Whenlearn spanishPronunciation can be tricky to get your tongue around, right?
You probably spend your time and energy learning how to roll your "r" sound or how to get your "ll" just right.
And while that's not a bad way to spend your time, you might overlook ita subtle but crucial difference in pronunciation.
Someone who will help you
- sounds more like a native speaker
- understand your native language better
- and even understand some of the silly spelling mistakes you see online!
That's why today's post is all about the Spanish B/V pronunciation. You'll learn about the differences and similarities between the letters B and V in Spanish so you can finally stop being confused about what they sound like!
I made a video for our Fluent Spanish Academy YouTube channel about the B/V pronunciation, which you can watch below. You can also scroll down to read the entire article.
When you're done reading, you'll know exactly how to pronounce these letters correctly in Spanish so you sound more natural when you speak.
By the way, if you want to learn Spanish through stories and not rules, my best recommendation for language students is my Uncovered courses, which you learn through StoryLearning®.click herefor more information and to try the method for free.
'B' and 'V' have different sounds?
Let's start with a bit of Spanish-language trivia:
- True or False? The letters B and V sound the same in Spanish.
If you say 'true' you are right...
For the most part.
B and V have the same sound in Spanish.
But what you may not realize is thatthere actually istwo differentsounds that Spanish speakers make when they pronounce a B or V, depending on the word and context.
Therefore…
- sometimes B and V sound like B in English
- and sometimes they sound more like V
The 2 different B/V sounds in Spanish
In phonetics, the two different sounds are known as "plosiveZ/W audio" en "aboutBroad BV."
Don't worry too much about the linguistic terminology.
You can simply think of them asdifficultInsoft B/V soundsrespectively.
The difference is less in the letter that is pronounced and more in the letter that is pronouncedHowyou use your mouth... especially your lips.
The Plosieve (or "Hard") Spanish B/V
When B or V is displayedat the beginning of a word in Spanish, it makes a "harsh" (plosive) sound.
This sound is very similar to the sound B makes in English, only slightly softer. It is made by pressing your lips together, then opening them and letting the air out.
You also use the plosive soundwhen B or V is next to another consonant, as in the following words:
- thieves
- blouse
- change
- dal
- astonishing
When you say one of these words,you make the same sound as you would say B in English, but without emitting it as forcefully.
The approx. (from "Soft") Spanish B/V
When a B or V appears in the middle of two vowels in the middle of a word, it makes a "soft" (approximate) sound.
Again, this sound is very similar to the sound B makes in English, but with even less force. Actually,your lips should barely touch each other(or not touching at all) just before moving on to the next sound in the word.
The softer pronunciation is also sometimes mentionedthe "lazy B/V"because it takes less effort to make than a hard B/V.
Some words that use the "soft" B/V sound are
- over
- occupation
- avena
- was
Now that you know the basics of pronouncing B and V in Spanish, it's time to build your speaking skills with these fun practice ideas.
Sound like a native speaker: 4 ways to practice B/V pronunciation in Spanish
If you're having trouble pronouncing B and V as a native Spanish speaker, here are four ways to practice more and perfect the sounds:
1. Listen, listen, listen!
Pay close attention to the sounds you hear when you speak and listen to Spanish. Once you pay attention to it, you will pick it up easilythe soft way Spanish speakers pronounce B and V.
If you're not already using audio for language learning, I highly recommend it. Look for natural sound and engaging stories to complement your other learning tools.
Choose natural sound at full speed
It can be tempting to listen to audio slower than usual while you're still learning the language. But that's a big mistakeslow things down.
How many times have you tried to listen to something in Spanish but can't keep up with the pace of the speech? That's because you haven't learned to keep up at full speed.
Instead of slowing down what you're listening to,you need more practice listening to natural speechthe way it is pronounced in real situations.
As you do this, listen carefully to the B and V sounds and notice how they are pronounced in different words.
Listen to stories in Spanish
In addition to listening to many conversationsshort stories in Spanishcan be a great way to improve your listening skills and master Spanish B/V sounds.
The video below shows a short story fromFluent Spanish Academy. Why not listen to the story and listen to the Spanish B/V sounds while you do it?
2. Watch a video tutorial on Spanish B/V pronunciation
There's nothing like hearing a sound when you try to make it yourself. That's why my first tip was: start listening!
But in addition to listening to as much Spanish audio and conversations as possible, you can also use a specific video tutorial, like the one I included at the top of this post, to guide you through the loud and soft B/V sounds.
