Learn to read Spanish
A short, active path into reading Spanish: five vowels that never move, nine real words decoded before the alphabet, ser against estar, the verb ending that replaces the pronoun, and two short stories before your first book.
Read nine real words from that one table
- The table you just read is all you need: these nine words use nothing else.
- Each hint names the one letter likely to catch you.
- Two of the nine carry a written accent. Read the marked beat loudest; the next section explains it.
Nine words for the two stories
Say the word aloud — one beat per vowel. Then reveal, say it again, move on.
- hola
The first letter is not said.
Show answer +Hide answer −
holaOH-lah“hello” - casa
c in front of a is k. Two beats.
Show answer +Hide answer −
casaKAH-sah“house” - noche
ch is church, and the final e is said.
Show answer +Hide answer −
nocheNOH-cheh“night” - bosque
qu is k and the u is silent.
Show answer +Hide answer −
bosqueBOHS-keh“forest” - zorro
z is s, and rr is rolled.
Show answer +Hide answer −
zorroSOH-rroh“fox” - pájaro
j is the rasped h. The mark on the a says that beat is the loud one.
Show answer +Hide answer −
pájaroPAH-hah-roh“bird” - lluvia
ll is y, v is b, and ia is one beat.
Show answer +Hide answer −
lluviaYOO-byah“rain” - agua
gu in front of a is a hard g with the u sounding as w.
Show answer +Hide answer −
aguaAH-gwah“water” - ratón
An r that starts a word is rolled, and the marked beat is the loud one.
Show answer +Hide answer −
ratónrrah-TOHN“mouse”

