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Learn with a teacher Learning materials included Practise conversation

Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Audio and video

  1. The "g" before a/o/u (ga/go/gu): is pronounced softly. Example: gasolina
  2. The "g" before e/i (ge/gi): it is pronounced strongly, like a "j". Example: gimnasio
  3. The "gu" with i/e (gui/gue): The "u" is not pronounced unless it carries a diaeresis. Example: guitarra
  4. The "c" before a, o, u (ca/co/cu): it is pronounced like a "k". Example: cama
  5. The "c" before e/i (ce/ci): is pronounced like a "z". Example: cima
  6. The "qu" with i/e (qui/que): the "u" is not pronounced, and it sounds like a "k". Example: queso
  7. The "r" can sound like a "rr" at the beginning of a word or after the consonants "l", "n", "s". Example: rata

Misma pronunciación

g: girasol (sunflower)j: jirafa (giraffe)
c: cero (zero)z: zorro (fox)
y: hoy (today)i: imagen (image)
y: yate (yacht)ll: llave (key)
k: kiwi (kiwi)qu: quimera (chimera)
k: kayac (kayak)c: camión (truck)
b: barco (boat)v: vaso (glass)
r: ratón (mouse)rr: perro (dog)

Distinta pronunciación

r: pera (pear)rr: tierra (earth)
gu: guapo (handsome)gü: pingüino (penguin)

Exceptions!

  1. The "ñ" is a unique letter in Spanish. Example: "cuna" or "cuña"
  2. The "h" is silent except when it has the letter "c" before it ("ch"). Example: chocolate or huevo
  3. The "rr" is strong and "r" is soft in most cases. Example: perro or pero.
  4. In Spain, the letters "s", "c", and "z" have different sounds. However, in Latin America, they usually sound similar.

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. ¿Cómo te llamas? Me ______ Carlos.

(What is your name? My name is Carlos.)

2. La ______ Martín es mi profesora de español.

(Mrs Martín is my Spanish teacher.)

3. Mucho gusto en ______, me llamo Ana.

(Nice to meet you, my name is Ana.)

4. Mi apellido es García y mi ______ es Luis.

(My surname is García and my name is Luis.)

5. El chico y la chica se ______ en la clase.

(The boy and the girl introduce themselves in the class.)

6. El señor Gómez ______ su nombre y apellido en el formulario.

(Mr Gómez writes his first and last name on the form.)