The last few minutes of that video are specifically devoted to guided practice, where you can sound out the B/V sounds with me. If you're struggling to master Spanish B/V pronunciation, it's worth bookmarking the video so you can repeat this exercise regularly. Over time, the sounds will become much more natural to you.
In the video you will also find more specific information on how and when you can use the plosive (hard) and plosive (soft) sounds in no time as a native Spanish speaker.
click hereto go back and watch the video now.
3. Watch your lips when you speak Spanish
When you make the hard B/V sound, your lips close before you pronounce the letter, as you would in English.All you have to do is work on softening the pronunciation a little.
However, with the soft B/V sound, your lips do not close completely. If they do, they should barely touch the end of the letter. Try to pronounce B/V softly, barely touching your lips when both letters appear between two vowels in the middle of a word.
4. Use Tongue Twisters to boost your self-confidence
Remember as a kid how quickly you could repeat tongue twisters? It turns out that tongue twisters are more than just fun for kids!
Believe it or not, Spanish tongue twisters (heavy twisters) is a fun and challenging way to perfect your pronunciation and gain confidence with B and V.
Your pronunciation and fluency will improve as you practice repeating the B and V sounds regularly in fast, repetitive sentences.
Here are a few traditional onesheavy twisterswhich contains many both loud and soft B/V sounds:
Start slowly with eachheavy twisters,where the emphasis is on pronouncing each word separately. As you gain more control over the crazy phrases, you'll be able to speak a little faster each time. With a little practice, you'll soon find that the two different B and V sounds will flow very naturally!
Why mastering B versus V is important for your Spanish language skills
There are a number of reasons why it's worth mastering the subtleties of B and V in Spanish:
- You sound more like a native speaker,
- It becomes easier to understand native speakers
- You can decipher common spelling mistakes in text messages and online.
1. You sound more like a native speaker
Mispronouncing the Spanish B/V sound, especially in the middle of words, is a sure way to identify yourself as an English speaker.
While having an accent while learning a new language is nothing to be ashamed of, it's always nice to sound as much like a native speaker as possible.
It helps other people understand you better and it is extremely satisfying to see their surprise when they discover where you actually come from.
2. You will be able to understand native speakers more easily
The more often you hear and use B and V correctly in Spanish, the more normal these sounds will seem. You're less likely to be confused by what's being said once you're familiar with how B and V are pronounced in Spanish.
As you gain confidence in the B/V sound, not only will it be easier for others to understand you, but you will also find it easier torecognize what natives sayalso to you.
3. You can decipher common spelling mistakes in text messages and online
Text messages and messages online are full of abbreviations and shortcuts (not to mention misspellings and misspellings) in every language. Spanish is no exception. Check out the following examples of common errors with B/V online:
to have/with se
When you hear someone speak Spanish, the words below actually sound the same:
- to have
- let's see
It can lead to a series of errors where one is replaced by another or one of the errors is misspelled as
- “her"
- "Gentlemen"
Conjugation of EsteralDivorced
Any word with a B or V is a likely candidate for spelling mistakes, butareIngoare particularly difficult for one reason: every verb has common conjugations that use both B and V.
- I have beenInwasare both correct.
- It is alsothey walkedInandaban.
The fact that some inflections use a B while others use a V leads to some common spelling mistakes, even for native speakers.
Other B/V spelling mistakes you're likely to encounter
In addition to the examples above, you can encounter other errors with almost all B/V words. Some spelling mistakes I often encounter are:
- pleasure(instead ofhad)
- sold(instead ofblessed),
- that(instead ofneed).
In the case of a word likevand, the spelling mistake is doubly confusing becausethatis a real word in Spanish!
The context should tell you whether someone means 'berry' (that) or the first-person subjunctive of "to go" (need). But combining the two words can still be confusing if you already have trouble following a conversation.
Your next steps to master Spanish B/V pronunciation
So now you know that Spanish B/V are the same... but subtly different.
Peel,It's not about which letter is used—the letters B and V are actually the same in Spanish.
It is the position of the letter in the word that determines whether you should use the plosive ("hard") or approximative ("soft") sound.
The differences are subtle, but you can learn to recognize and pronounce both the B and V sounds in Spanish with practice and by paying close attention while listening.
So here's what to do next...
- Watch or rewatch the video tutorial from this post
- Practice your pronunciation together with the video
- Try tongue twisters from the post office
- Listen quickly to many native Spanish speakers and pay attention to how B and V are pronounced
- Notice the online spelling mistakes that even native speakers make because of the different Spanish B/V pronunciations
Keep going and before you know it you'll be pronouncing Spanish B/V like a native!
