Hiatuses with Strong Vowels

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1. Lesson 1

12 questions

2. Lesson 2

11 questions

3. Lesson 3

11 questions

Explanation

Quick Answer

Un hiato(a hiatus) is a linguistic term used to refer to a Spanish word that has two vowels in a row that are pronounced in different syllables. For example, the word caer(to fall) has two syllables: ca and er.

The word hiato shouldn’t be confused with the word diptongo(diphthong), which refers to a combination of two vowels pronounced in the same syllable. For example, pie(foot) has only one syllable.

This article focuses on hiatos(hiatuses) made up of two strong vowels (a, e, or o).

Spanish Hiatos

The word hiato (hiatus) refers to the pronunciation of a Spanish word that has two vowels in a row that are pronounced in different syllables. For example caída(fall), tarea(homework), and cooperar(to cooperate) each contain a hiatus. There are three types of hiatus in Spanish:

Type	Definition	Examples
Type 1	A stressed weak vowel (i or u) plus an unstressed strong vowel (a, e, or o)	María(Maria), púa(sharp point, pick), transeúnte(passerby, pedestrian)
Type 2	Two strong vowels (a, e, or o) in a row	héroe(hero), caer(to fall), anchoa(anchovy)
Type 3	The same two vowels in a row	leer(to read), zoo(zoo), Abraham(Abraham)

Remember that h between vowels is silent in Spanish, so it's not pronounced in words like Abraham, azahar(orange/lemon blossom), or alcohol(alcohol).

Hiatuses are important because they determine the number and nature of the syllables of a word, which in turn will often determine whether that word is written with or without a tilde(written accent) in Spanish. Let's check out the pronunciation of some common hiatuses!

Spanish Hiatus Pronunciation

Below are examples of Spanish hiatuses. Click on the audio button to hear how they're pronounced!

Hiatus	Pronunciation	Example
aí	ah - EE	país, ahí
aú	ah - OO	Raúl, ataúd
eí	eh - EE	reír, vehículo
eú	eh - OO	transeúnte, reúma
oí	oh - EE	oír, mohín
ía	EE - ah	día, María
íe	EE - eh	ríe, sonríe
ío	EE - oh	río, brío
úa	OO - ah	cacatúa, capicúa
úe	OO - eh	acentúe, actúe
úo	OO - oh	continúo, búho
ae	ah - eh	caer, faena
ao	ah - oh	aorta, ahora
aa	ah - ah	azahar, portaaviones
ea	eh - ah	leal, quehacer
eo	eh - oh	leo, rehogar
ee	eh - eh	poseer, dehesa
oa	oh - ah	coágulo, almohada
oe	oh - eh	poetisa, bohemio
oo	oh - oh	zoológico, alcohol

Spanish Hiatus Accentuation

Here are a few tips to help you know when hiatuses have a written accent.

Tips for Writing Accents on Hiatuses

Tip	Examples
Always accent combinations of a stressed weak vowel (i or u) and an unstressed strong vowel (a, e, or o).	caída(fall), hindúes(Hindus)
Always accent words stressed on the last syllable that end in n, s, or a vowel (excluding y).	Noé(Noah), acordeón(accordion), rehén(hostage)
Always accent words stressed on the penultimate syllable that end in a consonant other than n or s (including y).	bóer(Boer), Sáenz(Saenz, a common surname)
Always accent words stressed on the third-to-last syllable.	océano(ocean), poético(poetic)

Accents and Weak/Strong Vowels

Words containing hiatuses usually follow normal Spanish written accent rules, but the first tip in the above table is an exception.

Funny Thing Is...

...the word hiato itself contains a diptongo, a combination of vowels that are normally pronounced in the same syllable. Hiato has two syllables, hia and to, and the vowels ia form a diphthong, not a hiatus!

Spanish Words with Hiatuses with Two Strong Vowels

Now let's take a look at some words that have hiatuses made up of two strong vowels!

Spanish	English
aéreo	aerial
la almohada	the pillow
la aorta	the aorta
el azahar	the orange blossom
caer	to fall
el cameo	the cameo
la cohesión	the cohesion
la cohorte	the cohort
cooficial	co-official
la coordinación	the coordination
el coordinador	the coordinator
cooperar	to cooperate
coopero	I cooperate
creer	to believe
etéreo	ethereal
leer	to read
leo	I read
la maestra	the teacher
el microondas	the microwave
el peleador	the fighter
el poeta	the poet
la poetisa	the poet
poseer	to own
proveer	to provide
proveo	I provide
reelegir	to reelect
releer	to reread
releo	I reread
soez	rude
traer	to bring
el teatro	the theater
la zoología	the zoology
el zoológico	the zoo