Understanding the pronunciation rules of Spanish can significantly enhance your speaking and listening skills. This guide will walk you through the key aspects of Spanish pronunciation.
Spanish vowels are more consistent than English ones, and there are fewer of them. Each vowel has only one way to be pronounced.
Most Spanish consonants are pronounced similarly to their English counterparts, but there are some key differences:
In Spanish, the stress usually falls on the penultimate (second to last) syllable of words. However, there are exceptions:
Pronunciation takes practice. Listening to native Spanish speakers and repeating the sounds, words, and sentences they use is a fantastic way to improve. Remember that everyone learns at their own pace, so be patient with yourself and keep practicing.
Learn how to link this guide to your speakable speaking assignments: Setting Students Up for Success: Guide to using Text Cards for Instructions.Please keep in mind that the pronunciation can vary significantly from one region to another, so it's a good idea to expose students to different accents if possible. This guide is a starting point and is not exhaustive. It's based on the most commonly taught accent, which is a standard Latin American accent. If your students are learning a specific accent (such as from Spain or Argentina), you may need to adjust some of the explanations.
