Explanation
The letter g in Spanish has three different pronunciations depending on the vowels it is combined with and the speaker’s place of origin. It can be pronounced:
- like the g in the English word girl, as in gato(cat), goma(rubber), gusano(worm), bilingüe(bilingual), and zigzag(zigzag)—but not before e or i
- like the h in the English word ham, as in gente(people) and girar(to turn)—but only before e or i (in Latin America and southern Spain)
- like the ch in the Scottish pronunciation of the English word loch—but only before e or i (in central and northern Spain)
The letter j in Spanish has two different pronunciations that are used in different regions:
Pronunciation of G in Spanish
Let's learn how to pronounce the letter g in Spanish!
G Is a Consonant
The letter g represents the Spanish consonant sounds, or phonemes, /g/, /x/, and /χ/. When a consonant sound is uttered, the flow of air out of the mouth is partially or completely blocked at some point.
The name of this letter is pronounced ge.
The Three Sounds of G
Pronunciation 1
The first pronunciation of the letter g is similar to the English g in government or England when it is found at the beginning of a word or after the letter n. This can be heard, for example, in gobierno(government) and Inglaterra(England).
In other word positions (except before an e or i), you may perceive the Spanish g as softer than the English g. That’s because the tongue doesn’t actually stop the air from flowing out. This variant sound of g, which is not found in English, is represented by linguists as [ɣ]. You may hear it inside a word between vowels and/or consonants (except after n), for example: mago(wizard), conseguir(get), vergüenza(embarrassment), agrio(sour), largo(long), etc.
So, What’s That Thing on Top of the U?
The letter u sometimes has two dots on top of it: ü. Those dots are called umlaut or diaeresis in English, or diéresisin Spanish. The diaeresis helps us know that the letter is actually pronounced like the vowel /u/ despite being part of the letter groups gue or gui. This happens, for example, in the words cigüeña(stork) and lingüista(linguist).
Tongue Position in Mouth
This sound of the Spanish g is velar, which means it is pronounced by pressing the back of the tongue against the soft palate to stop the flow of air completely for an instant. Then the air is let out abruptly.
Unlike the sound of the Spanish letter c or letter group qu—which are similar sounds—the vocal cords vibrate when uttering g, so linguists classify it as voiced, or sonorain Spanish. Check out how the g is pronounced in these words: gota(drop), globo(balloon), and inglés(English).
When Is G Pronounced This Way? Always, Except When Followed Directly by E or I
This pronunciation of the letter g is found:
- before the letter a, as in galaxia(galaxy) or pagar(to pay)
- before the letter o, as in gol(goal) or agosto(August)
- before the letter u, as in gusto(taste) or agua(water)
- before the silent u, as in guerrero(warrior) or Guillermo(William)
- before the non-silent ü, as in nicaragüense(Nicaraguan) or pingüino(penguin)
- before any consonant, as in glándula(gland), agradable(pleasant), or rugby(rugby)
- at the end of a word, as in iceberg(iceberg)
Where Can I Hear G Pronounced This Way?
This pronunciation of g is used both in Latin American and European Spanish.
Pronunciation 2
The second pronunciation of the letter g is like the English h in here or history. Compare the pronunciation of the h in those two English words with the sound of g in Spanish words like gemelo(twin) or gimnasio (gym). To hear this Spanish sound, please select the Latin American pronunciation option.
Linguists represent this sound, or phoneme, with the symbol /x/.
Tongue Position in Mouth
This second sound of the Spanish g is also velar, which means it is pronounced by lifting the back of the tongue against the soft palate. But, unlike the /g/ in Pronunciation 1, there is always a narrow opening for the air to come out, resulting in an aspirated sound.
Remember that aspiration is the sound of air being exhaled after certain letters.
Additionally, the vocal cords do not vibrate when uttering this g, so linguists classify it as voiceless, or sordain Spanish.
When Is G Pronounced This Way? Only When Followed by E or I
This sound of the letter g is used only:
- before the letter e, as in gema(gem), coger(to take), or cónyuge(spouse) (please select the Latin American pronunciation option)
- before the letter i, as in gigante(giant), agitar(to shake), or Golgi(Golgi) (please select the Latin American pronunciation option)
Where Can I Hear G Pronounced This Way?
This pronunciation of g is widely used in Latin America and the south of Spain.
Pronunciation 3
The third pronunciation of the letter g might sound strange to English speakers. That's because there isn’t a common similar sound in English, although it is very similar to the Scottish pronunciation of ch in the word loch, or to the German ch in nacht. Compare those pronunciations with the sound of the g in ágil(agile). For this sound, please select the Spain pronunciation option.
