059 - Chart Sounds English and Spanish

1 Prof.
Francisco Zabala 2012
Comparison between the English and Spanish Consonants

The following list will help you compare the sounds of English and Spanish. This is useful because we,
Spanish-speakers, tend to transfer our pronunciation habits into our spoken English. The phonemes are
listed according to the English system, which is the content of this course.
Voiceless Plosives:
The greatest difficulties in this group are:
1. The aspiration of syllable-initial, stressed .o+ s+ j. when a vowel follows.
2. The devoicing and fricativation effect of stressed .o+ s+ j. on a following .k+ q+ v+ i..
3. The absence of word-final .o+ s+ j. in Spanish.
4. The different place of articulation of .s.+ which is dental Zs\ in Spanish but alveolar Zs\ in English.
VOICELESS PLOSIVES
Phoneme English Spanish
Phonemic status: Phonemic Phonemic status: Phonemic
Description: fortis bilabial voiceless plosive
Zo\
Distribution: full Distribution: restricted (not word final)
Pen appeal up. Pan Copa
Main allophones: Main allophones:
Fully aspirated in stressed syllable-initial Theres no aspiration in Spanish.
position when a vowel follows.
pass Z!o@9r\ impose ZHl!o?Ty\
Its full aspiration turns a following
.k+ q+ v+ i. into a voiceless fricative
ZJ+ + V+ B\
please Z!oJh9y\ prayZ!odH\ pukeZ!oBt9j\
Unaspirated after .r.- Unaspirated in all contexts.
.o. spin Z!ro=Hm\ disposeZcH!ro=?Ty\
No audible-release in stop clusters and
(English pan Z!ozm\ Vs. Spanish pan Z!o=`m\)
No audible-release in stop clusters.
probably before silence. apto Z!òsn\ capta Z!jòs`\
apt Z!zos\ jumped Z!cYUlos\
rap Z!zo{{\
Glottal reinforcement. Theres no glottal reinforcement or
Loop Z!kt9>o\ replacement in Spanish.
Glottal replacement.
Soap powder Z!r?T> !o`Tc?\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <p, pp> ripe, upper
Tip: Make sure you aspirate it fully when needed. Think about the devoicing effect it has on
.k+ q+ v+ i..
Rating: Difficult.
2 Prof. Francisco Zabala 2012
VOICELESS PLOSIVES
Description: fortis alveolar voiceless plosive Description: fortis dental voiceless plosive
Zs\ Zs\
Teen Install Goat. Tez Gata
tall Z!sN9k\ canteen Zjzm!sh9m\
.q+ v+ i. into a voiceless fricative Z+ V+ B\
twin Z!sVHm\ trod Z!sPc\ tube Z!sBt9a\
Unaspirated after .r.- Unaspirated in all contexts.
.s. (English tan Z!szm\ Vs. Spanish tan Z!s=`m\)

= =
stood Z!rs Tc\ mistakeZlH!rs dHj\
probably before silence.
at times Z?s !s`Hly\ plait Zokzs{{\
great jeep Z!fqdHs !cYh9o\
fat Z!ez>s\ replacement in Spanish.
Sit down Z!rH> !c`Tm\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <t, tt> tart, matter. Few exceptions (e.g.
Anthony, Theresa, Thames, Tompson, etc.)
Tip: Remember that Spanish .s. has a different place of articulation. Make sure you aspirate
it fully when needed. Think about the devoicing effect it has on .k+ q+ v+ i..
Rating: Very difficult.
VOICELESS PLOSIVES
Description: fortis velar voiceless plosive
Zj\
Kill accuse rock. Caso pacto
king Z!jHM\ record Zq?!jN9c\
.k+ q+ v+ i. into a voiceless fricative
ZJ+ + V+ B\
clown Z!jJ`Tm\ Christ Z!j`Hrs\
cuteZ!jBt9s\ quick Z!jVHj\
.j. Unaspirated after .r.-

