Posts Tagged ‘Pronunciation’

Learn Spanish Alphabet Phonetics Part 2: Pronunciation

Friday, July 9th, 2010

Spanish is no different to any other language in that it has certain rules that need to be applied and adhered to with regards to pronunciation. It must be stressed from the start that Spanish is an extremely phonetic language and the use of audio commentary would enhance and improve your ability to learn and understand the sounds much more easily and a lot quicker.

Pronunciation of Spanish Vowels:

Spanish vowels have only one sound which is not as long and broad as their English counterpart. The vowel sounds are also shortened when part of a syllable or an unstressed word and when they are before a consonant.

“a”    pronounced like “ah”;     example: la casa         (the house)     [lah kah-sah]
“e”    pronounced like “ay”;     example: la calle         (the street)     [lah kah-lee'ay]
“i”    pronounced like “ee”;     example: el pie         (the foot)        [ell pee-ay]
“o”    pronounced like “o”;     example: el piano         (the piano)     [ell pee-ah-no]
“u”    pronounced like “oo”;     example: uno        (one)         [oo-no]

The pronunciation of Spanish Consonants:

In Spanish, most of the consonants are pronounced as in English with maybe some minor changes but there are two letters that are pronounced totally different and they are “z” and “j”.

“z”    pronounced like “th” in “with” or “thin” for example;         el pez     (the fish)         [ell peth]
“j”     pronounced like a the “ch” in the Scottish word “loch”:         el ojo    (the eye)        [ell o-'Ho]

In fact, the area in Spain where I live the “j” is pretty much pronounced like an aspirated H, which can be far easier to use, other letters that differ slightly are as follows;

ch    pronounced as in “chap” or “mulch”
c    when used in front of the letters “e” or “i” it is pronounced like the Spanish “z”; ie like “th” in thin.
g    before “e” or “i” pronounced like the Spanish “j”, but if used before any other letter it is pronounced like the “g” in the English word “go”
gu    when preceding “e” or “i” is like “g” in English “go” but when preceding “a, o or u” is pronounced “goo”
h    “h” is silent in Spanish
ll    is pronounced like the “ll” in million, although again in many dialects and regions the “l” sound is almost dropped altogether in father of a “yer” sound; for example the     English word “million” would be pronounced “meel-yon” instead of “mee-lee-on”.
ñ    is pronounced like the “ni” in the English word “onion”; for example;         el niño    (the boy/child)    [ell neen-neeo]
qu    pronounced like the English “k”
r    is rolled, especially when used at the start of a word.
s    always pronounced crisply as in “last” and never like a “z” as in “easy”.
y    is like y in “yellow”, but if standing alone or at the end of a word it is pronounced like the Spanish “i”: (ee)

As I have mentioned there are regional variations in pronunciation, none to severe, but if you learn the Castilian pronunciation, (which is generally known as the mother tongue) it will give you a foundation that you can alter easily to whatever dialect you are speaking.

I recommended in the preceding article to this one that the easiest way to learn the Spanish language and alphabet is to use a good Spanish language software package or interactive online Spanish course, If you have been trying to understand and learn Spanish alphabet phonetics without the aid of a course or relevant audio then you are putting yourself at a disadvantage, so check out a course as soon as possible.

If you want to know the best way to learn Spanish? All you need do is click here now! or visit www.learntospeak-spanish.net

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Spanish Pronunciation Audio – 5 Reasons Why You Should Learn Spanish Pronunciation With Audio

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

Did you know that a great way to learn Spanish pronunciation with audio is from the comfort of your own home? You really do not need to take some local Spanish classes to learn this language. You can just find a Spanish learning software program on the internet and simply download the program. Here are five reasons why you should learn Spanish pronunciation with audio from home.

First Reason

First of all, when you learn Spanish pronunciation with audio tapes, you will have the benefit of rewinding the audio tape. By learning Spanish this way, you can listen to the Spanish words as many times as necessary until you learn the Spanish lesson. Unlike going to Spanish classes, you will be able to learn Spanish with audio tapes at your own pace and teach yourself Spanish on your own schedule.

Second Reason

Also, it is very important to learn the Spanish vocabulary properly so you can speak Spanish correctly. When speaking Spanish, you need to learn how to talk with your tongue behind your teeth. This will help you say the Spanish phrases and words with a much more crisper sound. When you speak in English, the tongue tends to remain in the back of your throat and that makes it a little harder to say the words in Spanish.

Third Reason

Try to complement your Spanish pronunciation audio tapes with other resources. These resources could be local newspapers, magazines, Spanish literature or other types of material that can also provide audio pronunciation of Spanish. Try to read and listen to these resources on a regular basis. Also, do not forget about a Spanish dictionary with audio pronunciation which can really help you learn Spanish fast and easy.

Fourth Reason

Additionally, practically all of the respectable Spanish audio lessons will be spoken by Spanish speaking natives. You should be able to learn the Spanish language with a good accent and the proper Spanish pronunciation as you learn the Spanish lessons. The other great thing about trying to learn to speak Spanish with audio lessons is that you can use them basically anywhere. You can download the Spanish lessons to your MP3 or learn Spanish from a CD and listen to them anytime.

Fifth Reason

Finally, most of the Spanish pronunciation audio tapes only last for a short time. This not only makes it easy to learn Spanish and work these Spanish lessons into your day, but it provides a better learning method instead of one long Spanish lesson. The important thing here is to repeat the lessons over and over until you learn the proper Spanish pronunciation. This is a common method to learn Spanish phrases that most Spanish programs use and has been proven to be a very effective way to learn Spanish quickly.

Buena Suerte (Good Luck) with your new found romantic language.

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Spanish Pronunciation Software – How Well Does it Work?

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Spanish pronunciation software enables us to effectively communicate in Spanish and master both the spoken and written Spanish. Spanish is the second most spoken language in the Untied States and the official language of over 21 nations. Want to learn more about “personal” Spanish learning solutions? Read the following article.

Some background

Spanish pronunciation software focuses on general language comprehension by using interactive methods that quickly increase the learner’s vocabulary without translation. What is the reason for the growing popularity of this technology? It is mainly about teaching Spanish interactively by using advanced multimedia lesson plans.

When we examine the different educational methods used by this technology we can find that it provides the following: audio lessons, fast interactive lessons, and interactive multimedia.

Main advantages

Going down to the bottom line we notice the following benefits:

- Enables business people to better communicate with their Spanish speaking associates.

- Transforms a tedious task as learning a new language fun, enjoyable, and effective.

- Good solution for busy people who don’t have time for evening courses.

- Designed to be easy for both children and adults.

We could list many other important benefits provided by these language learning tools, simply because Spanish became as one of top-four most spoken languages.

Learning Spanish isn’t that difficult and thanks to these tools, acquiring this beautiful language transforms simple, offering us an opportunity to learn one of the most spoken languages on the planet.

Summary

Spanish pronunciation software is a new technology that can help most us acquire basic-intermediate Spanish speaking skills. There is no doubt that this technology can never compete with professional human Spanish teacher, but it can sure help most of us with basic-intermediate Spanish.

Take Free Interactive Multimedia Spanish Lessons and learn how an advanced Spanish Pronunciation Software works and how it can easily and quickly enable you to learn conversational Spanish.

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