LESSON 1
PHoinics PHirst
A /AH/
makes the sound of "ah" like the "o" in cop:
amigo /ah-MEE-go/ friend
B /BAY/
regular "b" sound as heard in boy:
bistek /bee-STAYK/ steak
C /SAY/
makes 2 different sounds:
(1)Before "a", "o", or "u", "c" is hard like a "k" as in cape:
copa /KOH-pah/ cup
(2)Before "e" or "i", "c" is soft like an "S" as in cent:
cien /SYEN/ one hundred
CH /CHAY/
regular "ch" sound as heard in church:
chorizo /cho-REE-so/ sausage
D /DAY/
regular "d" sound as heard in dive:
doble /DOH-blay/ double
E /AY/
makes the sound of "ay" like the "a" in same:
eso /AY-soh/ that
F /AY-fay/
regular "f" sound as heard in fight:
falso /FOLL-soh/ false
G /HAY/
makes 2 different sounds:
(1)Before "a", "o", or "u", "g" is hard as in gang:
gordo /GOR-doh/ fat
(2)Before "e" or "i", "g" makes the sound of an "h" as heard in hill:
general /hay-nay-ROLL/ general
H /AH-chay/
is silent throughout the Spanish language, except when preceded by "c":
hombre /OHM-bray/ man
chiste /CHEES-tay/ joke
I /EE/
makes the sound of "ee" as in beech:
iglesia /ee-GLAY-sya/ church
J /HOH-tah/
makes the sound of an "h" as heard in hurt:
junto /HOON-toh/ together
K /KAH/
regular "k" sound as heard in king:
kilometro /kee-LOH-may-tro/ kilometer
L /AY-lay/
regular "l" sound as heard in left:
lengua /LEN-gwah/ tongue
LL /AY-lay-AY-lay/
makes the sound of a "y" as heard in yell:
lleno /YAY-noh/ full
M /AY-may/
regular "m" sound as heard in mummy:
mujer /moo-HAIR/ woman
N /AY-nay/
regular "n" sound as heard in nail:
nombre /NOHM-bray/ name
~
N /EN-yay/
with a tilde (~) above it, "n" makes a sound like the "ni" in onion:
''''~''''
pina /PEEN-yah/ pineapple
O /OH/
makes the sound of "oh" as in comb:
comer /koh-MAIR/ to eat
P /PAY/
regular "p" sound as heard in pickle:
pastor /pah-STOR/ shepherd
Q /KOO/
makes the sound of "k" as heard in kill:
queso /KAY-soh/ cheese
(As in English, "q" is virtually always followed by "u" in Spanish.)
R /AY-ray/
regular "r" sound, but with more of a roll of the tongue:
rey /RAY/ king
RR /AIRR-rray/
"r" sound with even more of a roll of the tongue:
perro /PAY-rroh/ dog
S /AY-say or AY-thay/
(1)In Latin America, "s" makes a regular "s" sound as heard in sick:
Septiembre /sep-TYEM-bray/ September
(2)In Spain, "s" makes a "th" sound as heard in thing:
Septiembre /thep-TYEM-bray/ September
T /TAY/
regular "t" sound as heard in taco:
torta /TOR-tah/ cake
U /OO/
makes the sound of "oo" as heard in tool:
unico /OO-nee-koh/ only
V /OO-bay/
makes the sound of a "b" as heard in bold:
verdad /bair-DAHD/true
W /do-ble-OO/
hardly used, if at all, but recognized for its use in other languages such as English.
X /AY-kees/
primarily makes the sound of an "h" as heard in here:
Mexico /MEH-hee-koh/ Mexico
Sometimes makes regular "x" sound as heard in exit:
exito /EK-see-toh/ success
Y /ee-gr'YAY-gah/
makes the sound of "ee" as heard in weep:
y /EE/ and
Z /say-tah/
makes the sound of an "s" as heard in snake:
zapato /sah-PAH-toh/ shoe
CLICK ON THE 3 
AMIGOS TO CONTINUE
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