The Spanish alphabet has 27 letters. It is very similar to the English alphabet but includes one extra letter: ñ. The letters ch and ll used to be considered separate letters but are now treated as letter pairs.
Letters
| Name in Spanish |
|---|
| a |
| Pronunciation (English example) |
| Letter |
| A |
Special Letters
Ñ
- Pronounced enye (like ny in canyon).
- It is a separate letter in Spanish.
- Example: año (year).
CH and LL
- Once considered separate letters.
- Now treated as letter pairs.
- ch = like ch in church.
- ll = traditionally like y in yes (varies by region).
- Examples: chico (boy), llave (key).
Pronunciation Tips
Vowels
- Always pure vowel sounds.
- Pronounced the same way regardless of position.
| Spanish Pronunciation |
|---|
| ah |
| English Example |
| Vowel |
| A |
Consonants
- c = /k/ before a, o, u; /s/ before e, i.
- g = /g/ before a, o, u; /h/ before e, i.
- h is always silent.
- j and g (before e, i) = /h/ sound.
- r at beginning of word or rr = rolled r.
- z = /s/ sound in Spain (like th); /s/ in Latin America.
Summary
- Spanish alphabet has 27 letters.
- Includes the special letter ñ.
- ch and ll are letter pairs, not separate letters.
- Vowels have consistent pronunciation.
- Some consonants change sound depending on context.
- Pronunciation rules help with reading and spelling.
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Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025