Linguists represent this sound, or phoneme, with the symbol /χ/.
Tongue Position in Mouth
The third sound of the Spanish g is similar to the g in Pronunciation 2, but it sounds stronger and more vibrant. This is because the tongue is placed further back and made to trill slightly against the soft palate.
When Is G Pronounced This Way? Only When Followed by E or I
This sound of the letter g is used in the same positions as Pronunciation 2:
- before the letter e, as in gesto(gesture), ángel(angel), or faringe(pharynx) (please select the Spain pronunciation option)
- before the letter i, as in ginebra(gin) or frágil(fragile) (please select the Spain pronunciation option)
Where Can I Hear "G" Pronounced This Way?
This pronunciation is a regional alternative to Pronunciation 2. In parts of Spain—mostly in the central and northern regions—/χ/ is used instead of /x/, which is more or less the standard pronunciation in the rest of the Spanish-speaking world.
Examples
Let’s look at some examples of words containing the letter g, with their different pronunciation types and phoneme symbols, in different word positions and letter combinations. Please note that types 2 and 3 may be heard by selecting either the Latin American or Spain pronunciation options.
Pronunciation of J in Spanish
Let's learn how to pronounce the letter j in Spanish!
The Sounds of the Letter J
J Is a Consonant
The letter j represents the Spanish consonant sounds, or phonemes, /x/ (in Latin America and the south of Spain) and /χ/ (in central and northern Spain). When a consonant sound is uttered, the flow of air out of the mouth is partially or completely blocked at some point.
The name of this letter is pronounced jota.
The Two Sounds of J
Pronunciation 1
In Latin America and parts of Spain, j sounds like the English h in here or history. Compare the pronunciation of the h in those two English words with the sound of j in Spanish words like jabón(soap), jefe(boss), or jirafa (giraffe). For this Spanish sound, please select the Latin American pronunciation option.
Linguists represent this sound, or phoneme, with the symbol /x/.
Tongue Position in Mouth
This first sound of the Spanish j is velar, which means it is pronounced by lifting the back of the tongue against the soft palate. There is always a narrow opening for the air to come out, resulting in an aspirated sound.
Remember that aspiration is the sound of air being exhaled after certain letters.
Additionally, the vocal cords do not vibrate when uttering this sound of j, so linguists classify it as voiceless, or sordain Spanish.
Where Can I Hear J Pronounced This Way?
This pronunciation of j is used throughout Latin America and the south of Spain, including Extremadura, Andalusia, and the Canary Islands.
Pronunciation 2
The second pronunciation of the letter j might sound strange to English speakers. That's because there isn’t a common similar sound in English, although it is very similar to the Scottish pronunciation of ch in the word loch, or to the German ch in nacht. Compare the pronunciation of the ch in loch and nacht with the sound of the j in joven(young), junio(June), or ajo(garlic). For this sound, please select the Spain pronunciation option.
Linguists represent this sound or phoneme with the symbol /χ/.
Tongue Position in Mouth
The second sound of the Spanish j is quite similar to Pronunciation 1, but it sounds stronger and more vibrant. This is because the tongue is placed further back and made to trill slightly against the soft palate.
Where Can I Hear J Pronounced This Way?
This pronunciation is a regional variant of Pronunciation 1. In parts of Spain—mostly in the central and northern regions—/χ/ is used instead of /x/, which is more common in the rest of the Spanish-speaking world.
The Letters J and G
The sounds of the letter j do not vary depending on the position of the letter in the word or syllable. The letter g is pronounced the same way, but only when it comes before the letter e, as in coger(to take), or before the letter i, as in gigante(giant).
So, How Do I Know When to Use J or G Before E or I?
It’s hard to predict when, but here’s a table with a few tips that will help you know when a word is written with a j before an e or an i:
Examples
Let’s look at some examples of words containing the letter j in different word positions and letter combinations. Please note that to hear the pronunciation types 1 or 2 you need to choose either the Latin American or Spain pronunciation options.
There are only a few Spanish words that end in j, and the letter is typically pronounced. However, in informal speech you may hear native speakers drop the j sound. This is the case with the word reloj, which is sometimes pronounced /reló/.
More G vs. J in Spanish
Now let's take a look at some sentences that contain g and j in Spanish!
Want to learn more about Spanish pronunciation? Check out the following articles!
• How to Pronounce the Letter "G" in Spanish
• How to Pronounce the Letter "J" in Spanish
• How to Pronounce "B" and "V" in Spanish
