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{{IPA key|H:IPA-ES}}

The charts below show how the [[International Phonetic Alphabet|International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)]] represents [[Spanish language]] pronunciations in Wikipedia articles. For a guide to adding IPA characters to Wikipedia articles, see [[Template:IPA]], and {{section link|Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Pronunciation#Entering IPA characters}}.

For terms that are more relevant to regions that have not undergone {{lang|es|[[yeísmo]]}} (where words such as {{lang|es|haya}} and {{lang|es|halla}} are pronounced differently), words spelled with {{vr|ll}} can be transcribed in IPA with {{angbr IPA|ʎ}}. This unmerged pronunciation predominates in the Andes, lowland Bolivia, Paraguay, some rural regions of Spain and some of northern Spain's urban upper class.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Penny|2000|p=120, 132, 147}}</ref>

For terms that are more relevant to regions that have {{lang|es|[[phonological history of Spanish coronal fricatives|seseo]]}} (where words such as {{lang|es|caza}} and {{lang|es|casa}} are pronounced the same), words spelled with {{vr|z}} or {{vr|c}} (the latter only before {{vr|i}} or {{vr|e}}) can be transcribed in IPA with {{angbr IPA|s}}. This pronunciation is most commonly found outside mainland Spain.

In all other cases, if a local pronunciation is made, it should be labeled as "local" (e.g. <code><nowiki>{{IPA|es|...|local}}</nowiki></code>).

See [[Spanish phonology]] for a more thorough discussion of the sounds of Spanish, and [[Spanish dialects and varieties]] for regional variation.

{| style="background: none"

|-

| style="vertical-align:top;" |

{| class="wikitable"

! colspan="4" | [[Consonant]]s

|-

! colspan="2" |[[Help:IPA|IPA]] !! rowspan="2" | Examples !! rowspan="2" | English approximation

|-

! {{abbr|EU|European Spanish}}!! {{abbr|LA|Latin American Spanish}}

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|b}}</big><ref name="Approximant">{{IPA|/b, d, ɡ, ɟʝ/}} are pronounced as [[fricative consonant|fricatives]] or [[approximant consonant|approximants]] {{IPA|[β, ð, ɣ, ʝ]}} in all places except after a pause, {{IPA|/n/}} or {{IPA|/m/}}, or in the case of {{IPA|/d/}} and {{IPA|/ɟʝ/}}, after {{IPA|/l/}}. In the latter environments, they are stops {{IPA|[b, d, ɡ, ɟʝ]}} like English {{vr|b, d, g, j}}, but are fully voiced in all positions, unlike in English. When it is distinct from {{IPA|/ʝ/}}, {{IPA|/ʎ/}} is realized as an approximant {{IPA|[ʎ]}} in all positions {{Harvcol|Martínez-Celdrán|Fernández-Planas|Carrera-Sabaté|2003|p=257-8}}.</ref>

| '''b'''estia, em'''b'''uste, '''v'''aca, en'''v'''idia

| a'''b'''out

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|β̞|β}}</big>

|be'''b'''é, vi'''v'''a, cur'''v'''a, o'''b'''tuso, fút'''b'''ol, a'''p'''to<ref name="coda">The distinction between {{IPA|/p, t, k/}} and {{IPA|/b, d, ɡ/}} is lost in word-internal syllable-final positions. The resulting realization varies from {{IPA|[p, t, k]}} to {{IPA|[b, d, ɡ]}} to {{IPA|[β, ð, ɣ]}}, with the latter being the usual form in conversational style {{harvcol|Hualde|2005|p=146}}.</ref>

| a'''b'''out, ''but without lips completely closed''

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|d̪|d}}</big><ref name="Approximant"/>

|'''d'''edo, cuan'''d'''o, al'''d'''aba

|to'''d'''ay

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ð̞|ð}}</big>

|dá'''d'''iva, ar'''d'''er, a'''d'''mirar, juventu'''d''', a'''t'''mósfera<ref name="coda"/>

|'''th'''is

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|f}}</big><ref name="voicing"/>

|'''f'''ase, a'''f'''gano

|'''f'''ace

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ɡ}}</big><ref name="Approximant"/>

|'''g'''ato, '''gu'''erra, len'''g'''ua

|a'''g'''ain

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ɣ˕|ɣ}}</big>

|tri'''g'''o, amar'''g'''o, si'''g'''no, do'''c'''tor<ref name="coda"/>

| a'''g'''ain, ''but without the tongue touching the roof of the mouth''

