It is also spoken in Mexico and all of Central and South America except Belize, Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, and the Falkland Islands. In the Caribbean, Spanish is also spoken in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Although the Philippines and Guam are former Spanish colonies, relatively few learned how to speak Spanish, and even fewer do so today. See the Filipino phrasebook and Chamorro (Guam, etc.) phrasebook. Spanish is a first language for many people in the United States, especially in California, Texas, South Florida, and elsewhere the Southwest.
A Western Romance language, Spanish is closely related to and mutually intelligible with the other romance languages to a wide extent, such as Portuguese, Catalan, French, Italian and Romanian. English and Spanish share variants of approximately one third of their words (via Latin), although the pronunciation tends to be very different.
Spanish spelling has the pleasant characteristic of being very phonetic, with only a few clearly-defined exceptions. This means that if you know how to pronounce the letters of a word, it's relatively easy to sound out the word itself.
Besides having a very small number of vowel sounds and a high predictablity of exactly what sound is represented by each letter, Spanish has a very clear set of rules about where a stress normally falls, and exceptions are noted with an "acute accent mark" ("& acute; ") over the vowel of the stressed syllable. Normally, words that end in a vowel, or in ''n'' or ''s'', have the stress on the next-to-last syllable (''muchacho'' = "mu-CHA-cho"); all other words without an explicit accent mark are stressed on the final syllable (''hospital'' = "os-pee-TAL"). There are no secondary stresses within words. We need to remember that English speaking people tend to drag out the letters especially the vowels. There are NO long vowels in Spanish, plus there is no 'ay' sound in the Spanish 'e' since its short like the 'e' in 'met.'
; a : like 'a' in "father". ; e : like 'e' in "met", although often taught as 'a' in "spain". ; i : like 'ee' in "see". ; o : like 'o' in "score", especially when stressed. ; u : like 'oo' in "hoop". ; y : like 'ee' in "see". Very rarely used at the middle or ending of words.
; b : like 'b' in "bed" (but no aspiration) at the beginning of a word and after 'm': ''boca''. A soft vibration sound almost like English 'v' elsewhere. See '''v''' below. ; c : follows the same pronunciation pattern as in English. In most cases it is pronounced like 'k' in "kid": ''calle, doctor''. When followed by 'e' or 'i', it is like 's' in "supper" (Latin America) or 'th' in "thin" (Spain): ''cine''. ; ch : like 'ch' in "touch": ''muchacho'' ; d : like 'd' in "dog" at the beginning of a word; like 'th' is "this" between vowels: ''dedo'', pronounced "De-tho" ; f : like 'f' in "fine": ''faro'' ; g : when followed by 'e' or 'i', like a throaty 'h' (''general'' = heh-neh-RAHL), otherwise like 'g' in "go" (''gato''). In the clusters "gue" and "gui", the 'u' serves only to change the sound of the consonant and is silent (''guitarra''), unless it bears a diaeresis, as in "gue" and "gui" (''pedigueno''). In between vowels, it tends to be voiced and not guturral. ; gu, gu : like 'Gu' in McGuire or 'w' in "wire" (''agua, aguita'') ; h : silent: ''hora''= OR-ah. Pronounced like a softer 'j' only in foreign words. ; j : like a throaty 'h' in "ha": ''jamon''; ; k : like 'k' in "kid": ''kilo'' The letter K is only used in foreign words (karate, kilo, Kiev, etc.). ; l : like 'l' in "love": ''lapiz'' ; ll : like 'y' in "year"; pronounced like a Zh as in 'Zhivago' only in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay: ''llamar.'' In at least some parts of Costa Rica, pronounced as the English "j" or "g," as in the words "ginger" or "ninja." Also pronounced like 'ly' as in the English word "million" in northern Spain and in the Philippines. ; m : like 'm' in "mother": ''mano'' ; n : like 'n' in "nice", and like 'n' in "anchor": ''noche, ancla'' ; n : like 'ny' in "canyon": ''canon, pinata'' ; p : like 'p' in "pig": ''perro'' ; q : like 'q' in "quiche" (always with a silent "u"): ''queso'', pronounced ''KEH-so'' ; r, rr : Spanish has two 'r' sounds both of which are different from their counterpart in English. Some effort should be made to approximate each of them, to help listeners distinguish between ''perro'' ("dog") and ''pero'' ("but")... or perhaps to understand you at all: :*single '''r''': This sound is created by putting the tip of the tongue up against where the front of the roof of the mouth meets the upper teeth, very similar to the action English speakers make to pronounce ''l'' or ''d''. To an English-speaking ear, it may sound a bit like a combined "d-r". Take care to pronounce ''r'' separately when it follows a consonant; a blended English ''tr'' will not be recognized in the Spanish word ''otro'' ("other"), which should be pronouced more like "OHT-roh". :*rolled '''r''': Written "r" at the beginning of the word, or "rr" between vowels (''cerro''). It's a multiply vibrating sound. Whereas most English speakers can learn to tap out a single ''r'', many adults learning Spanish find this sound impossible to produce; in this case, pronouncing it like a Spanish ''r'' or fumbling out a ''d-r'' will be better understood than pronouncing it like a long English ''r''. ; s : like 'ss' in "hiss": ''sopa''; in Spain, it is often pronounced like a soft, palatised "sh" at the end of a word or syllable. ; t : like 't' in "top": ''tapa'' ; v : like 'b' in "bed" (but no aspiration) at the beginning of a word and after 'm': ''vaca'', pronounced ''BAH-kah''. A soft vibration sound almost like English 'v' elsewhere. To distinguish ''v'' from ''b'' when spelling, one says "vay chica" or "bay grande" to indicate which; native Spanish speakers may not hear the difference between "vee" and "bee". ; w : like 'w' in "weight" in English words, ''whisky'', pronounced "WEESS-kee"). Like 'b' in "bed" in Germanic words. ; x : like 'x' in "flexible" (''flexible''). Like 'ss' in "hiss" at beginning of a word (''xilofono''). Like a throaty 'h' in the words ''Mexico, mexicano, Oaxaca,'' and ''oaxaqueno''. ; y : like 'y' in "yes": ''payaso''. Like 'y' in "boy": ''hoy''. Pronounced like a Zh ONLY in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay as in 'Zhivago', : ''yo no se'', pronounced "zhoh noh say". ; z : like 's' in "supper" (Latin America), like 'th' in "thin" (Spain): ''zorro''. See '''c''' above.
; ai, ay : like 'eye': ''baile'' ; au : like 'ow' in "cow": ''causa''
