The Spanish Alphabet - Vowels, Consonants, Numerals & more

Q: How many letters are in the Spanish alphabet?

The Spanish alphabet has 27 letters [1] . Out of these, 5 are vowel letters (a, e, i, o, u) and the remaining 22 letters are consonants, including the distinctive ñ (eñe) .

Q: What is the ñ letter and how is it pronounced?

The ñ (eñe) is a unique letter in the Spanish alphabet: • Pronunciation - sounds like "ny" in "canyon" or "ni" in "onion" • Examples - niño (child), mañana (tomorrow), España (Spain) • History - developed from Latin "nn" combinations in medieval Spanish • Symbol - the tilde (~) over the n distinguishes it as a separate letter !

Q: What are the Spanish accented vowels and why are they used?

Spanish uses accented vowels for important purposes: • Acute accents (á, é, í, ó, ú) - indicate which syllable is stressed • Differentiate words - sí (yes) vs. si (if), él (he) vs. el (the) • Dieresis (ü) - used in combinations like güe , güi to show the "u" is pronounced These marks are essential for correct pronunciation and meaning !

Q: Where is Spanish spoken around the world?

Spanish is one of the world's most widely spoken languages: • 21 countries have Spanish as an official language [2] • Spain - the origin of the language in Europe • Latin America - including Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela , and more • 595 million speakers worldwide make it the second most spoken native language !

Q: What are the inverted punctuation marks in Spanish?

Spanish uses unique punctuation marks that set it apart: • ¿ (inverted question mark) - placed at the beginning of questions: ¿Cómo estás? • ¡ (inverted exclamation point) - placed at the beginning of exclamations: ¡Hola! • Purpose - helps readers anticipate the tone before reading the sentence These marks are mandatory in written Spanish !

Q: Is the Spanish alphabet easy to learn?

Yes! Spanish is considered one of the easier languages for English speakers: • Phonetic consistency - letters almost always sound the same • Similar alphabet - shares 26 letters with English, plus ñ • Clear vowels - only 5 vowel sounds that don't change • Predictable rules - once you learn the patterns, you can read any Spanish word !

Q: What happened to CH and LL in the Spanish alphabet?

In 2010, the Real Academia Española officially changed the alphabet: • CH and LL were removed as separate letters • Still used as letter combinations in words like mucho (ch) and llamar (ll) • Pronunciation - they still represent distinct sounds in Spanish • Modern alphabet - now officially has 27 letters instead of 29 !

Spanish Alphabet at a Glance

27 letters including the distinctive ñ (eñe)
Features 5 vowels with acute accents (á, é, í, ó, ú) marking stress
Spoken by over 500 million people as native language worldwide
Official language in 21 countries across Europe, Americas, and Africa
Second most spoken language globally by number of native speakers
Romance language evolved from Vulgar Latin with Arabic influences

Uppercase Vowels:

[ah]

[eh]

[ee]

[oh]

[oo]

Lowercase Vowels:

[ah]

[eh]

[ee]

[oh]

[oo]

Uppercase Consonants:

[beh]

[seh]

[deh]

[eh-feh]

[heh]

[ah-cheh]

[hoh-tah]

[kah]

[eh-leh]

[eh-meh]

[eh-neh]

[eh-nyeh]

[peh]

[koo]

[eh-reh]

[eh-seh]

[teh]

[oo-veh]

[oo-veh doh-bleh]

[eh-kees]

[yeh]

[seh-tah]

[beh]

Uppercase B, called "be". Pronounced like "b" in "boy".

[seh]

Uppercase C, called "ce". Pronounced like "k" before a, o, u; like "s" (or "th" in Spain) before e, i.

[deh]

Uppercase D, called "de". Pronounced like "d" in "dog".

[eh-feh]

Uppercase F, called "efe". Pronounced like "f" in "fun".

[heh]

Uppercase G, called "ge". Pronounced like "g" in "go" before a, o, u; like "h" in "hello" before e, i.

[ah-cheh]

Uppercase H, called "hache". Always silent in Spanish.

[hoh-tah]

Uppercase J, called "jota". Pronounced like "h" in "hello" but stronger, guttural sound.

[kah]

Uppercase K, called "ka". Used mainly in foreign words, pronounced like "k" in "kite".

[eh-leh]

Uppercase L, called "ele". Pronounced like "l" in "love".

[eh-meh]

Uppercase M, called "eme". Pronounced like "m" in "mother".

[eh-neh]

Uppercase N, called "ene". Pronounced like "n" in "name".

[eh-nyeh]

Uppercase Ñ, called "eñe". Distinctive Spanish letter, pronounced like "ny" in "canyon".

[peh]

Uppercase P, called "pe". Pronounced like "p" in "pen".

