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Spanish is just about a perfect phonetic language. Unlike English, each letter is always pronounced exactly the same. So once you know the rules, it's pretty easy to get your pronounciation right. We don't have room to explain everything here, but you're way ahead if you know how to pronounce Spanish vowels and a few unusual consonants: a as in father Some oddities: g before e or i, like the h in hair, otherwise like the g in game h always silent j like the h in hair l like the l in like ll like the heavily stressed y in YES!, as when your team scores. Often, in México, ñ like the ny in canyon q always followed by ue or ui, the u is silent x as in exit except in words borrowed from the various Mexican Indian languages; for |
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Some common words and phrases |
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Adiós. |
ah-DYOHS |
Good-bye. |
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Buenos días. |
BWEHN-nohs DEE-ahs |
Good day. |
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Buenos tardes. |
BWEHN-nahs TAHR-dehs |
Good afternoon. |
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Buenos noches. |
BWEHN-nahs NOH-chehs |
Good evening/night. |
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¡Comer con gusto! |
koh-mehr kohn GOOS-toh |
Enjoy the meal! |
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¿Cómo está usted? |
KOH-moh ehs-TAH oos-TEHD |
How are you |
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Con gusto. |
kohn GOOS-toh |
With pleasure. |
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Creo que no. |
CREH-oh keh noh |
I don't think so. |
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Creo que sí. |
CREH-oh keh see |
I think so. |
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¿Dondé? |
DOHN-deh |
Where? |
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Es verdad. |
ehs vehr-DAHD |
True, that's right. |
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¡Felicitaciones! |
feh-lee-cee-tah-SYOHN-ehs |
Congratulations! |
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De nada. |
deh NAH-dah |
You're welcome. |
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Depende. |
deh-PEHN-deh |
That depends. |
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Hasta luego. |
AHS-tah LWEH-goh |
See you later. |
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¡Hola! |
OH-lah |
Hello/Hi! |
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La cuenta, por favor. |
lah KWEN-tah pohr fah-VOHR |
Could I have the bill please. |
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¡Mesero! |
Meh-SEH-roh |
Waiter! |
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¡Mesera! |
Meh-SEH-rah |
Waitress! |
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(Muchas) gracias. |
MOO-chas GRAH-syahs. |
Thank you (very much). |
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No. |
noh |
No. |
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No importa. |
noh eem-POHR-tah |
It doesn't matter. |
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No lo sé. |
noh loh seh |
I don't know. |
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No me molesta. |
noh meh moh-LES-teh |
I don't mind. |
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¡Pérdone! |
pehr-DOHN |
Excuse me! |
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Por favor. |
pohr fah-VOHR |
Please. |
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¿Qué? |
keh |
What? |
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¡Que tengas suerte! |
keh TEHN-gahs soo-EHR-teh |
Good luck! |
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Sí. |
see |
Yes. |
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Tengo mucho hambre. |
tehn-goh MOO-choh ahm-breh |
I am very hungry. |
Menu items |
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albondigas |
al-bon-di-gas |
a savory Mexican meatball soup |
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burrito |
boo-RREE-toh |
a wheat-flour (rather than corn) tortilla rolled like an egg roll and stuffed with meats, beans, cheese and other good things |
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carne |
KAHR-neh |
meat |
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chimichangas |
CHEE-mee-chahn-gahs |
an over-sized Burrito rolled and deep fried to a crisp golden brown |
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chile relleno |
chee-leh reh-YEH-no |
a large, very mild chilli pepper stuffed with cheese, surrounded in batter and deep fried |
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chorizo |
choh-REE-soh |
spicy-mild Mexican sausage |
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enchilada |
ehn-chee-LAH-dah |
a tortilla dipped in a chilli sauce then filled with meat or cheese, and rolled up |
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ensalada |
ehn-sah-LAH-dah |
salad |
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fajitas |
fuh-HEET-uhs |
literally a cut of meat (skirt steak); in usage: onions, peppers and meats sautéed and usually presented with cheese, beans, salsa, guacamole and tortillas |
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frijoles |
free-HOH-lehs |
beans |
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frito |
FREE-toh |
fried |
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guacamole |
gwahk-kah-MOH-leh |
pureed or mashed avocado seasoned with condiments such as tomatoes, onions and chilli |
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huevo |
WEH-voh |
egg |
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jalapeño |
hah-lah-PEH-nyoh |
a small, fat, green chilli pepper |
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jitomate |
hee-toh-MAH-teh |
tomato |
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leche |
LEH-cheh |
milk |
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limón |
lee-MOHN |
lime |
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maíz |
mah-EES |
dried corn |
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nachos |
NAH-chos |
crisp-fried tortilla chips topped with melted cheese and jalapeños |
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pan |
pahn |
bread |
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papa |
PAH-pah |
potato |
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pastel |
pahs-TEHL |
cake |
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pechuga |
peh-CHOO-gah |
chicken breast |
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picante |
pee-CAHN-the |
a red spicy sauce |
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pimienta |
pee-MYEHN-tah |
pepper |
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pollo |
POH-yoh |
chicken |
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postre |
POHS-treh |
dessert |
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puchero |
poo-CHERH-roh |
stew |
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puerco |
PWEHR-koh |
pork |
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quesadilla |
keh-sah-DEE-yah |
a toasted tortilla with melted cheese and an assortment of other ingredients, like chicken or beef, mushrooms, olives, tomatoes and onions |
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queso |
KEH-soh |
cheese |
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ranchero |
rahn-CHEH-roh |
country style or of the ranch |
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relleno |
reh-YEH-no |
stuffing |
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sal |
sahl |
salt |
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salsa |
SAHL-sah |
salsa means sauce in Spanish; usually made with chopped tomatoes, onions and chilli |
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taco |
TAH-koh |
corn tortilla fried, folded and loaded with assorted ingredients |
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tamale |
tah-MAHL-ay |
traditionally ground meat, usually seasoned with chilli, rolled in cornmeal dough, wrapped in corn husks and steamed |
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taquito |
tah-KEE-toh |
a small corn tortilla which may be filled with cheese, ground meat, shredded meat, vegetables or other similar foods before being rolled into a long, narrow log shape |
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tortilla |
tohr-TEE-yah |
a very thin, pancake-type bread |
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tostada |
tohs-TAH-dah |
a corn tortilla, open-faced and layered with refried beans, beef or chicken, shredded cheddar, fresh lettuce, tomatoes and green onions |
In the bar |
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blanco |
BLAHN-koh |
white |
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cantina |
kahn-TEE-nah |
bar |
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cerveza |
serv-AY-suh |
beer |
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rojo |
ROH-hoh |
red |
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¡Salud! |
sah-LOOD |
Cheers! |
|
vino |
VEE-noh |
wine |
Buckin' Membership • Spanish Phrases & Pronunciation • Your Hosts