; ei, ey : like 'ay' in "say": ''reina, rey.'' ; eu : pronounced 'eh-oo': ''euro'' = "eh-OO-roh"
; ia : like 'ya' in "Kenya": ''piano'' ; ie : like 'ye' in "yes": ''pie'' = "pyeh" ; io : like 'yo': ''dio'' ; iu : like 'ew' in "few": ''ciudad'' = "see-you-THAHD"
; oi, oy : like 'oy' in "boy": ''soy''
; ua : like 'wa' in "wallet": ''cuatro'' ; ue : like 'we' in "well": ''puedo'' ; ui, uy : like 'wee' in "ween": ''ruido'' ; ui : like 'ooy': ''cuido'' = "coo-wee-dough" ; uo : like "wa" in "water": ''averiguo''
An accent can also be used to differentiate between words that are pronounced the same but have different meanings: <blockquote> :'''el''' (he) '''el''' (the) :'''te''' (tea) '''te''' (you) (ex: I can't see '''you''') :'''tu''' (you) (ex: '''you''' want to go there) '''tu''' (your) :'''mi''' (me) '''mi'''(my) :'''de''' (I '''give''' or he/she/it '''give'''; but in present of subjunctive) '''de''' (of) :'''si''' (yes) '''si''' (if) :'''se''' (a pronoun; difficult to explain here) '''se''' (I '''know''' or '''be''' imperative of the verb "to be", spoken to the second person of singular) :'''mas''' (more/plus) '''mas''' (but) </blockquote>
; 0 : cero (''SEH-roh'') ; 1 : uno (''OO-noh'') ; 2 : dos (''dohss'') ; 3 : tres (''trehss'') ; 4 : cuatro (''KWAH-troh'') ; 5 : cinco (''SEEN-koh'') ; 6 : seis (''SEH_ees'') ; 7 : siete (''see_EH-teh'') ; 8 : ocho (''OH-choh'') ; 9 : nueve (''noo_EH-beh'') ; 10 : diez (''dee_EHSS'') ; 11 : once (''OHN-seh'') ; 12 : doce (''DOH-seh'') ; 13 : trece (''TREH-seh'') ; 14 : catorce (''kah-TOHR-seh'') ; 15 : quince (''KEEN-seh'') ; 16 : dieciseis (''dee_EH-see-SEH_ees'') ; 17 : diecisiete (''dee_EH-see-see_EH-teh'') ; 18 : dieciocho (''dee_EH-see_OH-choh'') ; 19 : diecinueve (''dee_EH-see-NOO_EH-beh'') ; 20 : veinte (''VAIN-teh'') ; 21 : veintiuno (''VAIN-tee-OO-noh'') ; 22 : veintidos (''VAIN-tee-DOHSS'') ; 23 : veintitres (''VAIN-tee-TREHSS'') ; 30 : treinta (''TRAIN-tah'') ; 40 : cuarenta (''kwah-REHN-tah'') ; 50 : cincuenta (''seen-KWEHN-tah'') ; 60 : sesenta (''seh-SEHN-tah'') ; 70 : setenta (''seh-TEHN-tah'') ; 80 : ochenta (''oh-CHEHN-tah'') ; 90 : noventa (''noh-BEHN-tah'') ; 100 : cien (''see-EHN'') ; 200 : doscientos (''dohs-see-EHN-tohss'') ; 300 : trescientos (''trehs-see-EHN-tohss'') ; 500 : quinientos (''kee-nee-EHN-tohss'') ; 1000 : mil (''MEEL'') ; 2000 : dos mil (''dohss MEEL'') ; 1,000,000 : un millon (''oon mee-JOHN'') ; 1,000,000,000 : mil millones (Spain/Mexico); un billon (''oon bee-JOHN'', Latin America) ; 1,000,000,000,000 : un billon (Spain/Mexico); un trillon (''oon tree-JOHN'', Latin America) ; half : medio (''MEH-dee-oh'') ; less : menos (''MEH-nohss'') ; more : mas (''MAHSS'')
; now : ahora (''ah-OH-rah'') ; later : despues (''dehs-PWEHS'') ; before : antes (''ahn-TEHS'') ; morning : manana (''mah-NYAH-nah'') ; afternoon : tarde (''TAHR-deh'') ; night : noche (''NOH-cheh'')
; one o'clock AM : la una de la madrugada; la una de la manana (''lah OOH-nah deh lah mah-droo-GAH dah; lah OOH-nah deh lah mah-NYAH-nah'') ; two o'clock AM : las dos de la madrugada; las dos de la manana (''lahs DOHS deh lah mah-droo-GAH dah; lahss DOHS deh lah mah-NYAH-nah'') ; ten o'clock AM : las diez de la manana (''lahs dee-EHS deh lah mah-NYAH-nah'') ; noon : mediodia; las doce de la manana (''lahs DOH-seh deh lah mah-NYAH-nah'') ; one o'clock PM : la una de la tarde (''lah OOH-nah deh lah TAHR-deh'') ; two o'clock PM : las dos de la tarde (''lahs DOHS deh lah TAHR-deh'') ; ten o'clock PM : las diez de la noche (''lahs dee-EHS deh lah NOH-cheh'') ; midnight : medianoche; las doce de la noche (''meh-dee-yah-NOH-cheh ; lahs DOH-seh deh lah NOH-cheh'')
