Courses / Spanish / Basics, lesson 2

The five vowels

English writes its vowel sounds in dozens of ways. Spanish has just five vowel sounds, and each vowel letter always makes the same one. Learn these five and you have the heart of Spanish pronunciation.

Five vowels, five sounds

a · e · i · o · u

1 / 3

Each vowel, one by one

For each vowel: the closest English sound, then Lupe says the vowel and three words with it.

The five vowels, with Lupe

A a

like the a in father, but short

1 / 13

Vowel	Sounds like	Words
a	like the a in father, but short	casa house · mapa map · agua water
e	like the e in pet, a little tighter	mesa table · leche milk · verde green
i	like the ee in see, but short	sí yes · libro book · vino wine
o	like the o in or, lips round and still	oso bear · foto photo · ojo eye
u	like the oo in food	uno one · luna moon · tú you

The English glide

The most common mistake: English vowels slide at the end (go is really "go-oo", day is "de-ee"). Spanish vowels do not slide.

No glide

One pure sound

English no slides; Spanish no does not.

1 / 4

Two vowels together

When two vowels sit side by side, say both, smoothly, in one beat.

Vowel pairs, with Lupe

Two vowels, one beat

1 / 10

Pair	Word	Meaning
ai	aire	air
ei	seis	six
oy	hoy	today
au	auto	car
ue	bueno	good
ie	siete	seven
io	radio	radio
ua	agua	water
uy	muy	very

Practice: train your ear

These words differ by one vowel. Press Play, listen, and choose the word you heard.

Listen: question 1

Press Play and listen.

1 / 1

Question

Which word did Lupe say?

A. mesa, tableB. misa, massC. masa, dough

Hint

The vowel is like the ee in see.

Solution

Lupe said misa, with the vowel i.

Listen: question 2

Press Play and listen.

1 / 1

Question

Which word did Pedro say?

A. peso, weightB. piso, floorC. paso, step

Hint

The first vowel is open, like the a in father.

Solution

Pedro said paso, with the vowel a.

Listen: question 3

Press Play and listen.

1 / 1

Question

Which word did Lupe say?

A. luna, moonB. lana, woolC. lona, canvas

Hint

Lips round and still.

Solution

Lupe said lona, with the vowel o.

Listen: question 4

Press Play and listen.

1 / 1

Question

Which word did Pedro say?

A. casa, houseB. cosa, thingC. cesa, stops

Hint

Listen to the first vowel.

Solution

Pedro said cosa, with the vowel o.

Listen: question 5

Press Play and listen.

1 / 1

Question

Which two vowels sit together in the word Lupe said?

A. ueB. uoC. eu

Hint

It is the word for good.

Solution

Lupe said bueno: u and e, said together in one beat.

Question

Which English word has the vowel closest to Spanish i?

A. seeB. sitC. sigh

Hint

Spanish i is always the same sound.

Solution

Spanish i is like the ee in see, but short.

Question

How many vowel sounds does Spanish have?

Hint

One for each vowel letter.

Solution

Five, one for each vowel letter: a, e, i, o, u.

Note.

Next: the consonants that sound different from English. Most are easy; a few, like the rolled rr, take a little practice.