Diphthongs Starting with I

Start first lesson

1. Lesson 1

13 questions

2. Lesson 2

14 questions

3. Lesson 3

15 questions

Explanation

Quick Answer

In Spanish, un diptongo(a diphthong) is a series of two vowels that are pronounced in a single syllable.

For example, the word viernes(Friday) contains the diphthong ie in the syllable vier.

This article focuses on ia, ie, io, and iu, which are diphthongs that start with the letter i!

Spanish Diphthongs

What Is a Diphthong?

In Spanish, un diptongo is a series of two vowels that are pronounced in a single syllable. In Spanish, diphthongs can be formed by combining a strong vowel (a, e, or o) and a weak vowel (i or u), or by combining two weak vowels.

When a diphthong is made up of a strong vowel and a weak vowel, the strong vowel is stressed a bit more than the weak vowel. Check out some examples below!

Spanish Diphthong Pronunciation

Below are examples of Spanish diphthongs and their pronunciations.

Diphthong	Pronunciation	Examples
au	ow	aula, aunque
ai, ay	ay	aire, hay
eu	ehoo	Europa, neutro
ei, ey	ey	reina, rey
ia	yah	piano, hacia
ie	yeh	tierra, serpiente
io	yoh	radio, junio
iu	yoo	viuda, ciudad
oi, oy	oy	boina, hoy
ua	wah	agua, cuadro
ue	weh	fuego, trueno
ui	wee	fuimos, fuiste
uo	woh	cuota, individuo

Is Y a Vowel?

The letter yis pronounced like a vowel when it appears at the end of a word and is preceded by another vowel.

For example: hoy(today), hay(there is/there are), and Uruguay(Uruguay).

Spanish Diphthong Accentuation

Written accents are referred to as tildesin Spanish. Here are a few tips to help you know when and where to place written accents on words that contain diphthongs.

Tips for Writing Accents on Diphthongs

Tip	Examples
Never accent words with a single syllable.	pie(foot), cruel(cruel)
Always accent words stressed on the last syllable that end in n, s, or a vowel (excluding y).	camión(truck), después(after), bonsái(bonsai), *but* virrey(viceroy)
Always accent words stressed on the penultimate syllable that end in a consonant other than n or s (including y).	huésped(guest), diésel(diesel), póney(pony)
Always accent words stressed on the third-to-last syllable.	ciénaga(swamp), náutico(nautical)

Accents and Weak/Strong Vowels

Confused about accents and weak vs. strong vowels? Here are some handy tips!

Tip	Examples
If a stressed diphthong is a combination of a strong vowel (a, e, or o) and a weak vowel (i or u), place the accent on the strong vowel.	acción(action), alféizar(windowsill), terapéutico(therapeutic)
If a stressed diphthong is a combination of two weak vowels, place the accent on the second vowel.	acuífero(aquifer), cuídate(take care), veintiún(twenty-one)

Spanish Words with Diphthongs Starting with I

Now let's take a look at some words that have diphthongs starting with i!

Spanish	English
el anuncio	the announcement
la biología	the biology
el cambio	the change
el cielo	the sky
la ciencia	the science
la ciudad	the city
la comedia	the comedy
la democracia	the democracy
el diario	the diary
el diente	the tooth
la enciclopedia	the encyclopedia
el episodio	the episode
el estadio	the stadium
la familia	the family
la fiesta	the party
el genio	the genie
la historia	the history
la magia	the magic
el piano	the piano
el pie	the foot
la piel	the skin
el precio	the price
la serie	the show
la terapia	the therapy
el tiempo	the time
la Tierra	the Earth
el viento	the wind