; 9 o'clock AM : ''nueve de la manana'' (spoken: ''NWEH-beh deh la mah-NYAH-nah''), 9:00 (written) ; 12:30 PM : ''doce y media de la manana'' (spoken: ''DOH-seh ee MEH-dee-ah deh la mah-NYAH-nah''), 12:30 (written) ; 1 o'clock PM : ''una de la tarde'' (spoken: ''OOH-nah deh lah TAHR-deh''), 13:00 (written) ; 10 o'clock PM : ''diez de la noche'' (spoken: ''dee-EHS deh la NOH-cheh''), 22:00 (written) ; 2 o'clock AM : ''dos de la madrugada'' or ''dos de la manana'' (spoken: ''DOHS deh la mah-droo-GAH-dah'' or ''DOHS deh la mah-NYAH-nah''), 2:00 (written)
; _____ minute(s) : _____ minuto(s) (''mee-NOO-toh(s)'') ; _____ hour(s) : _____ hora(s) (''OH-rah(s)'') ; _____ day(s) : _____ dia(s) (''DEE-ah(s)'') ; _____ week(s) : _____ semana(s) (''seh-MAH-nah(s)'') ; _____ month(s) : _____ mes(es) (''MEHS-(ehs)'') ; _____ year(s) : _____ ano(s) (''AH-nyoh(s)'')
; today : hoy (''OH-ee'') ; yesterday : ayer (''aah-YEHR'') ; tomorrow : manana (surely you know how to pronounce this word: ''mah-NYAH-nah'') ; this week : esta semana (''EHS-tah seh-MAH-nah'') ; last week : la semana pasada (''lah seh-MAH-nah pah-SAH-dah'') ; next week : la semana que viene (''lah seh-MAH-nah keh vee-EH-neh'')
; Monday : lunes (''LOOH-nehss'') ; Tuesday : martes (''MAHR-tehss'') ; Wednesday : miercoles (''mee-EHR-coh-lehss'') ; Thursday : jueves (''WEY-vess'') ; Friday : viernes (''vee-EHR-nehss'') ; Saturday : sabado (''SAH-bah-doh'') ; Sunday : domingo (''doh-MEEN-goh'')
The week begins on Mondays.
; January : enero (''eh-NEH-roh'') ; February : febrero (''feh-BREH-roh'') ; March : marzo (''MAR-thoh'') ; April : abril (''ah-BREEL'') ; May : mayo (''MAH-joh'') ; June : junio (''HOO-nee-oh'') ; July : julio (''HOO-lee-oh'') ; August : agosto (''aah-GUS-toh'') ; September : septiembre (''sep-TEE-EHM-breh'') ; October : octubre (''ok-TOO-breh'') ; November : noviembre (''no-VEE-EHM-breh'') ; December : diciembre (''dee-CEE-EHM-breh'')
Dates are given in day-month-year form. All spoken and written, long and short forms follow this pattern:
; May 7th, 2003 : 7 de mayo del 2003 ; October 23rd, 1997 : 23 de octubre del 1997
Day-month constructions (''4 de julio'', for example) are not usually abbreviated. In the rare cases that an abbreviation is used, the number of the month is not used, but its initial letter is. Usual examples are:
; 23-F : 23 de febrero, date of a failed coup d'etat in Spain (1981) ; 11-S : 11 de septiembre, date of the attack to the Twin Towers (2001) (and of the Chilean coup in 1973).
; Where does this train/bus go? : ?A donde va este tren/autobus? ; Where is the train/bus to _____? : ?Donde esta el tren/autobus hacia _____? ; Does this train/bus stop in _____? : ?Para este tren/autobus en _____? ; When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : ?Cuando marcha/parte/sale el tren/autobus hacia _____ ? ; When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : ?Cuando llegara este tren/autobus a _____?