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ʝ˕|ʝ}}</big><ref name="Approximant"/><ref name=yeismo/>

|a'''y'''uno

| '''y'''ou

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ɟʝ}}</big><ref name="Approximant"/><ref name=yeismo/>

|'''y'''ermo, cón'''y'''uge

| '''j'''eep

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|k}}</big>

|'''c'''aña, '''qu'''ise, '''k'''ilo

|s'''c'''an

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|l}}</big>

|'''l'''ino

|'''l'''ean

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|m}}</big><ref name=nasal>[[Nasal consonant|Nasals]] always [[Assimilation (phonology)|assimilate]] their place of articulation to that of the following consonant. Before [[Velar consonant|velars]], they are {{IPAblink|ŋ}}, and before [[labial consonant|labials]], they are {{IPAblink|m}}. The labiodental {{IPAblink|ɱ}} appears before {{IPA|/f/}}.</ref>

|'''m'''adre, ca'''m'''po

|'''m'''other

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ɱ}}</big><ref name=nasal/>

|a'''n'''fibio

|co'''m'''fort

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|n}}</big><ref name=nasal/>

|'''n'''ido, si'''n''', álbu'''m'''

|'''n'''eed

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ɲ}}</big><ref name=nasal/>

|'''ñ'''andú, có'''n'''yuge

| ca'''ny'''on

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ŋ}}</big><ref name=nasal/>

|ci'''n'''co, te'''n'''go

|si'''ng'''

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|p}}</big>

| '''p'''ozo

| s'''p'''ouse

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|r}}</big><ref name=rhotic>The [[rhotic consonant]]s, {{IPAblink|r}} and {{IPAblink|ɾ}}, only contrast word-medially between vowels, where they are usually spelled {{vr|rr}} and {{vr|r}}, respectively. Otherwise, they are in [[complementary distribution]]: Word-initially, stem-initially, and after {{IPA|/l, n, s/}}, only {{IPA|[r]}} is found; before a consonant or pause, the two are interchangeable, but {{IPA|[ɾ]}} is more common (hence so represented here). Elsewhere, only {{IPA|[ɾ]}} is found. When two rhotics occur consecutively across a word or prefix boundary they result in one long trill, which is transcribed with {{angbr IPA|ɾr}} in this key: {{lang|es|dar rocas}} {{IPA|[daɾ ˈrokas]}}, ''super-rápido'' {{IPA|[supeɾˈrapiðo]}} {{harvcol|Hualde|2005|p=184}}.</ref>

|'''r'''umbo, ca'''rr'''o, hon'''r'''a, sub'''r'''ayar

|''[[Alveolar trill|trilled r]]''

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ɾ}}</big><ref name=rhotic/>

|ca'''r'''o, b'''r'''avo, pa'''r'''ti'''r'''

|a'''t'''om ''(with [[flapping]])''

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|s}}</big><ref name="voicing">When preceding a voiced consonant, {{IPA|/s, θ, f/}} may be voiced ({{IPA|[{{IPAplink|z}}, {{IPAplink|ð|θ̬}}, {{IPAplink|v}}]}}), but since this is variable {{harvcol|Campos-Astorkiza|2018|p=174}}, {{IPA|/s, θ, f/}} are always transcribed with {{angbr IPA|s, θ, f}} in this system.</ref><ref name="aspiration">In much of Hispanic America and in the southern half of Spain, {{IPA|/s/}} in syllable-final positions is either pronounced as {{IPAblink|h}} or not pronounced at all. In transcriptions linked to this key, however, it is always represented by {{angbr IPA|s}}.</ref><ref name="seseo">Northern and Central Spain distinguish between {{vr|s}} ({{IPAslink|s}}) and soft {{vr|c}} or {{vr|z}} ({{IPAslink|θ}}). Almost all other dialects treat the two as identical, either pronouncing them as {{IPAslink|s}} ({{lang|es|seseo}}) in [[Latin America]] and some parts of [[Andalusia]], or as /[[Dental fricative|θ]]/ ({{lang|es|ceceo}}) in most of Andalusia. In areas with the distinction, the alveolar sibilant is typically more [[Voiceless alveolar fricative#Retracted alveolar|retracted]] (often perceived as closer to the sound represented by {{vr|sh}} in '''''sh'''ip'') than in areas with {{lang|es|seseo}}. Contrary to {{lang|es|yeísmo}}, {{lang|es|seseo}} and {{lang|es|ceceo}} are not [[phonemic merger]]s but the outcome of a different evolution of sibilants in southern Spain in comparison with northern and central dialects. See [[phonological history of Spanish coronal fricatives]] and {{Harvcoltxt|Martínez-Celdrán|Fernández-Planas|Carrera-Sabaté|2003|p=258}} for more information.</ref>

