Spanish Alphabet

The Spanish alphabet, or "el alfabeto español," is the foundation of the Spanish language. It is similar to the English alphabet, but there are some key differences that learners should be aware of. 

The Letters of the Spanish Alphabet

The Spanish alphabet consists of 27 letters, one more than the English alphabet. Here is a complete list:

Uppercase Letters: 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
Lowercase Letters: 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

The additional letter in Spanish is Ñ (eñe), which is unique to the language and represents a separate sound from "N."

Pronunciation of Spanish Letters

Many Spanish letters have similar pronunciations to their English counterparts, but some have distinct sounds:

• A (ah), E (eh), I (ee), O (oh), U (oo) – The vowels are always pronounced clearly and consistently.

• C sounds like "k" before "a, o, u" (casa – "casa") but like "s" before "e, i" (cereal – "sereal") in Latin America or "th" in Spain.

• G is pronounced like "g" in "go" before "a, o, u" (gato – "gato") but like the English "h" before "e, i" (gente – "hente").

• H is always silent (hola – "ola").

• J sounds like a strong "h" in English (jardín – "hardîn").

• LL is traditionally pronounced like "y" (llave – "ya-ve"), though some regions pronounce it differently.

• R and RR – A single "r" is lightly rolled (pero – "peh-ro"), while "rr" is strongly rolled (perro – "peh-rro").

• Z sounds like "s" in Latin America (zapato – "sapato") but like "th" in Spain ("thapato").

Special Considerations

• Ch and Ll: These used to be considered separate letters but are now treated as letter combinations.

• W and K: These letters are rare in native Spanish words and mostly appear in borrowed words, like "kilo" or "whisky."