school Z!rj=t9k\ unskilled Z$Um!rj=Hkc\
Unaspirated in all contexts.
(English can Z!jzm\ Vs. Spanish can Z!j=`m\)
No audible-release in stop clusters.
probably before silence. acto Z!`jsn\ cactus Z!j`jstr\
act Z!zjs\ cooked Z!jTjs\
flock Z!ekPj{{\
luck Z!kU>j\ replacement in Spanish.
Rock concert Z!qP> $jPmr?s\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. Mainly <c, k, ck, qu, ch> come, kick,
quest, architect.
Tip: Make sure you aspirate it fully when needed. Think about the devoicing effect it has on
.k+ q+ v+ i..
Rating: Difficult.
Voiced Plosives:
1. Spanish .a+ c+ f. are realized as approximant in most phonetic environments.
2. The infrequent occurrence of word-final .a+ c. in Spanish.
3. The different place of articulation of .c.+ which is dental Zc\ in Spanish but alveolar Zc\ in
English.
VOICELESS PLOSIVES
Description: lenis bilabial voiced plosive Description: lenis bilabial voiced
approximant
Za\ ZA\
Distribution: full Distribution: full (final only in loan words)
boot abound pub. van rabo club
In rapid or casual speech it can be It is mostly an approximant sound. It
weakened to a lenis bilabial fricative. becomes a plosive after a nasal sound and
Foreigners shouldnt attempt this. sometimes after silence.
about Z?!A`Ts\ lobby Z!kPAh\ Plosive Za\:
Fully voiced especially between voiced Ben Z!adm\ viento Z!aidmsn\
sounds ambos Z!`lanr\ en Brasil Zdl a3`!rhk\
about Z?!a`Ts\ Cambridge Z!jdHlaHcY\ un vino Ztl !ahmn\
Partially or fully devoiced before silence
.a. or a voiceless sound
Gibson Z!fHarm\ grab two Z!fza !st9\
Approximant ZA\:
avin Z`!Ainm\ ubico Zt!Ahjn\
pub Z!oUa{{\ albino Z`k!Ahmn\ rbol Z!`3Ank\
Labiodental Za\ before .e+ u+ o+ a+ E.
obvious Z!Pauh?r\ Rob Finch Z!Pa eHmsR\
No audible-release in stop clusters and No audible-release in stop clusters (if the
probably before silence. speaker makes it plosive in self-conscious
clubbed Z!jkUac\ cab Z!jza{{\ speech)
lab practice Z!kza $ozjsHr\ obtenga Zna!sdMf` ~ nA!sdMf`\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <b, bb> Bobby.
Tip: Make sure you always realize it as a plosive sound. Focus on producing a complete
closure by pressing your lips. Remember to distinguish between English .a. and .u.- In
Spanish, letters <v> and <b> are pronounced ZA ~ a\
Rating: Difficult.
VOICELESS PLOSIVES
Description: lenis alveolar voiced plosive Description: lenis dental voiced
approximant
Zc\ ZC\
Distribution: full Distribution: full (final only in few words in
gland India blood. self-conscious speech)
dan radio juventud
weakened to a lenis dental fricative. becomes a plosive after a nasal or lateral
Foreigners shouldnt attempt this. sound. Sometimes it is plosive after silence.
muddy Z!lUyh\ Adam Z!zy?l\ Plosive Zc\:
Fully voiced especially between voiced den Z!cdm\ duende Z!cvdmcd\
sounds Andes Z!`mcdr\ un da Ztm !ch`\
adore Z?!cN9\ London Z!kUmc?m\ Aldo Z!`kcn\ del dato Zcdk !c`sn\
Partially or fully devoiced before silence
or a voiceless sound Approximant ZC\:
.c. sandstone Z!rzmcrs?Tm\ toad Z!s?Tc{{\
bed time Z!adcs`Hl\
adhiero Z`!Cid3n\ nudo Z!mtCn\
audaz Z`v!C`r\ Abdul ZÀ!Ctk\
Labiodental Za\ before .e+ u+ o+ a+ E. Approximant ZC\ or zero:

