📚 Overview of Spanish Phonetics
Spanish phonetics focuses on the sounds and pronunciation rules unique to the Spanish language. Here are key points to get started:
- Alphabet: Spanish uses the Latin alphabet with ñ and ç as special characters.
- Stress: Stress typically falls on the second-to-last syllable (e.g., casa → CA-sa).
- Vowels: Short and long vowels exist, with long vowels marked by a diacritic (e.g., á, é, í, ó, ú).
❓ Common Pronunciation Challenges
- Th vs. S: Spanish doesn’t use the English th sound; it’s replaced with s or z.
- Syllable Structure: Words like estudiante are pronounced with a soft 's' sound.
- Regional Variations: Accents like vosotros (used in Spain) vs. ustedes (used in Latin America) exist.
🎧 Practice Resources
- Try interactive phonetic exercises to master tricky sounds.
- Use the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) for precise pronunciation (e.g., boca → /ˈbo.ka/).
- Watch Spanish pronunciation tutorials for visual learners.