Explanation
Written Vowels vs. Vowel Sounds
In Spanish, each written vowel corresponds to a single vowel sound, called a phoneme (fonema) by linguists. There are five vowels in Spanish: a, e, i, o, u.
Although y is considered a consonant, it has the same sound as i in certain words and positions, such as in hoy(today).
Remember that the h is almost always silent in Spanish, so it does not make any sound in the word hoy above.
How to Pronounce "A" in Spanish
The letter a represents the Spanish vowel sound or phoneme /a/. To properly pronounce the vowel a in Spanish, you should have your mouth wide open; that’s why linguists classify it as abierta(open). Additionally, your tongue should stay in the center of your mouth, neither close to your hard palate or your soft palate; that’s why linguists say this vowel is central(central). Check it out in these words: amigo(friend), aire(air), mar(sea), día(day), luna(moon).
So, It's Like the English “A”, Right?
Well, yes and no. It’s quite similar to the a in words like large if we’re talking about how your mouth and your tongue are positioned. Check it out in the similar Spanish word largo(long). But, as you may have noticed, this English a tends to be a lot longer than the Spanish. The duration of a Spanish a is very short.
Let’s look at some examples of words containing the letter a in different word positions and in a selection of vowel combinations.
One Letter, One Sound
The pronunciation of the letter a varies very little throughout the Hispanic world, so there shouldn’t be much difference between the way mamá (mom) sounds in Panama City, Montevideo, or Barcelona.
And It’s A Word Too!
Finally, be prepared to find a regularly in speech and written texts as a word in its own right, not as part of other words. That’s because it is a very common preposition that, among many other uses, can indicate place or direction, as in irse a la cama(to go to bed) or introduce direct and indirect objects, as in las oigo a ellas (I can hear them).
Want to learn more about Spanish pronunciation? Check out the following articles!
• SPA, IPA, and ABC Pronunciation
• Spanish Alphabet Pronunciation
• Spanish Diphthongs and Triphthongs
• How to Pronounce "B" and "V" in Spanish
• How to Pronounce "C" and "Z" in Spanish