advice Z?a!u`Hr\ godfather Z!fPae@9C?\ ciudad Zrit!C`'C(\ usted Ztg!sd'C(\
bedclothes Z!adcjk?TCy\ mad Z!lzc{{\ speech)
adquiere Z`c!jid3d ~ `C!jid3d\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <d, dd> Daddy.
closure by pressing the tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge. Remember to
distinguish between English .C. and .c.- In Spanish, letter <d> can be ZC ~ c\. This means
that it is always pronounced at a different place of articulation (i.e. dental) and is
sometimes an approximant.
Rating: Very difficult.
VOICELESS PLOSIVES
Description: lenis velar voiced plosive Description: lenis velar voiced approximant
Zf\ Z\
Distribution: full Distribution: restricted (not word-final)
goose ago fog gas ruego
weakened to a lenis bilabial fricative. becomes a plosive after a nasal sound and
Foreigners shouldnt attempt this. sometimes after silence.
ago Z?!F?T\ logging Z!kPFHM\ Plosive Zf\:
Fully voiced especially between voiced gol Z!fnk\ grasa Z!f3`r`\
sounds ngulo Z!`Mftkn\ en Ginea ZdM fh!md`\
ago Z?!f?T\ English Z!HMfkHR\
Partially or fully devoiced before silence Approximant Z\:
.f. or a voiceless sound
drugstore Z!cUfrsN9\ big sum Z!aHf !rUl\
agudo Z`!tCn\ algo Z`k!n\
rasguo Zq`r!tIn\
Greg Z!fdf{{\

clogged Z!jkPfc\ drag Z!czf{{\ speech)
log cabin Z!kPf !jzaHm\ Magdalena Zl`fc`!kdm` ~ l`c`!kdm`\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <g, gg> go, beggar.
closure by pressing the back of the tongue against the soft palate. Remember that <g> is
silent in the ending <-ng> .M. and <-gn> .m.. Compare: sing .rHM. sign .r`Hm.-
Rating: Difficult.
Affricates:
1. Although .sR. exists in Spanish in words like chancho, this sound is shorter in the River Plate area.
Some River Plate speakers tend to produce a weak .R. element, so their .sR. phoneme becomes
ZsR\, which sounds like a fully affricated .s. (=Zsr\) to an English ear. Tip: Can you show a
distinction between two and chew? If you cant, you should aim at an extra long fricative
element, i.e. aim at ZsRRR\.
2. Most River Plate Spanish speakers do not have a .cY. sound. The same problem mentioned
above affects the realization of English .cY. in their speech. Make sure your .cY. does not sound
like ZcY\, which the English ear takes as Zcy\. Tip: Can you show a distinction between dust and
just? If you cant, you should aim at an extra long fricative element, i.e. aim at ZcYYY\.
3. In Spanish, we simplify consonant-clusters, especially those at the end of words. Make sure you
articulate both instances of .sR. and .cY. in phrases such as these:
a. .sR. + .sR.: much cheaper .!lUsR !sRh9o?. not *.!lU !sRh9o?.-
b. .sR. + .cY.: Mitch Jones .!lHsR !cY?Tmy. not *.!lH !cY?Tmy .-
c. .cY. + .cY.: village judge .!uHkHcY !cYUcY. not *.!uHkH !cYUcY ..
d. .cY. + .sR.: large jeep .!k@9cY !cYh9o. not *.!k@9 !cYh9o ..
AFFRICATES
Description: fortis palato-alveolar voiceless affricate
ZsR\
chain Inches beach Chile macho
.sR. teach Z!sh9>sR\

teach Z!sh9>R\
replacement in Spanish.
Spelling and distribution: Pretty straightforward rules. <ch, tch, ti, tu, c> chain, watch,
question, actual, cello.
Tip: Remember to keep a long period of friction. Aim at ZsRRR\ to produce a proper .sR..
Avoid ZsR\
Rating: Not difficult.
AFFRICATES
Phonemic status: Phonemic Phonemic status: Allophonic. Not frequent.
Description: lenis palato-alveolar voiced affricate
ZcY\
Jane engine manage Yo inyeccin
Fully voiced when surrounded by voiced This is an allophone of .R.. Some upper
sounds: class people use if after silence or after a
Bridget Z!aHcYHs\ manage it Z!lzmHcY Hs\ nasal.
Yo Z{{ cYn\. Cnyuge Z!jnmcYtwd\.
.cY. Full or partial devoicing before voiceless
sounds or silence.
Sponge. ZroUmcY\
George Smith Z!cYN9cY !rlHS\
Spelling and distribution: Pretty straightforward rules. <j, g, dge, ge, di, dj> judge, bridge,
George, soldier, adjunct.
Tip: Remember to keep a long period of friction. Aim at ZcYYY\ to produce a proper .cY..
Avoid ZcY\- Do not confuse .cY. with .R..
Rating: Extremely difficult.
Fricatives:
1. Spanish does not exploit fricatives as much as English. English has 9 fricative phonemes
.e+ u+ S+ C+ r+ y+ R+ Y+ g. while Spanish has only .e+ r+ R+ w..
2. Unlike English, Spanish does not allow certain consonants to occur in syllable final position.
Spanish speakers who learn English tend to simplify final consonant clusters in un-English ways.
E.g.: laughs .k@9er., lives .kHuy., myths .lHSr., etc.
3. River Plate Spanish systematically aspirates .r. (i.e. .r. becomes Zg\) when it is followed by a
consonant. This is a serious mistake in English, since final .r. is loaded with a lot of information: it
indicates plural nouns, nouns in the genitive and the verb inflection for the third person singular
in the simple present tense. Compare: mismo Z!lhgln\ vs mystery Z!lHrsqh\; mis perros
Z!lHg !oDqnr\ vs Miss Perry Z!lHr !odqh\.
FRICATIVES
Description: fortis labio-dental voiceless fricative
Ze\
Distribution: full Distribution: restricted (not word-final)
faint refuse sniff fe afuera
Main allophones:
.e. This sound does not present any major allophones.

Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <f, ff, ph, gh, fe> foam, fluff, graphic,
laugh, life.
Tip: In Spanish this sound is not found in final position. This means that sometimes,
learners of English drop it when it is not possible: E.g. life problems .!k`He oqPak?ly. (not *
.!k`H oqPak?ly.). Also, it seems to be articulated in a stronger manner in English.
Rating: Easy. Problematic in word final position, though.
FRICATIVES
Phonemic status: Phonemic Phonemic status: Allophonic
Description: lenis labio-dental voiced fricative
Zu\
Distribution: full Distribution: exceptional cases where .e. is
vice convey - live voiced
Dafne
Fully voiced when surrounded by voiced This sound is not a phoneme in Spanish. It
sounds: can be heard under two circumstances,
Evening Z!h9umHM\ love them Z!kUu Cl\ though:
.u. In the speech of people who
Full or partial devoicing before voiceless labiodentalize because they have protruding
sounds or silence. teeth. E.g.: Mi beb ZEh ud!ud\
Five. Ze`Hu{{\
Live concert Z!k`Hu !jPmr?s\ Some speakers voice /f/ when surrounded
by voiced sounds: Dafne Z!cùmd\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <v, vv, ve> vile, savvy, Clive.
Tip: Produce a .e. sound and add voice to it. Always remember to bite your lower lip, but
not too strongly. A feeble contact will produce greater friction.
Rating: Very difficult. Students find it hard to articulate and also they forget to distinguish
.a. from .u.-
FRICATIVES
Phonemic status: Phonemic Phonemic status: Phonemic in Castillian.
Non-existent in River Plate Spanish (lisp).
Description: fortis labio-dental voiceless fricative
ZS\
Distribution: full Distribution: full
three enthusiasm bath zorra cancin - voraz
.S.
Main allophones:
This sound does not present any major allophones.
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <th> think, enthral, through.
Tip: Make sure you do not confuse .S. with .r.. The word something .!rUlSHM. typically
presents difficulties, because River Plate Spanish speakers tend to confuse these
phonemes. In clusters, go slowly: This theory .CHr !SH?qh., Maths .!lzSr..
Rating: Difficult, especially in clusters.
FRICATIVES
Phonemic status: Phonemic Phonemic status: Allophone of .c.
Description: lenis dental voiced fricative Description: lenis dental voiced approximant
ZC\ ZC\
Distribution: full Distribution: full (final only in few words in
vice convey - live self-conscious speech)
dan radio juventud
Fully voiced when surrounded by voiced This sound is not a phoneme in Spanish. It is
sounds: the most frequent realization of .c. in all
either Z!`HC?\ love them Z!kUu Cl\ contexts except in the clusters Zmc\ and [kc\,
.C. Full or partial devoicing before voiceless
or after silence.
adhiero Z`!Cid3n\ nudo Z!mtCn\
sounds or silence. audaz Z`v!C`r\ Abdul ZÀ!Ctk\
Breathe. Zah9C{{\
With care Z!vHC !jd?\ Approximant ZC\ or zero:
ciudad Zrit!C`'C(\ usted Ztg!sd'C(\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <th, the> they, blithe.
Tip: Remember that when you see <th> in the spelling, you should stick your tongue out
and produce lots of friction.
Rating: Very difficult. Students find it hard to articulate it with friction, because it is an
approximant in Spanish. Also they forget to distinguish .C. from .c.-
FRICATIVES
Description: fortis alveolar voiceless fricative
Zr\
son oyster price sal cancin - voraz
This sound does not present any major This sound is the one that shows the greatest
allophones. variability in River Plate Spanish.
It is Zr\ before vowels, semivowels and
silence
SusanaZrt!r`m`\ siempre Z!ridlo3d\
sueo Z!rvdIn\ dos Zcnr\

