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Learn to Speak Spanish Pronto!
By Mario Valadez
(Former General Manager of Olvera Street)
 Spanish is an easy language to learn. It is simple to learn a couple of phrases. Many people in the resort areas speak English, but they always appreciate it when you attempt to communicate in their language. The main difference between Mexican Spanish and the Spanish of Spain is that the former is spoken more slowly and without the Spaniards' lisp. Also, Mexicans have adopted many Indian and American words into their language.
The Spanish alphabet contains the following 30 letters. All the letters are feminine. A, E, I, O, U are vowels. The others are consonants.
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The Spanish Alphabet
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a
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ah
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Like A in Father
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b
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beh
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between vowels, almost like a "v"
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c
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seh
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Like S before E and I, otherise it takes the sound of K
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ch
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cheh
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As ch in church
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d
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deh
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As in English
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e
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eh
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Like e in met, get, and set
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g
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heh
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Like g in go, guard before a, o, and u.
It takes the sound of the English h before e or i
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h
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a-cheh
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Always silent
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i
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ee
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Like ee in feet
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j
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ho-ta
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Like h in English
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k
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kah
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Used in foreign words only
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l
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el-le
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As in English
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ll
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eh-yeh
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Like y in yellow
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m
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em-eh
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As in English
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n
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en-yeh
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Like "ny" in canyon and nylon
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o
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oh
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As in English
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p
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peh
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As in English
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k
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koo
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As k in English
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r
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e-reh
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As in English
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rr
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er-reh
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Strongly rolled
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s
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e-seh
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As in English
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t
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teh
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As in English
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u
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oo
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Like oo in too
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v
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veh
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As in English
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w
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do-ble-oo
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Used in foreign words only
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x
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e-kis
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As in English
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y
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ee grie-ga
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Like i in machine as in English
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z
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se-tah
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Pronounced like s, not like the English z
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