|'''s'''aco, e'''s'''pita, '''x'''enón

| ''between'' '''s'''ip ''and'' '''sh'''ip ''([[Voiceless alveolar fricative#Retracted alveolar|retracted]]) ({{abbr|EU|European Spanish}})'', '''s'''ip ''({{abbr|LA|Latin American Spanish}})''

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|θ}}</big><ref name="voicing"/><ref name="seseo"/>

| style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|s}}</big><ref name="voicing"/><ref name="aspiration"/><ref name="seseo"/>

|'''c'''ereal, '''z'''orro, ja'''z'''mín, ju'''z'''gar

|'''th'''ing ''({{abbr|EU|European Spanish}})'', '''s'''ip ''({{abbr|LA|Latin American Spanish}})''

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ʃ}}</big><ref>{{IPA|/ʃ/}} is used only in loanwords and certain proper nouns. It is nonexistent in many dialects, being realized as {{IPAblink|tʃ}} or {{IPAblink|s}}; e.g. '''''sh'''ow'' {{IPA|[tʃow]~[sow]}}.</ref>

|'''sh'''ow, Ro'''ch'''er<!-- as in "Ferrero Rocher" -->, Frei'''x'''enet

|'''sh'''ack

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|t̪|t}}</big>

| '''t'''amiz

|s'''t'''and

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|tʃ}}</big>

|'''ch'''ubasco

|'''ch'''oose

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|x}}</big><ref>{{IPA|/x/}} is pronounced as {{IPAblink|h}} in many accents such as those in the Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Andalusia, and the Canary Islands {{harvcol|Hualde|2005|p=156}}. It is pronounced as {{IPAblink|χ}} in northern Peninsular Spanish {{harvcol|Coloma|2012|pp=3; 17}}.</ref>

|'''j'''amón, '''g'''eneral, Mé'''x'''ico,<ref>The letter {{vr|x}} represents {{IPA|/x/}} only in certain proper names like {{lang|es|Ximena}} and some placenames in current or former Mexico (e.g. ''[[Oaxaca]]'' and ''[[Texas]]'').</ref> '''h'''ámster<ref>The letter {{vr|h}} represents {{IPA|/x/}} only in loanwords; in native words it is always silent.</ref>

|''Scottish'' lo'''ch'''

|-

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ʎ}}</big><ref name="Approximant"/><ref name=yeismo>Most speakers no longer distinguish {{IPA|/ʎ/}} from {{IPA|/ʝ/}}; the actual realization depends on dialect, however. See {{lang|es|[[yeísmo]]}} and {{Harvcoltxt|Martínez-Celdrán|Fernández-Planas|Carrera-Sabaté|2003|p=258}} for more information.</ref>

|'''ll'''ave, po'''ll'''o

| mi'''lli'''on

|}

| style="vertical-align:top;" |

{| class="wikitable"

! colspan="3" | [[Vowel]]s

|-

! [[Help:IPA|IPA]] !! Examples !! English approximation

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ä|a}}</big>

| m'''a'''l

| f'''a'''ther

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|e̞|e}}</big>

| '''e'''s

| b'''e'''rry

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|i}}</big>

| d'''i''', '''y'''

| s'''ee'''