It is aspirated, i.e. it becomes Zg\ before
consonants.
a. It can be either Zg\ or Z\ before .a+ c+ f.
esboza Zdg!Anr`+ d!Anr` \
desde Z!cdgCd+ !cdCd\
esgrima Zdg!3hl`+ d!3hl`\
.r. b. It can be either Zg\ or ZR\ before .R.

los llevo Zkng !RdAn+ knR !RdAn\
c. It can be either Zg\ or assimilated before

.r+ w+ e.
los sobres Zkng !rnA3dr+ knr !rnA3dr\
los jarros Zkng !w`qnr+ knw !w`qnr\
fsforo Z!engen3n+ !engen3n\
d. It can be either It can be either Zg\ or Zw\

before .j.
asco Z!`gjn+ !`wjn\
e. The sequence .hr. can be either Zhg\ or

ZhB\ before a consonant
misterio Zlhg!sd3in+ lhB!sd3in\
Spelling and distribution: There are some rules, but the spellings <s, ss, se> can also be
.y.. <s, ss, c, sc, se> some, miss, ceiling, science, tense.
Tip: Make sure you neither drop nor aspirate pre-consonantal .r. in English.
Rating: Very difficult. Students tend to confuse .r. with .y., aspirate it or drop it.
FRICATIVES
Phonemic status: Phonemic Phonemic status: Allophonic (not in Riv. Pl.)
Description: lenis alveolar voiced fricative Zy\
Distribution: full Distribution: restricted (before voiced
zoo easy because consonants)
desde los guantes
Fully voiced when surrounded by voiced This sound is not a phoneme in Spanish. It
sounds: can be heard in many varieties of Spanish
crazy Z!jdHyh\ as though Z?y !C?T\ before voiced consonants. In the River Plate
.y. Full or partial devoicing before voiceless .r..
area, we do not use Zy\ because we aspirate
sounds or silence. Desde Z!cdyCd\

Please. Zokh9y{{\ Musgo Z!ltyn\
These shows Z!Ch9y !R?Ty{{\ Los lados Zkny !k`Cnr\
Spelling and distribution: There are some rules, but the spellings <s, se, ss> can also
represent .r.. <z, zz, ze, s, se, ss> zinc, buzz, craze, easy, ease, scissors.
Tip: Do not aspirate .y..
Rating: Very difficult. Students sometimes find it hard to articulate and also they forget to
distinguish .y. from .r.-
FRICATIVES
Description: fortis palatoalveolar voiceless fricative
ZR\
Distribution: full Distribution: restricted (not final)
she mission fish yendo calle
This sound does not present any major Traditionally, this sound used to be
allophones. voiced, i.e. ZY\. However, ZR\ is found in the
.R. speech of most middle and working class

people, and some upper-class speakers too.
The elderly of all classes tend to keep ZY\.
Some upper-class people also use ZcY\
after silence or a nasal.
Yo Z{{cYn\ en llamas Zdm !cY`l`r\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <sh, ch, sch, sc, ti, ci, s> shame, chef,
schedule, nation, excruciate, sure.
Tip: Make sure you neither drop it in clusters.
Rating: Relatively easy.
FRICATIVES
Description: lenis palato-alveolar voiced fricative
ZY\
Distribution: full Distribution: restricted (not final)
genre usual garage Yendo calle
Fully voiced when surrounded by voiced This sound is found in the speech of the
sounds: elderly or in the upper-classes.
usual Z!it9Yt?k\
.Y. Full or partial devoicing before voiceless
Yendo Z!Ydmcn\ calle Z!j`Yd\
sounds or silence.
garage. Z!fz@9Y{{\
beige paint Z!adHY !odHms\
Spelling and distribution: This is a sound found mostly in foreign words. <si, su, ge>
vision, usual, genre.
Tip: Make sure you can contrast .Y. with .R..
Rating: This does not seem to be very difficult, it is of infrequent occurrence.
FRICATIVES
.w.- 'Allophonic Zg\ can stand for pre-
consonantal .r., see above).
Description: voiceless glottal fricative Description: fortis velar voiceless fricative
Zg\ Zw\
Distribution: restricted (not final) Distribution: full
ham - behind Juan ajo - reloj
.g. Zg\ is voiceless provided it is not

