Vocales/ Vowels

In Spanish there are 5 distinct vowels, and each one has only one constant, clear, and brief sound. In every syllable, each vowel must be pronounced. Furthermore, vowels fall into 2 categories: strong and weak.

	Category	English word	Examples
a	Strong	like in father	Ana
e	Strong	like in eight	Enrique
i	Weak	like in teeth	Inés
o	Strong	no without the glide	Omar
u	Weak	like in tooth	Lula

Diptongos y triptongos/ Diphthongs and triphthongs

DIPHTHONG is the union of two vowels that form a syllable:

1. two weak and unstressed vowels, i or u.
2. one weak and one strong vowel, a , e or o.

 

Both vowels are pronounced as one syllable. This is unlike English diphthongs (stay, joy) the original sound of each vowel must be maintained.

EXAMPLES:

• salario/ sa-la-rio/ salary
• retenciones/ re-ten-cio-nes/ withholdings
• excedencia/ex-ce-den-cia/extended leave of absence
• sueldo/suel-do/ wages
• aumento/au-men-to/ raise, increase

 

If a weak vowel of a union is stressed, the vowels are separated into separate syllables as follows:

EXAMPLES:

• día/ dí-a/day

 

 

However, if the strong vowel is stressed, the vowels cannot be separated.

EXAMPLES:

• retención/re-ten-ción/ retention
• huésped/ hués-ped/ guest

 

The union of two strong vowels does NOT form a diphthong.

EXAMPLES:

• aéreo/a-é-re-o/ air related
• emplear/ em-ple-ar/to employ

 

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TRIPHTHONG is the union of 3 vowels, one stressed or strong vowel between 2 unstressed or weak vowels in a syllable.

EXAMPLES:

• Uruguay/ U-ru-guay/ Uruguay
• buey/buey/ steer

 

LESSON: Compensation I