Starting with the alphabet and pronunciation makes learning Spanish easy and enjoyable: the language is read almost as it is written, with very few reading rules. This is one of the main advantages of Spanish over English and French — you quickly stop "stumbling" over unfamiliar words.
Spanish Alphabet and Letters
The Spanish alphabet consists of 27 letters — 26 Latin letters plus ñ. It’s important to remember their names so you can spell out words. Below is the complete alphabet with the pronunciation of the letter names:
Once you've mastered the letters and a few rules, you'll be able to read almost any word correctly — the starting order is detailed in the guide Spanish from Scratch.
Unique Sounds: ñ, c/z, j, ll, rr
There are a few unique sounds, and they are easy to remember: ñ is a soft "ny"; c before e/i and z is pronounced "s" (in Spain, it’s a dental "θ", while in Latin America, it's a regular "s"); j and g before e/i are pronounced as "h"; ll is pronounced as either "y" or "ly"; rr is a rolled "r"; h is silent.
These rules cover almost all reading. Regional differences (Spain versus Latin America) mostly concern the sounds of c/z and ll/y and do not hinder comprehension — you can choose one variant and stick to it.
Stress and Why Reading is Easy
Stress follows simple rules: in words ending in a vowel, -n, or -s, the stress is on the second-to-last syllable; otherwise, it’s on the last syllable; all exceptions are graphically marked (á, é, í, ó, ú). Therefore, by merely looking at a word, you immediately know how to pronounce it.
Thanks to this phonetic nature, after just a couple of hours of practice, you’ll be able to read unfamiliar words correctly. In Memofluent, each word includes transcription, context, and audio, so pronunciation and meaning are reinforced together. Try it:
Frequently Asked Questions
How many letters are in the Spanish alphabet?
There are twenty-seven — twenty-six Latin letters plus ñ. The combinations ch and ll were once considered letters, but they no longer are.
Is it true that Spanish is read as it is written?
Almost. There are few reading rules, and once mastered, you can read almost any word correctly — a significant advantage for beginners.
How is ñ pronounced?
Like a soft "ny" (señor → "senor"). It’s a separate letter in the alphabet.
How are c, z, j, ll, rr pronounced?
C before e/i and z is pronounced as "s" or dental "θ" in Spain; j is pronounced as "h"; ll as "y" or "ly"; rr is a rolled "r".
Where does the stress fall?
According to the rules (on the second-to-last syllable in words ending in a vowel/n/s, otherwise on the last); exceptions are marked with an accent (á, é…).
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