Modern Spanish Grammar: A Practical Guide

PRONUNCIATION AND SPELLING 1.1otherwise the fricative sound [γ] (like [g] haga [aγa]but with the contact between tongueand soft palate not quite made).Before e or i:[x] (like ch in Scots ‘loch’ or German genio [xenjo]acht)gu before a or o is pronounced [ɡw] after guardia [ɡwardja]a pause or n;and otherwise [γw]. fragua [fraγwa]gu before e or i is pronounced [ɡ] after a guerra [ɡerra]pause or n;otherwise [γ]. ruegue [rrweγe]gü before e or i is pronounced [ɡw] after pingüino [pinɡwino]a pause or n;and otherwise [γw]. argüir [arγwir]h hache always silent in standardhaba [aβa]pronunciation.i i [i] Also used before or after a vowel to mito [mito]make different diphthongs (see 1.2below).j jota [x] (see g) eje [exe]k ka [k] In Spanish this sound is notkilo [kilo]‘aspirated’ (accompanied by a shortpuff of air) before a vowel as inEnglish.l ele [l] In standard pronunciation [l] isalways the alveolar, or ‘clear’ l of English‘flee’, never the velar, or ‘dark’ l ofEnglish ‘cool’.leche [leʃe](ll) 1 (elle) The standard pronunciation is [ʎ] (likelli in English ‘million’), but this is verycommonly weakened to [j] (like yin English ‘yet’). ll is also pronounced [ʒ]or [dʒ] (like s in English ‘pleasure’ or j inEnglish ‘judge’) in some regions, notablythe Río de la Plata.calle [kaʎe] /[kaje] /[kaʒe]llegar [ʎeγar] /[jeγar] /[dʒeγar]m eme [m] madre [maðre]n ene [n] vano [bano]ñ 2 eñe [] (like ny in English ‘canyon’) señor [seor]o o [o] ojo [oxo]p pe [p] In Spanish this sound is notpaso [paso]‘aspirated’ (accompanied by a shortpuff of air) before a vowel as inEnglish.q cu always appears with u: qu has the value[k] (see k).queso [keso]r, rr ere,erre(erredoble)r between vowels or after p, b, t, d, c, g,is pronounced as a ‘flap’ [r] (with a singleflick of the tongue);peroabre[pero][abre]4