Spanish Introduction to Spanish Syllabus

How are the numbers 16 to 19 formed in Spanish?

They combine 'diez y' contracted into one word: dieciséis (16), diecisiete (17), dieciocho (18), diecinueve (19).

How do you say the tens: 20, 30, 40, and 50 in Spanish?

veinte (20), treinta (30), cuarenta (40), cincuenta (50).

How is a compound number like 21 or 34 written in Spanish?

21 is 'veintiuno' (one word), while 31– 99 use 'y': e.g., 34 is 'treinta y cuatro'.

What is the Spanish word for 100, and how does it change before a noun or larger number?

'cien' means exactly 100 (e.g., 'cien libros'), but it becomes 'ciento' when followed by a smaller number, e.g., 'ciento uno' (101).

How do you say 1,000 and 1,000,000 in Spanish?

'mil' (1,000) and 'un millón' (1,000,000). Note 'mil' never takes 'un' before it for one thousand.

In Spanish-speaking countries, how are decimal points and thousands separators written differently from English?

A comma marks the decimal and a period (or space) marks thousands: e.g., English $1{,}234.56$ is written $1.234{,}56$ in Spain.

What are the ordinal numbers 'first' through 'third' in Spanish (masculine form)?

primero (1st), segundo (2nd), tercero (3rd). 'Primero' and 'tercero' drop the -o to 'primer'/'tercer' before a masculine singular noun.

How many vowel sounds does Spanish have, and what are they?

Spanish has exactly 5 pure vowel sounds, one per vowel: a, e, i, o, u.

How is the Spanish vowel 'a' pronounced?

As an open 'ah' sound, like the 'a' in the English 'father' (e.g., 'casa').

How is the Spanish vowel 'e' pronounced?

As a short 'eh' sound, like the 'e' in 'bet' or 'they' without the glide (e.g., 'mesa').

How is the Spanish vowel 'i' pronounced?

As 'ee', like the 'i' in 'machine' (e.g., 'sí').

How are the Spanish vowels 'o' and 'u' pronounced?

'o' is like the 'o' in 'more' (e.g., 'sol'), and 'u' is like 'oo' in 'moon' (e.g., 'luna').

Why are Spanish vowels described as 'pure' compared to English vowels?

Each Spanish vowel keeps a single, consistent sound and does not glide into a diphthong, unlike many English vowels that shift within the same sound.

What is a diphthong in Spanish, and how is it formed?

A diphthong is two vowels pronounced in a single syllable, formed by combining a weak vowel (i, u) with a strong vowel (a, e, o), or two weak vowels (e.g., 'aire', 'ciudad').

Which vowels are classified as 'strong' (fuertes) and 'weak' (débiles) in Spanish?

Strong vowels are a, e, o; weak vowels are i and u. This distinction determines how diphthongs and hiatus form.

What is a hiatus (hiato) in Spanish vowel pronunciation?

A hiatus is when two adjacent vowels are pronounced in separate syllables, typically two strong vowels (e.g., 'le-er') or a stressed weak vowel with an accent (e.g., 'dí-a').

How is the Spanish 'r' pronounced at the start of a word or as 'rr'?

As a strong trilled (rolled) 'r', with multiple vibrations of the tongue (e.g., 'perro', 'rojo').

How is a single 'r' between vowels pronounced in Spanish?

As a single tap of the tongue against the roof of the mouth, similar to the 'tt' in American English 'butter' (e.g., 'pero').

What sound does the Spanish 'll' (elle) typically make?

It is usually pronounced like the English 'y' in 'yes' (e.g., 'llave'); this pronunciation of 'll' and 'y' as the same sound is called 'yeísmo'.

How is the Spanish letter 'c' pronounced before 'e' or 'i' versus before 'a', 'o', 'u'?

Before e/i it is soft: 's' in Latin America, 'th' in most of Spain (e.g., 'cielo'). Before a/o/u it is a hard 'k' (e.g., 'casa').

How is the Spanish letter 'g' pronounced before 'e' or 'i' versus before 'a', 'o', 'u'?

Before e/i it is a guttural sound like the 'j' (e.g., 'gente'). Before a/o/u it is a hard 'g' as in 'go' (e.g., 'gato').

How is the Spanish letter 'z' pronounced?

As 's' in Latin American Spanish (seseo) and as the 'th' in 'think' in most of Spain (e.g., 'zapato').

How are the letters 'b' and 'v' pronounced in Spanish?

Identically. Both make a 'b' sound: a hard [b] at the start of a word or after m/n, and a soft [β] between vowels (e.g., 'vaca' and 'boca' start the same).

How is the Spanish digraph 'ch' pronounced?

Like the English 'ch' in 'church' (e.g., 'coche').

What are the three categories of Spanish words by stress position, and where does each place its stress?

Agudas (stress on the last syllable), llanas/graves (stress on the second-to-last syllable), and esdrújulas (stress on the third-to-last syllable).

What is the accentuation rule for 'palabras agudas' (words stressed on the last syllable)?

They carry a written accent (tilde) only when they end in a vowel, 'n', or 's' (e.g., 'café', 'canción', 'comás').

What is the accentuation rule for 'palabras llanas/graves' (stressed on the second-to-last syllable)?

They carry a written accent only when they do NOT end in a vowel, 'n', or 's' (e.g., 'árbol', 'lápiz').

What is the accentuation rule for 'palabras esdrújulas' (stressed on the third-to-last syllable)?

They always carry a written accent, without exception (e.g., 'médico', 'pájaro', 'rápido').

What is a 'tilde diacrítica' (diacritical accent), and give an example pair.

An accent used to distinguish two words spelled the same but with different meanings/functions, e.g., 'tú' (you) vs 'tu' (your), or 'sí' (yes) vs 'si' (if).

How does a written accent affect a weak vowel next to a strong vowel regarding diphthongs?

An accent on the weak vowel (i or u) breaks the diphthong and creates a hiatus, forcing separate syllables and stress on that vowel (e.g., 'día', 'río').