[koo]

Uppercase Q, called "cu". Always followed by "ue" or "ui", pronounced like "k".

[eh-reh]

Uppercase R, called "ere". Single tap of the tongue, or trilled at beginning of word.

[eh-seh]

Uppercase S, called "ese". Pronounced like "s" in "sun".

[teh]

Uppercase T, called "te". Pronounced like "t" in "top".

[oo-veh]

Uppercase V, called "uve" or "ve". Pronounced like "b" in most dialects.

[oo-veh doh-bleh]

Uppercase W, called "uve doble" or "doble ve". Used mainly in foreign words.

[eh-kees]

Uppercase X, called "equis". Pronounced like "ks" in "box".

[yeh]

Uppercase Y, called "ye" or "i griega". Pronounced like "y" in "yes" as consonant.

[seh-tah]

Uppercase Z, called "zeta". Pronounced like "s" in Latin America, or "th" in "think" in Spain.

Lowercase Consonants:

[beh]

[seh]

[deh]

[eh-feh]

[heh]

[ah-cheh]

[hoh-tah]

[kah]

[eh-leh]

[eh-meh]

[eh-neh]

[eh-nyeh]

[peh]

[koo]

[eh-reh]

[eh-seh]

[teh]

[oo-veh]

[oo-veh doh-bleh]

[eh-kees]

[yeh]

[seh-tah]

[beh]

Lowercase b, called "be". Pronounced like "b" in "boy".

[seh]

Lowercase c, called "ce". Pronounced like "k" before a, o, u; like "s" (or "th" in Spain) before e, i.

[deh]

Lowercase d, called "de". Pronounced like "d" in "dog", softer between vowels.

[eh-feh]

Lowercase f, called "efe". Pronounced like "f" in "fun".

[heh]

Lowercase g, called "ge". Pronounced like "g" in "go" before a, o, u; like "h" in "hello" before e, i.

[ah-cheh]

Lowercase h, called "hache". Always silent in Spanish.

[hoh-tah]

Lowercase j, called "jota". Pronounced like "h" in "hello" but stronger, guttural sound.

[kah]

Lowercase k, called "ka". Used mainly in foreign words, pronounced like "k" in "kite".

[eh-leh]

Lowercase l, called "ele". Pronounced like "l" in "love".

[eh-meh]

Lowercase m, called "eme". Pronounced like "m" in "mother".

[eh-neh]

Lowercase n, called "ene". Pronounced like "n" in "name".

[eh-nyeh]

Lowercase ñ, called "eñe". Distinctive Spanish letter, pronounced like "ny" in "canyon". Example: "año" (year).

[peh]

Lowercase p, called "pe". Pronounced like "p" in "pen".

[koo]

Lowercase q, called "cu". Always followed by "ue" or "ui", pronounced like "k".

[eh-reh]

Lowercase r, called "ere". Single tap of the tongue, or trilled at beginning of word. Example: "pero" (but).

[eh-seh]

Lowercase s, called "ese". Pronounced like "s" in "sun".

[teh]

Lowercase t, called "te". Pronounced like "t" in "top".

[oo-veh]

Lowercase v, called "uve" or "ve". Pronounced like "b" in most dialects.

[oo-veh doh-bleh]

Lowercase w, called "uve doble" or "doble ve". Used mainly in foreign words.

[eh-kees]

Lowercase x, called "equis". Pronounced like "ks" in "box", or like "h" in some Mexican place names.

[yeh]

Lowercase y, called "ye" or "i griega". Pronounced like "y" in "yes" as consonant, or like "i" as vowel.

[seh-tah]

Lowercase z, called "zeta". Pronounced like "s" in Latin America, or "th" in "think" in Spain.

[ah (stressed)]

[eh (stressed)]

[ee (stressed)]

[oh (stressed)]

[oo (stressed)]

[oo]

[ah (stressed)]

[eh (stressed)]

[ee (stressed)]

[oh (stressed)]

[oo (stressed)]

[oo]

A a

B b

C c

D d

E e

F f

G g

H h

I i

J j

K k

L l

M m

N n

Ñ ñ

O o

P p

Q q

R r

S s

T t

U u

V v

W w

X x

Y y

Z z

A a

Letter A (a), pronounced "ah" like in "father". First letter of the Spanish alphabet.

B b

Letter B (be), pronounced like "b" in "boy". Can be uppercase (B) or lowercase (b).

C c

Letter C (ce), pronounced like "k" or "s" depending on following vowel. Can be uppercase (C) or lowercase (c).

D d

Letter D (de), pronounced like "d" in "dog". Can be uppercase (D) or lowercase (d).

E e

Letter E (e), pronounced "eh" like in "bed". Can be uppercase (E) or lowercase (e).

