In this pronunciation-focused lesson, we’ll explore the differences between hard and soft sounds in Spanish, with a special focus on the consonants G, C, J, and the unique Ü. Understanding how these letters change sound depending on the vowels that follow is key to speaking Spanish clearly and naturally.
You’ll learn how to pronounce:
- GA, GO, GU vs. GUE, GUI
- GE and GI – with common examples and phrases
- CA, CO, CU vs. QUE, QUI – and how “C” changes from a hard to soft sound
- The strong J sound as in “jamón” and “jirafa”
- The special case of Ü (with diaeresis), used in words like pingüino
This lesson will help you:
- Understand Spanish phonetics and sound patterns
- Improve your Spanish speaking and listening skills
- Build pronunciation confidence with real Spanish examples
- Avoid common mistakes with tricky Spanish letter combinations
Whether you’re a beginner or brushing up your Spanish, this is a must-know guide to mastering Spanish pronunciation and sounding more like a native speaker.
“GA”, “GO”, “GU”: Ejemplos: “gato“, “goma“, “gusto“.
“GA”, “GO”, “GU”: Examples: “gato“, “goma“, “gusto“.
GUE, GUI: ‘u’ no se pronuncia. Ejemplos: “guerra“, “guitarra“.
GUE, GUI: ‘u’ is not pronounced. Examples: “guerra“, “guitarra“.
GE, GI: “Gema, amiga de Lucía, es generosa y gentil.”
GE, GI: “Gema, friend of Lucía, is generous and kind.”
CA, CO, CU: Ejemplos: “casa“, “coco“, “cuna“.
CA, CO, CU: Examples: “casa“, “coco“, “cuna“.
QUE, QUI: Ejemplos: “queso“, “quitar“.
QUE, QUI: Examples: “queso“, “quitar“.
JA, JE, JI, JO, JU: Ejemplos: JA: jamón
JE: jefe
JI: jirafa
JO: joven
JU: jugo
JA, JE, JI, JO, JU: Examples: JA: jamón (ham)
JE: jefe (boss)
JI: jirafa (giraffe)
JO: joven (young)
JU: jugo (juice)
Ü: Ejemplo: “pingüino“.
Ü: Example: “pingüino“.