The Spanish alphabet, or alfabeto, has 27 letters.

It includes all the letters in the English alphabet, plus one extra: ñ.

Unlike English, every letter in Spanish has a consistent sound, making it easier to learn how to pronounce words correctly once you know the rules.

Here’s a quick look at the Spanish alphabet:

SPANISH ALPHABET PRONUNCIATION

A – a
B – be
C – ce
D – de
E – e
F – efe
G – ge
H – hache
I – i
J – jota
K – ka
L – ele
LL – elle (no longer considered a separate letter, but you’ll still hear it)
M – eme
N – ene
Ñ – eñe
O – o
P – pe
Q – cu
R – ere
RR – erre (like LL, not a separate letter anymore but essential to pronunciation)
S – ese
T – te
U – u
V – uve
W – uve doble
X – equis
Y – ye or i griega
Z – zeta

Spanish Alphabet Pronunciation Guide

Let’s take a closer look at each letter’s pronunciation with tips for sounding more natural.

A – Pronounced like the “a” in father.
Example: amor (love)

B – Similar to the English “b,” but softer when it occurs between vowels.
Example: bebé (baby)

C – Before a, o, and u, it sounds like the “k” in kite. Before e and i, it’s pronounced like the “s” in sit (in Latin America) or a soft “th” as in think (in Spain).
Example: casa (house), cielo (sky)

D – Similar to the English “d,” but softer between vowels.
Example: dedo (finger)

E – Pronounced like the “e” in met.
Example: elefante (elephant)

F – Same as the English “f.”
Example: familia (family)

G – Before a, o, and u, it’s pronounced like the “g” in go. Before e and i, it’s pronounced like the “h” in hello.
Example: gato (cat), general (general)

H – Silent in Spanish, so it’s never pronounced.
Example: hola (hello)

I – Pronounced like the “ee” in see.
Example: iglesia (church)

J – Pronounced like a strong “h” sound as in hope.
Example: jugar (to play)

K – Similar to the English “k,” but this letter is rarely used in native Spanish words.
Example: kilo (kilo)

L – Like the “l” in love.
Example: libro (book)

LL – Pronounced like the “y” in yes in most of Latin America, but some regions may pronounce it more like a “zh” sound.
Example: llama (flame or animal)

M – Same as the English “m.”
Example: madre (mother)

N – Same as the English “n.”
Example: niño (boy)

Ñ – This letter has no equivalent in English, but it’s pronounced like the “ny” in canyon.
Example: niña (girl)

O – Pronounced like the “o” in no.
Example: oso (bear)

P – Same as the English “p.”
Example: papá (dad)

Q – Always followed by u and pronounced like the “k” in kick.
Example: queso (cheese)

R – The single r is lightly rolled, especially at the beginning of a word.
Example: rosa (rose)

RR – A double r is strongly rolled.
Example: perro (dog)

S – Same as the English “s.”
Example: sol (sun)

T – Softer than the English “t,” with the tongue touching the teeth.
Example: tiempo (time)

U – Pronounced like the “oo” in food.
Example: uno (one)

V – In Spanish, v is pronounced similarly to b, especially in Latin America.
Example: vino (wine)

W – Used mainly in foreign words and pronounced like the English “w.”
Example: whisky (whiskey)

X – Can be pronounced like “ks” as in taxi or like “h” in some place names like México.
Example: exacto (exact)

Y – At the beginning or middle of a word, it sounds like the English “y.” As a vowel, it sounds like “ee” in see.
Example: yo (I), rey (king)

Z – In Spain, it’s pronounced like the soft “th” in think. In Latin America, it’s pronounced like the “s” in sun.
Example: zapato (shoe)

Common Pronunciation Mistakes

  1. Mixing B and V – These two letters are often confused because they sound very similar in Spanish. Practice listening for the subtle difference, especially when learning Latin American Spanish.
  2. Forgetting to roll the R – The rolled r is tricky for many learners, but it’s essential to master, especially for words like perro (dog) and carro (car).
  3. Not pronouncing LL and Y properly – While the pronunciation of ll and y varies by region, be aware of the local accent where you’re learning Spanish to pronounce them appropriately.

Final Tips for Mastering Spanish Alphabet Pronunciation

  • Listen to native speakers: The best way to improve your pronunciation is by listening to and mimicking native speakers. Watch Spanish movies, listen to podcasts, or even use apps designed to teach pronunciation.
  • Practice regularly: Repetition is key. Read aloud as much as possible and focus on enunciating each letter clearly.
  • Use online tools: Websites and apps like Duolingo, Babbel, and Forvo can provide audio examples of native speakers pronouncing individual letters and words.

Mastering the Spanish alphabet is the foundation for becoming fluent in the language.

Once you can confidently pronounce each letter, you’ll find that reading, speaking, and understanding Spanish becomes much easier.

So, grab a list of new Spanish words and start practicing!