otherwise the fricative sound [γ] (like [g]
but with the contact between tongue
and soft palate not quite made).haga [aγa]Before e or i:
[x] (like ch in Scots ‘loch’ or German
acht)genio [xenjo]gu before a or o is pronounced [w] after
a pause or n;guardia [wardja]and otherwise [γw]. fragua [fraγwa]
gu before e or i is pronounced [] after a
pause or n;guerra [erra]otherwise [γ]. ruegue [rrweγe]
gü before e or i is pronounced [w] after
a pause or n;pingüino [pinwino]and otherwise [γw]. argüir [arγwir]
h hache always silent in standard
pronunciation.
haba [aβa]ii[i] Also used before or after a vowel to
make different diphthongs (see 1.2
below).
mito [mito]j jota [x] (see g) eje [exe]
kka[k] In Spanish this sound is not
‘aspirated’ (accompanied by a short
puff of air) before a vowel as in
English.
kilo [kilo]l ele [l] In standard pronunciation [l] is
always the alveolar, or ‘clear’l of English
‘flee’, never the velar, or ‘dark’l of
English ‘cool’.
leche [leʃe](ll)^1 (elle) The standard pronunciation is [ʎ] (like
lli in English ‘million’), but this is very
commonly weakened to [j] (like y
calle [kaʎe] /
[kaje] /
[kae]
in English ‘yet’). ll is also pronounced []
or [d] (like s in English ‘pleasure’ or j in
English ‘judge’) in some regions, notably
the Río de la Plata.llegar [ʎeγar] /
[jeγar] /
[deγar]m eme [m] madre [maðre]
n ene [n] vano [bano]
ñ^2 eñe [] (like ny in English ‘canyon’) señor [seor]
oo[o] ojo [oxo]
ppe[p] In Spanish this sound is not
‘aspirated’ (accompanied by a short
puff of air) before a vowel as in
English.
paso [paso]qcualways appears with u: qu has the value
[k] (see k).
queso [keso]r,rr ere,
erre
(erre
doble)
r between vowels or after p, b, t, d, c,g,
is pronounced as a ‘flap’ [r] (with a single
flick of the tongue);pero
abre[pero]
[abre]PRONUNCIATION AND SPELLING 1.1