Page 11 - Demo

Pronunciation Guide1. Pure VowelsSpanish vowels are always short, clean, and never glide or change shape (unlike many English vowels). They very similar to Italian vowels. Avoid additional diphthongs!%u2022 A %u2013 as in sand, short and bright: alma, amada%u2022 E %u2013 between the vowels in %u2018set%u2019 and %u2018in, never %u201cay%u201d: enciende, verdad%u2022 I %u2013 as in see: m%u00ed, camino%u2022 O %u2013 as in port, rounded and short: dolorido, vos%u2022 U %u2013 this vowel is formed with a flat tongue and very rounded lips. Similar to %u2018fool%u2019: luz, tu2. Light and Clear Consonants Spanish is much less plosive and forceful than English. Avoid overemphasising consonants.%u2022 C: Before e/i %u2192 %u201cth%u201d (as in thin): camino, cielo. Elsewhere %u2192 %u201ck%u201d: cual, campo%u2022 Z: Always %u201cth%u201d: resucitado%u2022 G: Before e/i %u2192 soft, throaty sound (tongue near but not touching hard palate): general.Elsewhere %u2192 like an English hard %u201cg%u201d, but softer, with less contact with the tongue: ganado, guarda%u2022 J: Same sound as soft g above, rough %u201ch%u201d: justo, Jes%u00fas%u2022 LL: like %u201cy%u201d: llora, llanto%u2022 %u00d1: %u201cny%u201d as in canyon: ruise%u00f1or, ni%u00f1o%u2022 R: Single r = light flap, even at the end of words: amor, Se%u00f1orrr or initial %u201cr%u201d = rolled: retorno, resucitado%u2022 D: soft, tongue gently brushing upper teeth: dolorido, verdad%u2022 H: Always silent: hijuelos, honra