intervocalic
here ZgH?\ at homeZ?s !g?Tl\
Zw\ is found especially in the vicinity of
back vowels, i.e. .n+ t. and .`..
jarro Z!w`qn\ ojo Z!nwn\ lujo Z!ktwn\
Voiced Z\ occurs in intervocalic position ZB\ can be found in the vicinity of front
ahead Z?!dc\ vowels, i.e. .d+ h.-
fije Z!ehBd\ elegir Zdkd!Bh3\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <h, wh> here, who.
Tip: Make sure you do not use Spanish .w. instead of English .g..
Rating: Difficult for some speakers who tend to produce .w. or .W..
Nasals:
1. The occurrence of pre-vocalic .M..
2. The production of final .m+ l., which is neutralized in Spanish: e.g. Miriam, Mirian.
NASALS
Description: voiced velar nasal
ZM\
Distribution: restricted (not initial) Distribution: restricted (medial, before
anger - sing .j+ f.)
hongo - banco
This sound does not present major This sound is an allophone of .m.. It occurs
allophones. in the clusters ZMj+ Mf\
.M. tanque Z!s`Mjd\ - tanga Z!s`Mf`\

This allophone can occur when /n/ is in
final position.
bien Z!aidm+ !aidM+ !aidl\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <ng> or <n> when followed by <k, g>
ring, longer, monkey
Tip: Make sure you do not change the point of articulation of prevocalic .M. to an alveolar
Zm\.
Rating: Very difficult when followed by a vowel.
NASALS
Description: voiced bilabial nasal
Zl\
Distribution: full Distribution: full (final in foreign words)
mist amend - whim mal amo - Miriam
This sound can become labiodental This sound may become .m. when it is
.l. before .e+ u.

comfort Z!jUEe?s\
word-final
Miriam Z!lh3i`l+ !lh3i`m\
Sam Vince Z!rzE !uHmr\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <m, mm, me, mb, mn> man, mummy,
come, bomb, hymn.
Tip: Make sure you do not change the point of articulation of final .l.. E.g. Where are you
from? Z!vd? ? it !ePl\ not *Z!vd? ? it !ePm\
Rating: Easy, except for some speakers when it is in final position
NASALS
Description: voiced alveolar nasal
Zm\
net annoy - seen no andes - san
This sound can become labiodental This sound can become labiodental ZE\
ZE\ before .e+ u. before .e.
inflame ZHE!ekdHl\ infame ZHE!e`ld\
inventory Z!HEu?msh\
This sound becomes dental Zm\ before
dental Zs+ c\
ando Z!`mcn\ - canto Z!j`msn\
.m.
This sound becomes bilabial .l. before
.o+ a+ l.
amplio Z!`lokin\ - en Brasil Zdl !a3`rhk\

This sound becomes velar ZM\ before
.j+ f.
hongo Z!nMfn\ - manco Z!l`Mjn\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <n, nn, ne, gn> no, beginning, wine, reign
Tip: Make sure you do not change the point of articulation of final .m. unless it can be
assimilated phonemically or allophonically. E.g.: seen Zrh9m\ not *Zrh9l+ rh9M\.
Rating: Easy, except for some speakers when it is in final position
Lateral:
The greatest difficulties in here are:
1. The occurrence of dark or velarized Z4\ in English.
2. The devoicing effect of stressed .o+ s+ j. on .k., which also makes it fricative ZJ\.
LATERAL APPROXIMANT
Description: voiced alveolar lateral approximant
Zk\
loot gloomy - stool lazo ala - sal
This sound is clear when followed by a .k. is always clear Zk\.
vowel or .i. Loco Z!knjn\ alma Z!`kl`\ sol Zrnk\
Late ZkdHs\ William Z!vHki?l\
.k. can be dentalized Zk\ before Zs+ c\.
A velarized Z4\ is used before consonants, alto Z!`ksn\ falda Z!e`kc`\
silence and .v..
held Zgd4c\ always Z!N94vdHy\ full ZeT4\
A fully voiceless and fricative ZJ\ is used
.k. after stressed .o+ s+ j.. This is the result of

