Pronouncing Spanish Vowel Combinations (Diphthongs/Hiatus)

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Pronouncing Vowel Pronouncing Vowel CombinationsCombinationsOne syllable or two…?One syllable or two…?


Vowels in SpanishVowels in Spanish‘‘Strong’ VowelsStrong’ Vowels

A E OA E O

‘‘Weak’ VowelsWeak’ VowelsI UI U


Hiatus – As 2 Separate SyllablesHiatus – As 2 Separate SyllablesTwo consecutive ‘strong’ vowelsTwo consecutive ‘strong’ vowels

AA E OE O

PPOEOEMAMA PO-E-MAPO-E-MA

EMPLEMPLEAEADODO EM-PLE-A-DOEM-PLE-A-DO

TRTRAEAERR TRA-ERTRA-ER

EUROPEUROPEOEO EU-RO-PE-OEU-RO-PE-O


Diphthong – As single syllableDiphthong – As single syllableCombination of a ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ Combination of a ‘strong’ and ‘weak’

vowel or two consecutive ‘weak’ vowel or two consecutive ‘weak’ vowelsvowels

IDIDIOIOMAMA I-DIO-MAI-DIO-MA

FARMACFARMACIAIA FAR-MA-CIAFAR-MA-CIA

CCIUIUDADDAD CIU-DADCIU-DAD

CCUIUIDADODADO CUI-DA-DOCUI-DA-DO

PPAUAUTATA PAU-TAPAU-TA

GGUAUAPOPO GUA-POGUA-PO

BBUEUENONO BUE-NOBUE-NO


Exceptions Exceptions A written accent is used to indicate that A written accent is used to indicate that

a ‘weak’ vowel is separated in certain a ‘weak’ vowel is separated in certain wordswords

TTÍOÍO TÍ-OTÍ-O

POLICPOLICÍAÍA PO-LI-CÍ-APO-LI-CÍ-A

CCAÍAÍDADA CA-Í-DACA-Í-DA

RREÍEÍRR RE-ÍRRE-ÍR

MMIÉIÉRCOLESRCOLES MI-ÉR-CO-LESMI-ÉR-CO-LES

CONTINÚOCONTINÚO CON-TI-NÚ-OCON-TI-NÚ-O

One Syllable or Two…?One Syllable or Two…?Try to pronounce the vowel combinations Try to pronounce the vowel combinations

in the following words correctly:in the following words correctly:

VVIAIAJEJE VVUEUELVOLVO

AGAGUAUA AIAIRERE

TUTTUTEAEARR DDÍAÍA

JJUEUEGOGO CONTRCONTRAEAERR

HERHEROÍOÍNANA DDEUEUDADA

PPIEIENSONSO BARBACBARBACOAOA

PPEOEORR CCAUAUSA SA

AÚAÚNN AUAUNQUENQUE


Education

Pronouncing Spanish Vowel Combinations (Diphthongs/Hiatus)