The first step to study Spanish? It is definitely learning the alphabet. In fact, all languages have this prerequisite. Before you try your hand at grammar and syntax, you need to understand the phonetic rules.
Steps
Step 1. The letter A is pronounced as in Italian
Step 2. The same goes for B
Step 3. As in Italian, the C can be pronounced in two ways:
like our C for "home" (you can find it in words like thing, "thing", and cuchara, "spoon") or like the English th (you can find it in words like cero, "zero", and top, "top"; the pronunciation is similar to our S in the South American variants). In summary, when you find it in front of the vowels a, o and u, it is pronounced like our C of "song", while when it precedes the vowels e and i, like the English th or the S (depending on the linguistic variant).
Step 4. The D is pronounced as in Italian
Step 5. The same goes for the E
Step 6. Same for F
Step 7. The G is a little more difficult
It looks like an aspirated ac (mainly in Spain); when a person utters it, it is as if he is trying to clear something from his throat. In Spanish-speaking South American countries the sound is still similar to the aspirated ac, but it is more tenuous, and it is noticeable alone when it precedes the e and the i, in words like gel ("gel"), gema ("gem"), gitano ("gypsy") and girasol ("sunflower"); when it is found in front of the vowels a, o and u, it is pronounced always like our "cat" g; you will find it in words like ganado ("won"), gol ("goal") and gusano ("worm").
Step 8. The ac is silent, as in Italian
Step 9. The I is pronounced as in Italian
Step 10. The J is pronounced like the G (when it is in front of the e and the i, in words like gel or gypsy), so as if it were an aspirated h in English
Unlike the G, however, the J is pronounced like this with all vowels: jarra ("pitcher"), jefe ("head"), jícara ("bowl"), José, Juno, jamás ("never").
Step 11. The L is pronounced as in Italian, but when doubled the sound is similar to our gl; you can find it in words like llegar ("to arrive"), llanto ("cry") and lluvia ("rain")
Step 12. The V is pronounced like the B, but is slightly softer
Step 13. The X is pronounced as in Italian
You find it in words like examen ("exam") or extranjero ("foreigner").
Step 14. The pronunciation of the Y varies according to where it is in a word
If it is the first letter of a word, as in yerba ("grass"), the pronunciation is similar to that of the double L, but in some Spanish-speaking South American countries it resembles our G for “frost” or the French J. In final position, it resembles the Italian I; you can find it in words like ley ("law"), buey ("ox") or Godoy.
Step 15. The sound of the Z is similar to that of the th in English (mainly in Spain), while in the Spanish-speaking South American countries it is similar to our S
Step 16. As you can see, it is not difficult, there are few letters that are pronounced differently
Try to listen to native speakers as much as possible and practice several words. After a while it will come naturally to you to talk.
Advice
- Don't underestimate Spanish: adding an s to all Italian words is not enough to speak it well! Above all, remember that there are numerous false friends, which are similar words with completely different meanings. Always search the dictionary or the internet when in doubt.
- Don't get confused between jota and joda: the first word refers to the letter J, the second is a dirty word.