the aspiration of these voiceless plosives.
Clear ZjJH?\ apply Z?oJ`H\
A partially devoiced Zk\ is used after

unstressed .o+ s+ j. the sequences
.ro+ rs+ rj. and after .e+ r..
Deeply Z!ch9okh\ Aptly Z!zoskh\
Buckle Z!aUjk\
Mostly Z!l?Trskh\ Exclaim ZHj!rjkdHl\
Splash ZrokzR\
Fly Zek`H\ Sly Zrk`H\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <l, ll, le> lice, hilly, vile.
Tip: Try to blow a lot of air when you produce ZJ\- If you find it difficult to produce a
velarized Z4\ you can vocalize it and produce Zn+ T\. Compare: table Z!sdHan\, peopleZ!oh9on\
Rating: Clear .k. is easy. Dark .k. is harder for some people. ZJ\ is difficult.
Approximant /r/:
1. The fact that RP English is non-rhotic, so /r/ is not pronounced before silence or consonants.
2. The devoicing effect of stressed .o+ s+ j. on .q., which also makes it fricative Z\.
approximant /r/
Description: voiced post-alveolar Description: There are two phonemes in
approximant Spanish: a) the voiced alveolar trill or roll
Z\ .q. in rey .qdh., perro.!odqn..
b) the voiced alveolar tap .3. or in trazo
.!s3`rn., pero .!od3n..
Distribution: restricted (not final) Distribution:
room marry a. .q. is restricted (not final)
red carro
b. .3. is restricted (not initial)

aro amor

Unless followed by .o+ s+ j+ c., this is a .3. may have different qualities, the tap
voiced post-alveolar approximant Z\ being the most frequent one. An
green Zfh9m\ road Z?Tc\ approximant Z\ softer than the English
variant can be heard, especially in the speech
.q. A fully voiceless and fricative Z\ is used

after stressed .o+ s+ j.. This is the result of
of the young, especially before consonants.
Irma Z!h3l`+ !hl`\
the aspiration of these voiceless plosives. ir bien Zh3 !Aidm+ h !Aidm \
Cream Zjh9l\ price Zo`Hr\
Attract Z?!szjs\ There seems to be a neutralization in final
position. Some speakers use Zq\ while others
A voiced fricative Z\ is used after .c. use Z3\or Z\.
Dry Z!c`H\ Children Z!sRHkcm\ amar Z`!l`3+ `!l`+ `!l`q\
vivir Zah!Ah3{{ ah!Ah{{ ah!Ahq\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <r, rr, wr, rh> red, marry, wrist, rhetoric.
Tip: Make sure you do not touch your palate, which is what we do in Spanish (once for
.3. and many times for .q.). Also, you should be able to produce both fricatives variants, the
voiced Zc\ and voiceless Zo+ s+ j\.
Rating: Very difficult. Some speakers have trouble even in Spanish and they substitute
.q. for ZQ\ and .3. for ZC\ among other possibilities. Some people tend to use the Spanish
trill or tap in English. Most learners, however, are able to use the approximant variant Z\
without problems. The sounds that are more problematic are the fricative variants,
especially in the combination Zc\-
Semivowels:
1. Not be tempted to pronounce ZR\ instead of Zi\ in words such as yes, mayor, York.
2. The devoicing effect of stressed .o+ s+ j. on .i+ v., which also makes them fricative ZB+ V\.
3. The distribution of these sounds when they are not evident in the spelling. E.g.: hue, quite.
SEMIVOWEL
Description: voiced palatal approximant
Zi\
Distribution: restricted (followed by Distribution: restricted (followed by vowels,
vowels, so it cannot be final) so it cannot be final)
you avenue hierve cielo
This sound is fully voiced unless it is There are no major allophonic variants in
preceded by a voiceless consonant, River Plate Spanish.
especially .g+ o+ s+ j.
yellow Z!idk?T\ William Z!vHki?l\
A fully voiceless and fricative ZB\ is used

the aspiration of these voiceless plosives.
cute ZjBt9s\ tube ZsBt9a\
computer Zj?l!oBt9s?\
.i. A fully voiceless and fricative ZB\ results

after the merging of the sequence .gi.-
Hugh ZBt9\ human Z!Bt9l?m\
A partially devoiced Zi\ is used after

