SPANISH PRONUNCIATION AND ACCENT MARKS

Clyne 2012

PRONUNCIATION

Pronunciation is easy once you

memorize the rules…

1. If a word has an accent

mark, stress the marked vowel.

(So easy, right?)

PRONUNCIATION

2. If a word is not accented

with an accent mark, the

stress goes on the last

syllable, unless…

PRONUNCIATION

3. …the last letter of the word

is a vowel, n or s then the

stress goes on the second-to-last

syllable.

Most Spanish words end in a

vowel, n or s, so the stress will

normally be on the next-to-last

syllable.

Because Spanish has this rule,

you never have to guess how to

pronounce it!!

English poses several

problems…

ENGLISH!!!! AHHHHH!!

Think of the word: Convict

Think of the word : Read

Think of the word: Offence

Think of the word: Minute

Accent marks would be most

helpful!!

YOU DO THIS IN ENGLISH WITHOUT THINKING!

English is HARD

because it does not

have accents!

SPANISH ACCENT RULES

THERE ARE 3 BASIC RULES

RULE #1

If a word ends in –n, -s or a

vowel…

AND is stressed on the last

syllable, it needs an accent mark.

Limón=lemon

Jamón=ham

Jamás=never

Mamá=mom

Papá=dad

FOR EXAMPLE:

These words

all have 2

syllables but the

stress is on the

end.

Hablar=to speak

Pastel=cake

Reloj=watch

(wristwatch)

THESE DO NOT NEED AN ACCENT MARK…

The stress is on

the LAST syllable

BUT the words do

not end in –n, -s or

a vowel!

RULE #2

If a word is stressed on the

second-to-last syllable…

AND it does not end in –n, -s, or a

vowel, it needs an accent mark!!

HINT:

Rule #1 and #2 are

opposites…right?

Cárcel=jail

Difícil=difficult

Inútil=useless

Árbol=tree

FOR EXAMPLE:

TWO syllable words,

they end in consonants

other than –n or –s!

They are stressed on

the second-to-last

syllable

These words are

stressed in the

second syllable

BUT they end in a

vowel!

THESE WORDS DO NOT NEED ACCENT MARKS

tomate-

=tomato

Arte=art

Todo=everythi

ng

RULE #3

EVERY word stressed on

the third to last syllable

needs an accent mark.

FOR EXAMPLE:

Pájaro=bird

Brújula=compass

Propósito=purpose

Ópera=opera

EXCEPTIONS…OF COURSE:

Some words need accents to

have a different meaning…

You have bumped into several of

these already.

FOR EXAMPLE:

Tu=your

Tú=you

Si=if

Sí=yes

El=the

Él=he

ALSO…

Se, can be a reflexive pronoun

BUT sé means I know

AND sé can be ser in command form!!

Te, can be a reflexive pronoun

BUT té=tea

DON’T FORGET…

Papa=potato

Papá=dad

Pápa=the Pope

NOW LET’S PRACTICE!

Sofa

Tambien

Papa

Mesa

pajaro

ACCENT OR NO ACCENT?IF SO, WHERE?

Mujer

Reloj

Pescado

cancion

Sofá

También

Papá

Mesa

pájaro

ACCENT OR NO ACCENT?IF SO, WHERE?

Mujer

Reloj

Pescado

canción

DONE

Relax…not too bad, right?

It gets easier with

practice…