The English alphabet has 26 letters, just like the Spanish alphabet. While they look familiar, their names are often different. It’s important to learn the name of each letter, as this is how English speakers spell words out loud.

For example, if you ask someone how to spell "cat," they will say "C-A-T" (see-ay-tee). Knowing the letter names is the first step.

This is where English gets tricky. In Spanish, each vowel has one reliable sound. In English, each vowel has at least two common sounds: a "short" sound and a "long" sound. The long sound is usually the same as the letter's name.

The sound a vowel makes often depends on the other letters around it. Look at the difference between "cat" and "cake." The 'e' at the end of "cake" makes the 'a' say its name (the long sound).

Some English consonant sounds don't exist in Spanish or are very different. Mastering these will make your pronunciation much clearer.

'B' vs. 'V' In English, these two sounds are very distinct. The 'b' sound is made by pressing your lips together (boy). The 'v' sound is made by placing your top teeth on your bottom lip and vibrating (very). The difference is lips versus teeth.

'J' and 'Y' The English 'j' sounds like the 'g' in "gel" (jump, jelly). The English 'y' can sound like the Spanish 'i' or 'll' (yes, yellow).

Sometimes, two consonants come together to create a completely new sound. These are called digraphs. You'll see them all the time.

Other times, letters blend together, but you can still hear each individual sound. These are called blends. Think of words like black, stop, or tree. You say the sound of each letter, just very quickly.

Now, let's test what you've learned.

Learning these sounds takes practice. Listen to native speakers and try to copy the way they move their mouths. The more you listen and imitate, the more natural it will become.