.ro+ rs+ rj. and after .e+ r..
copular Z!jPoi?k?\ attitude Z!zsHsit9c\
accurate Z!zji??s\
stew Z!rsit9\ excuse ZHj!rjit9r\
dispute ZcH!roit9s\
few Zeit9\ consume Zj?m!rit9l\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <y, u, eau> you, universe, beautiful.
Tip: Try to blow a lot of air when you produce ZB\- This sound is present in Spanish as an
allophone of .r. in words such as misterio ZlhB!sd3in\.
Rating: The voiced variant Zi\ is easy. However, ZB\ is difficult.
SEMIVOWEL
Description: voiced labio-velar approximant
Zv\
Distribution: restricted (followed by Distribution: restricted (followed by vowels,
vowels, so it cannot be final) so it cannot be final)
when always huebo risueo
This sound is fully voiced unless it is There are no major allophonic variants in
preceded by a voiceless consonant, River Plate Spanish.
especially .o+ s+ j.
Walter Z!vPks?\ rewind Z$h9!v`Hmc\
A fully voiceless and fricative ZV\ is used

.v. the aspiration of these voiceless plosives.

quick ZjVHj\ Dupuytren ZcT!oVh9sm\
twist ZsVHrs\
A partially devoiced Zv\ is used after

.ro+ rs+ rj. and after .r..
upward Z!Uov?c\ Gatwick Z!fzsvHj\
awkward Z!N9jv?c\
Westwood Z!vdrsvTc\ squat Z!rjvPs\
Swiss ZrvHr\
Spelling and distribution: Straightforward rules. <w, wh, u> web, when, quite.
Tip: Try to blow a lot of air when you produce ZV\-
Rating: The voiced variant Zv\ is easy. However, ZV\ is difficult.
COMPARISON: GRAPHICS
These charts have been adapted from Phonetics: the sounds of spoken language, a cite created by the
University of Iowa. Retrieved 27 february 2012. http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/#
Spanish Zs\ and Zc\ English Zs\ and Zc\
Spanish ZC\ English ZC\
Spanish ZA\ English and Spanish Za\

Spanish Z\ English and Spanish Zf\
Spanish Zw\ English and Spanish Zg\
Spanish Zq+ 3\ English Z\

059 - Chart Sounds English and Spanish

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059 - Chart Sounds English and Spanish

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1 Prof.

Francisco Zabala 2012

Comparison between the English and Spanish Consonants

.s. (English tan Z!szm\ Vs. Spanish tan Z!s=`m\)

.j. Unaspirated after .r.-

Labiodental Za\ before .e+ u+ o+ a+ E. Approximant ZC\ or zero:

No audible-release in stop clusters and No audible-release in stop clusters (if the

.sR. teach Z!sh9>sR\

.e. This sound does not present any major allophones.

.r. b. It can be either Zg\ or ZR\ before .R.

c. It can be either Zg\ or assimilated before

d. It can be either It can be either Zg\ or Zw\

e. The sequence .hr. can be either Zhg\ or

sounds or silence. Desde Z!cdyCd\

.R. speech of most middle and working class

.g. Zg\ is voiceless provided it is not

.M. tanque Z!s`Mjd\ - tanga Z!s`Mf`\

.l. before .e+ u.

A fully voiceless and fricative ZJ\ is used

.k. after stressed .o+ s+ j.. This is the result of

A partially devoiced Zk\ is used after

b. .3. is restricted (not initial)

Main allophones: Main allophones:

.q. A fully voiceless and fricative Z\ is used

A fully voiceless and fricative ZB\ is used

.i. A fully voiceless and fricative ZB\ results

A partially devoiced Zi\ is used after

A fully voiceless and fricative ZV\ is used

.v. the aspiration of these voiceless plosives.

A partially devoiced Zv\ is used after

Spanish Zs\ and Zc\ English Zs\ and Zc\

Spanish ZC\ English ZC\

Spanish ZA\ English and Spanish Za\

Spanish Z\ English and Spanish Zf\

Spanish Zw\ English and Spanish Zg\

Spanish Zq+ 3\ English Z\

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