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Video lesson

El alfabeto español (1)

Duration: 4:37 Published: 29 Sep 2016

Pilar, teacher and co-director of Tilde Madrid, presents the 27 letters of the Spanish alphabet and how each one sounds. Repeat after her with everyday words like vaso, coche, llave or lápiz.

Learn the Spanish alphabet with The Spanish Sessions. Free Spanish videolessons online.

Key points

  • The Spanish alphabet has 27 letters, ñ included, and all letters are feminine: la a, la be.
  • Spelling and pronunciation correspond closely, so once you know the sounds you can read any word.
  • B and v sound exactly the same: vaso, botella, cambio, vista.
  • Ll and y share one sound in most of Spain: llover, playa, pollo, ayudar.
  • Some pairs of letters make a single sound: ch (chocolate), ll and qu (queso).

Frequent doubts

Are Spanish letters masculine or feminine?

Feminine: la a, la be, la eñe. That is why we say la letra h.

Is there a difference between b and v?

Not in pronunciation: both sound the same. You only need to learn how each word is written.

How many letters does the Spanish alphabet have?

27: the 26 letters of the English alphabet plus ñ.

Part of Spanish Sessions, the YouTube channel of the teachers at Tilde Madrid — more than 3 million views.

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