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Learning a new language can be really difficult, not only do you have to learn loads
of new words, but also new ways to pronounce letters you thought you already knew! Spanish, like all foreign tongues, can seem like a complicated jumble of barely audible noises at first, but
eventually itīs possible to make sense of it all and thereīs nothing like the thrill of making yourself understood for the first time.
The best way to learn for most of us is to come to Spain and
jump in the deep end.
Years of books, tapes and classes can help, but itīs only when you get here and donīt have any choice that you really start to progress. The Spanish are quite patient and very friendly and really appreciate you trying to speak their language, so donīt feel embarrassed, just have a go.
Some basic rules will help you. Firstly, their alphabet is basically the same as ours except they include the "ņ" character which is pronounced like the "n"
is
"menu" - sort of like an "ny". Most other letters are pronounced just like in English - an "a" is always "ah", like the "a" in
"apple". A "b" is always a "b" like the "b" in "bank" ... and so on, Spanish have hard and fast pronunication rules which they only break for
foreign words which have creeped into their language.
The "c" is a "th" sound (in some regions an "s" sound) when itīs in front on an "i" or an
"e", then a hard "k" sound in front of an "a" or an "o".
It then becomes a "q" sound in front a "u" - sounds complicated? Maybe a bit, but at least itīs consistent - there are NO exceptions to this rule.
The "g" works
like the "c" above. Itīs a soft "g" in front of an "i" or an "e", like the throaty "ch" you hear when the Scots say "loch".
Itīs a hard "g" like the "g" in "green" in front of an "o" or an "a" and a "gw" sound in front of a "u", like the "gw" sound in the name Gwen.
Thatīs pretty much the end of the difficult stuff - the "v" is just the same as a "b" really, and they pronounce a double l ("ll") like we would pronounce a
"y". The "j" is always like the soft throaty "g" described above, they donīt pronounce the "h" at all. The "r" is a slightly stronger
"rrrr" than in English, and a double "rr" is a rolled "r" that many Brits find really tough to do - if you fail at this particular task and want to get your own back, just
ask the Spanish to pronounce any word with a "w" in it - they cannot do it - the "w" it totally alien to Spanish and it comes out as a kind of "b"
sound.
Once you
get used to how the letters are used, it becomes very simple to pronounce the majority of words as the rules are so consistent.
Please let us know any funny stories you have of trying to speak
Spanish with the locals!
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