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|o̞|o}}</big>

| s'''o'''l

| m'''o'''re

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|u}}</big>

| s'''u'''

| f'''oo'''d

|-

| colspan="3" style="border-left: #fff solid 1px; border-right: #fff solid 1px" | &nbsp;

|-

! colspan="3" | [[Semivowel]]s<ref>{{IPA|[j, w]}} are allophones of {{IPA|/i, u/}} that manifest when unstressed and adjacent to another vowel. Mid vowels {{IPA|/e, o/}} may also be realized as semivowels, as in {{IPA|[ˈpo̯eta, ˈmae̯stɾo]}} ({{lang|es|poeta}}, {{lang|es|maestro}}). Semivocalic realizations of {{IPA|/e, o/}} may in addition be raised to {{IPA|[j, w]}}, as in {{IPA|[ˈpweta, ˈmajstɾo]}}, which is common in Latin America, but stigmatized in Spain {{harvcol|Hualde|Simonet|Torreira|2008|p=1911}}. Since both these phenomena are optional and predictable, they are not reflected in transcription ({{IPA|[poˈeta, maˈestɾo]}}).</ref>

|-

! [[Help:IPA|IPA]] !! Examples !! English approximation

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|j}}</big>

|c'''i'''udad, re'''y'''

|'''y'''et

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|w}}</big><ref>Some speakers may pronounce word-initial {{IPA|[w]}} with an [[epenthesis|epenthetic]] {{IPA|[ɡ]}} (e.g. {{lang|es|H'''u'''ila}} {{IPA|[ˈɡwila]~[ˈwila]}}).</ref>

| c'''u'''atro, H'''u'''ila, a'''u'''to, ping'''ü'''ino

|'''w'''ine

|-

| colspan="3" style="border-left: #fff solid 1px; border-right: #fff solid 1px" | &nbsp;

|-

! colspan="3" | [[Stress (linguistics)|Stress]] and [[syllabification]]

|-

! [[Help:IPA|IPA]] !! Examples !! English approximation

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|ˈ}}</big>

| ciu'''dad''' {{IPA|[θjuˈðað]}}

| do'''main'''

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |<big>{{IPA link|.}}</big>

| '''mí'''o {{IPA|[ˈmi.o]}}

| '''Le'''o

|}

|}

==Notes==

{{reflist}}

==References==

{{refbegin}}

* {{citation

|last=Campos-Astorkiza

|first=Rebeka

|year=2018

|chapter=Consonants

|editor-last=Geeslin

|editor-first=Kimberly L.

|title=The Cambridge Handbook of Spanish Linguistics

|publisher=Cambridge University Press

|pages=165–189

|doi=10.1017/9781316779194.009

|isbn=978-1-107-17482-5

}}

* {{Cite journal

|last=Coloma

|first=Germán

|url=http://www.publicacions.ub.edu/revistes/dialectologia9/documentos/742.pdf

|journal=Dialectologia

|volume=9

|year=2012

|pages=1–26

|location=Barcelona

|publisher=[[University of Barcelona|Universitat de Barcelona]]

|title=The importance of ten phonetic characteristics to define dialect areas in Spanish

|issn=2013-2247

}}

* {{citation

|last=Hualde

|first=José Ignacio

|authorlink=José Ignacio Hualde

|year=2005

|title=The Sounds of Spanish

|publisher=Cambridge University Press

|isbn=0-521-54538-2

}}

* {{citation

|last1=Hualde

|first1=José Ignacio

|last2=Simonet

|first2=Miquel

|last3=Torreira

|first3=Francisco

|year=2008

|title=Postlexical contraction of nonhigh vowels in Spanish

|journal=Lingua

|volume=118

|issue=12

|pages=1906–1925

|doi=10.1016/j.lingua.2007.10.004

|url=https://www.academia.edu/559143

}}

* {{citation

|last=Martínez-Celdrán

|first=Eugenio

|last2=Fernández-Planas

|first2=Ana Ma.

|last3=Carrera-Sabaté

|first3=Josefina

|year=2003

|title=Castilian Spanish

|journal=Journal of the International Phonetic Association

|volume=33

|issue=2

|pages=255–259

|doi=10.1017/s0025100303001373

|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/39B1C556856D62AF8FC53D3F22435750/S0025100303001373a.pdf/castilian_spanish.pdf

}}

* {{cite book

|last1=Penny

|first1=Ralph J.

|title=Variation and change in Spanish

|date=2000

|publisher=Cambridge University Press

|location=Cambridge

|isbn=0521780454

|url=https://archive.org/details/variationchangei0000penn/page/n5/mode/2up

|access-date=21 June 2022

|url-access=registration

|doi=10.1017/CBO9781139164566

}}

{{refend}}

==See also==

*{{clc|Pages with Spanish IPA|pages}}

{{IPA keys}}