – not pronounced hacer K – like English K – like English El koalakoala

L – like English L – like English loveluego M – like English M – like English mom movimiento N – softer than English N – softer than English -between teeth poner P – very airy, soft P – very airy, soft -lips barely touch -almost like a “b” opuesto Q – must be with “u” Q – must be with “u” -makes “k” sound parkparque S – like English S – like English somesaber

T – behind front upper teeth T – behind front upper teeth opuesto V – Beginning  like “b” V – Beginning  like “b” -middle  soft “v” veniratrevido X – like “x” in English X – like “x” in English expedición Y – like “y” in English Y – like “y” in English yoyoyoyo Z – like “s” in English Z – like “s” in English soundzapatos

Double “L” and “ñ” LL – like “y” in English LL – like “y” in English yourllama Ñ – like “ny” in English Ñ – like “ny” in English canyoncañón

G vs. J Make hard “g” and soft “h” sounds “g” siguiente jugar juguete agua amiga “h” tarjeta ojalá sugerir jugar gimnasio

R vs. RR R – hits roof of mouth  (quick) R – hits roof of mouth  (quick) furioso RR – touches roof RR – touches roof -allow air to pass perro

Soft “c” & “z”: Latin America vs. Spain Latin America – pronounced like “s” Latin America – pronounced like “s” Spain – pronounced with “th” Spain – pronounced with “th” cocinar zapatos

Casi Fuera Del Cielo – Pablo Neruda “Desarraiga los grandes árboles al otro lado de ella. Pero tú, clara niña, pregunta de humo, espiga. Era la que iba formando el viento con hojas iluminadas. Detrás de las montañas nocturnas, blanco lirio de incendio, Ah nada puedo decir! Era hecha de todas las cosas.”