SONIDO [g] Y LETRAS G + A/O/U, GU + E/I / THE [g] SOUND AND THE LETTERS G + A/O/U, GU + E/I
Look at the following groups of words with the [g] sound:
| Miguel, guitarra, guerra |
| guapo, abogado, algo, tengo, agua |
RULE:
The [g] sound is written:
| gu | + e / i |
| g | + a / o / u |
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Syllables with g + ue/ui pronounced [gue] take an umlaut over the u (ü): cigüeña, pingüino |
SONIDO [x] Y LETRAS G + E/I, J + VOCAL / The [x] sound and the letters g + e/i, j + vowel
Now look at the following groups of words with the [x] sound:
| jubilado, jefe, trabajar, trabajo, Julio, mujer |
| Ángel, Ángela, colegio |
REGLA:
The [x] sound is written:
| g | + e / i |
| j | + a / e / i / o / u |
Words ending in –aje: traje, viaje are always spelled with j.
Some words that can also be spelled with an x are pronounced [x]: México / Méjico, mexicano / mejicano
To pronounce the [x] sound:
- Raise the back part of the tongue.
- Breathe out.
- The vocal chords do not vibrate.
- Nearly everywhere in Spain, the [x] sound is not pronounced by breathing out.
Perform and practice:
- Put your hand in front of your mouth:
- Say the following and make sure not to breath out too much air:
* ¡Para grabar tu voz, activa el micrófono! / To record your voice, enable the microphone!
Grabaciones
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Now listen and repeat the following words: |
| jubilado |
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| jefe |
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| trabajo |
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| mujer |
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| colegio |
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| julio |
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LA SÍLABA EN ESPAÑOL / SPANISH SYLLABLES
In Spanish, syllables always have a vowel. There are no syllables consisting of just consonants.
Remember that words combining both strong (a/e/o) and weak (i/u) vowels form a single syllable (dypthong):
| secretaria | se-cre-ta-ria | |
| empresario | em-pre-sa-rio | |
| tienda | tien-da |
|
Listen to and repeat the previous words. Pronounce the syllables correctly. |
| secretaria | se-cre-ta-ria | |
Grabaciones
| empresario | em-pre-sa-rio | |
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| tienda | tien-da | |
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