Spanish pronunciation for English speakers

Spanish spelling is more regular than English. Once you know the rules, you can read most words aloud. Some sounds still take practice. Here are the ones that trip up English speakers.

The rolled r

The double rr and the r at the start of a word are rolled. Think of "perro" or "rojo". The tongue taps the roof of the mouth several times. Many learners need months. Start with the single r in "pero". It is one quick tap, like the middle of "butter" in many English accents.

Short, clean vowels

Spanish has five vowel sounds: a, e, i, o, u. They stay the same wherever they sit. English drifts into glides, so "no" can end in a slight "w". Try to keep the Spanish o short and steady.

B and v

In Spanish the letters b and v sound the same. Between vowels the sound is soft, with the lips barely touching. Do not use the English v with teeth on lip.

The silent h and the j

H is silent: "hola" starts with o. J is a rough sound from the throat, a stronger h. Think of "jamón".

Stress

Words follow written rules. An accent mark shows where the stress falls. Read accents as instructions: "teléfono" is stressed on the first e.

How to practise

• Say a short list aloud each day. Record yourself and listen back.
• Ask a native speaker to say a word, then repeat it.
• Ask them to correct sounds, not just words. See correcting mistakes in a language exchange.

A native speaker can hear what you cannot. Find one with how to find a language partner. Or see Spanish on Nearly Fluent.