Welcome to the foundation of Spanish: its alphabet. The good news is that it's very similar to the English alphabet and, for the most part, words are pronounced exactly as they're written. This makes Spanish pronunciation much more predictable than English.

The Spanish alphabet, or abecedario, has 27 letters. Let's look at each letter and its Spanish name.

Spanish has only five vowel sounds, and they are always pronounced the same way. This consistency is a huge help for new learners. Unlike English, where a vowel's sound can change from word to word (think "through," "though," and "tough"), Spanish vowels are pure and predictable. Master these five sounds, and you've unlocked a major part of Spanish pronunciation.

Many Spanish consonants sound just like their English counterparts. However, a few have unique sounds or rules you'll need to learn. Let's start with two letters you won't find in the English alphabet: ñ and ll.

Here are a few other consonants that have specific pronunciation rules you should know.

Sometimes, two vowels appear next to each other in a Spanish word. When this happens, they often blend to form a single syllable. This combination is called a diphthong.

A diphthong usually forms when a "strong" vowel (a, e, o) combines with a "weak" vowel (i, u), or when two weak vowels combine. The sounds just glide together smoothly.

Getting comfortable with these letter sounds and combinations is the first major step toward speaking and understanding Spanish. Practice saying them out loud!

Time to check your understanding.

By mastering these fundamental sounds, you've built a solid base for your entire Spanish learning journey.