F f

Letter F (efe), pronounced like "f" in "fun". Can be uppercase (F) or lowercase (f).

G g

Letter G (ge), hard "g" before a, o, u; soft "h" sound before e, i. Can be uppercase (G) or lowercase (g).

H h

Letter H (hache), always silent in Spanish. Can be uppercase (H) or lowercase (h).

I i

Letter I (i), pronounced "ee" like in "see". Can be uppercase (I) or lowercase (i).

J j

Letter J (jota), pronounced like strong "h" in "hello". Can be uppercase (J) or lowercase (j).

K k

Letter K (ka), used mainly in foreign words. Can be uppercase (K) or lowercase (k).

L l

Letter L (ele), pronounced like "l" in "love". Can be uppercase (L) or lowercase (l).

M m

Letter M (eme), pronounced like "m" in "mother". Can be uppercase (M) or lowercase (m).

N n

Letter N (ene), pronounced like "n" in "name". Can be uppercase (N) or lowercase (n).

Ñ ñ

Letter Ñ (eñe), the distinctive Spanish letter pronounced like "ny" in "canyon". Can be uppercase (Ñ) or lowercase (ñ).

O o

Letter O (o), pronounced "oh" like in "go". Can be uppercase (O) or lowercase (o).

P p

Letter P (pe), pronounced like "p" in "pen". Can be uppercase (P) or lowercase (p).

Q q

Letter Q (cu), always followed by "ue" or "ui". Can be uppercase (Q) or lowercase (q).

R r

Letter R (ere), single tap or trilled "r" sound. Can be uppercase (R) or lowercase (r).

S s

Letter S (ese), pronounced like "s" in "sun". Can be uppercase (S) or lowercase (s).

T t

Letter T (te), pronounced like "t" in "top". Can be uppercase (T) or lowercase (t).

U u

Letter U (u), pronounced "oo" like in "food". Can be uppercase (U) or lowercase (u).

V v

Letter V (uve), pronounced like "b" in most Spanish dialects. Can be uppercase (V) or lowercase (v).

W w

Letter W (uve doble), used mainly in foreign words. Can be uppercase (W) or lowercase (w).

X x

Letter X (equis), pronounced like "ks" in "box". Can be uppercase (X) or lowercase (x).

Y y

Letter Y (ye or i griega), consonant or vowel sound. Can be uppercase (Y) or lowercase (y).

Z z

Letter Z (zeta), pronounced like "s" in Latin America or "th" in Spain. Can be uppercase (Z) or lowercase (z).

[seh-roh]

[oo-noh]

[dohs]

[trehs]

[kwah-troh]

[seen-koh]

[seh-ees]

[syeh-teh]

[oh-choh]

[nweh-veh]

[seh-roh]

Zero, called "cero" in Spanish.

[oo-noh]

One, called "uno" in Spanish. Becomes "un" before masculine nouns.

[dohs]

Two, called "dos" in Spanish.

[trehs]

Three, called "tres" in Spanish.

[kwah-troh]

Four, called "cuatro" in Spanish.

[seen-koh]

Five, called "cinco" in Spanish.

[seh-ees]

Six, called "seis" in Spanish.

[syeh-teh]

Seven, called "siete" in Spanish.

[oh-choh]

Eight, called "ocho" in Spanish.

[nweh-veh]

Nine, called "nueve" in Spanish.

;

Inverted question mark used at the beginning of questions in Spanish. Unique to Spanish orthography.

Standard question mark used at the end of questions in Spanish.

Inverted exclamation mark used at the beginning of exclamations in Spanish. Unique to Spanish orthography.

Standard exclamation mark used at the end of exclamations in Spanish.

Period used to end declarative sentences.

Comma used to separate clauses and items in lists.

;

Semicolon used to connect closely related independent clauses.

Colon used to introduce lists, explanations, or quotations.

Double quotation marks used for direct speech or quotations.

Apostrophe used in contractions and possessive forms.

Opening guillemet, traditional quotation mark used in Spanish typography.

Closing guillemet, traditional quotation mark used in Spanish typography.

Expand All Collapse All

How many letters are in the Spanish alphabet?

What is the ñ letter and how is it pronounced?

What are the Spanish accented vowels and why are they used?

Where is Spanish spoken around the world?

What are the inverted punctuation marks in Spanish?

Is the Spanish alphabet easy to learn?

What happened to CH and LL in the Spanish alphabet?

References:

[1] Real Academia Española. "Spanish Alphabet and Pronunciation". Retrieved from Real Academia Española
[2] Instituto Cervantes. "El español: una lengua viva - Informe 2023". Retrieved from Instituto Cervantes Report
[3] Unicode Consortium. "Basic Latin Unicode Block (U+0000-U+007F)". Retrieved from Unicode Basic Latin