; How do I get to _____ ? : ?Como puedo llegar a _____ ? ; ...the train station? : ...la estacion de tren? ; ...the bus station? : ...la estacion de autobuses? ; ...the airport? : ...al aeropuerto? ; ...downtown? : ...al centro?
; ...the youth hostel? : ...al hostal? ; ...the _____ hotel? : ...el hotel _____ ? ; ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? : ...el consulado de Estados Unidos/ Canadiense/Australiano/Britanico/? ; Where are there a lot of... : ?Donde hay muchos... ; ...hotels? : ...hoteles? ; ...restaurants? : ...restaurantes? ; ...bars? : ...bares? ; ...sites to see? : ...sitios para visitar? ; Can you show me on the map? : ?Puede ensenarme/mostrarme en el plano? ; street : calle (CAH Yeh) ; Turn left. : Gire/doble/da vuelta a la izquierda. ; Turn right. : Gire/doble/da vuelta a la derecha. ; left : izquierda ; right : derecha ; straight ahead : recto adelante , sigue derecho ; towards the _____ : hacia el/la_____ ; past the _____ : pasado el/la _____ ; before the _____ : antes de _____ ; Watch for the _____. : busque el/la _____. ; intersection : interseccion , cruce ; north : norte ; south : sur ; east : este ; west : oeste ; uphill : hacia arriba ; downhill : hacia abajo
; ...bigger? : ...mas grande? ; ...cleaner? : ...mas limpio? ; ...cheaper? : ...mas barato? ; OK, I'll take it. : Muy bien, la tomare. ; I will stay for _____ night(s). : Me quedare ______ noches(s). ; Can you suggest other hotels? : ?Puede recomendarme otros hoteles? ; Do you have a safe? : ?Hay caja fuerte? ; ...lockers? : ...taquillas? ; casilleros ; Is breakfast/supper included? : ?El desayuno/la cena va incluido/a? ; What time is breakfast/supper? : ?A que hora es el desayuno/la cena? ; Please clean my room. : Por favor, limpie mi habitacion. ; Can you wake me at _____? : ?Puede despertarme a las _____? ; I want to check out. : Quiero dejar el hotel.
Note that you must ask for the bill. A ''gringo'' was known to have waited until 2 in the morning because he was too shy to ask :).
; How much is this? : ?Cuanto cuesta? ; That's too expensive. : Es demasiado caro. ; Would you take Visa/American dollars? : ?Aceptan Visa/dolares? ; expensive : caro ; cheap : barato ; I can't afford it. : Es muy caro para mi. ; I don't want it. : No lo quiero. ; You're cheating me. : Me esta enganando. ; I'm not interested. : No me interesa. ; OK, I'll take it. : De acuerdo, me lo llevare. ; Can I have a bag? : ?Tiene una bolsa? ; Can you ship it to my country? : ?Puede enviarlo a mi pais? ; I need... : Necesito... ; ...batteries. : ...pilas. ; ...cold medicine. : ...medicamento para el resfriado. ; ...condoms.: ...preservativos/condones. ; ...English-language books. : ...libros en ingles. ; ...English-language magazines. : ...revistas en ingles. ; ...an English-language newspaper. : ...un periodico/diario en ingles. ; ...an English-Spanish dictionary. : ...un diccionario ingles-espanol. ; ...pain reliever. (''e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen'') : ...analgesico (Aspirina, Ibuprofeno). ; ...a pen. : ...una pluma/ un boligrafo. ; ...postage stamps. : ...sellos(Spain)/estampillas(Latin America). ; ...a postcard. : ...una postal. ; ...a razor. : ...una hoja de afeitar/rasuradora (machine) ; ...shampoo. : ...champu. ; ...stomach medicine. : .... medicamento para el dolor de estomago ; ...soap. : ...jabon. ; ...sunblock lotion. : ...crema solar. ; ...tampons. : ...tampones. ; ...a toothbrush. : ... un cepillo de dientes. ; ...toothpaste. : ...pasta de dientes. ; ...an umbrella. : ...un paraguas. ; ...writing paper. : ...papel para escribir.