Spanish Alphabet Sounds: A Beginner’s Guide

Spanish Alphabet Letter Sounds

Want to speak Spanish more clearly — and sound less like a gringo?
It all starts with the Spanish alphabet sounds.

In this beginner-friendly guide, you’ll learn how each letter is pronounced in Spanish.

⚠️ Spoiler Alert: Spanish is much more consistent than English!

Whether you’re just starting out or reviewing the basics, this post will help you understand how Spanish pronunciation works — one sound at a time.

Let’s dive in and get your Spanish sounding more natural from day one.

​The Spanish Alphabet

At first glance, the Spanish alphabet may seem identical to the English alphabet. However, there are key differences that are important for beginning Spanish learners.

How many letters are in the Spanish alphabet?

The Spanish alphabet has 27 letters, thanks to the addition of Ñ. While CH and LL were once considered separate letters, they were officially removed from the alphabet in 2010.

Here’s the Spanish alphabet:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N Ñ O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Each letter has a name (important for spelling Spanish words) and at least one sound, which is key for learning pronunciation in Spanish. Let’s dive into both!

Spanish Letter Names

Learning the letter names is essential for spelling words in Spanish and understanding the order of the alphabet. A great way to learn them is by singing along to a traditional alphabet song.

You can watch a song video here:

The letter names are important for spelling and alphabetizing. A traditional alphabet song is a good way to learn the letter names. Here’s a good video:

Spanish Alphabet Song – video and song

How to say the letter names:

ah – be – ce – de – eh – efe – he – hache – i – jota – ka – ele – eme – ene – eñe – oh – pe – ku – ere – ese – te – u – ve – uve doble – equis – i griega – seta

Now that you’re familiar with the letter names, let’s dive into the sounds of the Spanish alphabet, which are essential for speaking and understanding the language correctly.

​Spanish Letter Sounds

The real magic happens with the letter sounds because pronunciation is based on these sounds. Some letters in Spanish share sounds with English, while others are completely different. Here are two great resources to help you get familiar with Spanish letter sounds:

To improve your pronunciation, always listen to native speakers and practice saying new words with the correct sounds from the start!

The 5 Spanish Vowel Sounds

One of the reasons Spanish is easier to read than English is that each vowel has only one sound, making it simple to pronounce once you know the basics.

Spanish Vowel Sounds

  • A = AH (as in “father”)
  • E = EH (as in “bet”)
  • I = EE (as in “see”)
  • O = OH (as in “go”)
  • U = OO (as in “boot”)

Pronunciation Tip: All Spanish vowels are pronounced quickly and crisply—short and clipped, not drawn out like in English. Practice these vowel sounds until they feel natural, and soon you’ll have them down!

The 22 Spanish Consonant Sounds

Some Spanish consonants are similar to English, while others are quite different. The best way to get them right is by watching and listening to native speakers. Imitate their tongue and lip positions until you feel confident with the sounds!

Here’s a breakdown of the most common Spanish consonant sounds:

Letters with Similar Sounds

  • C – can sound like “k” or “s” (depending on the following vowel)
  • F – f
  • K – k
  • L – l
  • M – m
  • N – n
  • P – p (short and clipped)
  • S – s
  • T – t (softer than in English)
  • W – w

Letters with Different Sounds

  • G – can sound like “g” or “h”
  • J – sounds like “h”
  • Q – always sounds like “k”
  • X – usually sounds like “h” (sometimes “ks” or “s”)
  • Y – sounds like “y” (or “ee” in some cases)
  • Z – sounds like “s”

New Sounds

  • B and V – pronounced the same, like “b”
  • D – sounds like the “th” in “this”
  • H – silent
  • Ñ – sounds like “ny” (as in “canyon”)
  • R – can be pronounced as a single tap (similar to a soft ‘t’ sound) or a rolled trill, with the double ‘r’ (rr) producing a stronger, more pronounced rolling sound.

As you can see, Spanish consonants are distinct from English in many ways. Focus on learning the correct sounds from the start to build a solid foundation for your Spanish speaking skills.

For More Pronunciation Practice:

How to Understand Native Spanish Speakers
→ Bridges the gap between knowing sounds and hearing them in context

Should I Practice Rhyming in Spanish?
→ Supports phonological awareness and rhythm