Glenn Humphries' Spanish Study Sheets

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Los Diptongos y Los Triptongos


How to pronounce Spanish Diphthongs and Triphthongs



DiphthongSoundExamples

ai , ái Like 'i' in 'bike' followed by a quick 'ee.' aire; habláis

aí (Not a diphthong) Like 'ahEE.' caído, caín

ei , éi Like 'ey' in 'they' with a quick 'ee' at the end. seis, coméis

oi , ói Like 'oi' in 'noise' with a quick 'ee' at the end, but
with the 'o' as in hope		 oigo

oí (Not a diphthong) Like 'ohEE.' oído

au , áu Like 'ou' in 'house' but the 'o' has an 'ah' sound. causa, áureo

aú (Not a diphthong) Like 'ahOO.' aún

eu , éu Like 'eh' and 'oo' run together. deuda, reuma

iu Like 'you' without the 'ew' sound. viuda

io , ió Like 'yo' in 'yoyo.' canción, inviolable

ua Like 'wa' in 'water,' but quicker. Chihuahua, cual

úa (Not a diphthong) Like 'OOah,' but quicker. continúa

ue (1) Usually like 'we' in 'wet,' but quicker. cuete, cuestión, muestra

(2) After 'Q,' like 'ke' in 'kept,' but quicker. queso, aquel, que

(3) After 'G,' like 'gue' in 'guess,' with a silent 'u.' guerrero, Marguerita

üe Always like 'we' in 'wet,' but quicker. güero

úe (Not a diphthong) Like 'OOeh,' but quicker. continúe

ui , uí (1) Like 'we,' but shorter (almost 'ooh-WEE'). Luis, buitre

(2) After 'Q,' like 'kee' in 'keep,' but shorter. quiso, aquí

(3) After 'g,' like 'gee' in 'geese,' but shorter. guisar, quitara

üi , üí Like 'we,' but shorter (almost 'ooh-WEE'),
usually occurs when a 'w' sound is needed after 'g' or 'q,' when 'u' is normally a silent letter serving to make the 'g' or 'q' hard.		 pingüino
uo Like 'wo' in 'awoke.' cuota

úo (Not a diphthong) Like 'OOoh,' but quicker. continúo


TRIPTHONGS

NOTE: Some of the following triphthongs are theoretical constructions, and might not actually exist in the current Spanish lexicon:
TriphthongSoundExamples

iai Like 'yi' in 'yikes' followed by a quick 'ee' at the end *

íai Like 'EE' followed by quick 'eye' and 'ee' veníais

iei Like 'yay' with a quick 'ee' at the end. *

ioi Like 'yo' with a quick 'ee' at the end. *

iui Like 'you' with a quick 'ee' at the end. *

uai Like 'why' with a quick 'ee' at the end. *

uei , uey Like 'way' with a quick 'ee' at the end. buey

uoi Like 'whoa' with a quick 'ee' at the end. *

iau Like 'ya' with a quick 'ow' at the end. *

ieu Like 'ye' in 'yes' with a quick 'oo' at the end. *

iou Like 'yo' with a quick 'oo' at the end. *

uau Like 'wa' in 'water' with a quick 'ow' at the end. *

ueu Like 'we' in 'wet' with a quick 'oo' at the end. *

uou Like 'wo' in 'awoke' with a quick 'oo' at the end. *
NOTE: * mean s example has yet to be determined.