So, one of my goals this year is to be able to speak yet another language. And for that I choose Spanish. Why, you said? It's because
there are over 400 million Spanish speakers world-wide. With more than 33 million speakers, Spanish is the second largest language in the United States. Hispanics are the largest minority in the United States, with the majority of them being Spanish speakers. By learning Spanish, you'll be better able to communicate with Spanish speakers. Latin American countries are our most important trading partners. Being able to speak Spanish greatly enhances your resume. If you are bilingual you are more competitive in the workplace. Whether as a Spanish teacher or that of any discipline, you can make a difference in the field of education. Your language skills will enable you to interact with English Language Learners. You can travel to a Spanish-speaking country and really get to know the culture. Your ability to understand Spanish enables you to gain important insights which monolinguals cannot. As we grow older, our memory begins to fade. Learning a foreign language actually helps keep your memory sharp. so that I could watch Spanish TV series without english subtitle despite the dissapointing news from the most waited show
La Casa de Papel just now.
To not wasting too much space, let's start learning this beautiful language from the very basic of its alphabets. For this part one, I'll show you a table from letter A to LL
| Letter | Letter Name | Pronunciation Tips | Word Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | a | This letter sounds like the ah sound you use to express realization in English: Ah, that's the one! | Arroz, Azul, Arepa, Comida |
| b | be | This letter often sounds like an English b. Especially when it occurs between two vowels, it is pronounced with the lips not touching, much like the Spanish v. | Bueno, Alberto, Barco |
| c | ce/td> | This letter often sounds like the English k. Before e or i, it sounds like an s (or like the th in thick in many parts of Spain.) "a, o, u -> ka, ko, ku e, i -> che, chi, Latin America -> s h -> c" |
Cambiar, Carro, Coche, Comer, Cocina, Cucaracha Cebolla, Cerrado, Cerdo, Cebra, Cine Chorizo, Coche, Chimenea |
| d | de | This letter sounds much like an English d, except you should place your tongue against your upper teeth instead of the roof of your mouth when pronouncing it. It often sounds like the th in English then, especially when it comes between two vowels. | Dormir, Dormitorio, Diego, Duro |
| e | e | This letter sounds like the eh sound you make when asking for clarification or agreement in English: Eh? What did you say? | Elena, Empanada, Espejo, Elefante |
| f | efe | This letter sounds like the English f. | Fantasma, Flor, Fuego, Fuerte |
| g | ge | 'e', 'i' -> kh 'a','o','u' -> ge 'ue' -> ge 'ui' -> gi This letter usually sounds much like an English g. Before e or i, it sounds like a harsh English h. It's very similar to the j in Spanish." |
Gimnasio, Gerardo, General, Girasol, Gerente Gato, Galleta, Gol,Gorra, Guante Guerra, Guerrero Guia, Aguila |
| h | hache | "In general, this letter is silent. However, in words adopted from other languages, the breathy aspiration is maintained. For example, Hawái. | Hermana, Hermosa, Hablar, Alcohol |
| i | i | This letter sounds like English ee but shorter. | Ignacio, Indonesia, Idioma, Ingles |
| j | jota | This letter sounds close to the English h sound, though it varies from country to country. In some places, it makes a harsh sound (almost like you are trying to spit something up). It never sounds like the j in English judge. | Jose, Juan, Jirafa, Jabon, Jalapeno |
| K | ka | This letter is uncommon in Spanish, but sounds much like the English k. | Kiwi, Koala, Ketchup, Kimono, Kiosko |
| l | ele | This letter sounds close to the English l, but with the tongue raised closer to the roof of the mouth (rather than dipped down). | Lapiz, Luna, Libro, Lampara, Leon |
| LL | elle / doble ele | 'ij' or 'y' While this is not considered a letter anymore by the RAE, it sounds like the y sound in English yellow in many places. It can also be pronounced like the j in judge or the s in pleasure. You may also hear it called doble |
Llamar, Llave, Lluvia, Galletas, Botella |
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