Hola chic@s,
Espero que estén bien.
I’m back uploading on Youtube.
I’ll mainly be sharing videos that are clear grammar break downs to give you a solid foundation for your Spanish learning journey.
My attention seeking creator phase has officially ended (R.I.P)
I thank that younger part of me enormously for what he gave me. Recording podcast interviews with cleaners in co-working spaces, starting the youtube channel, learning how to design, and of course, being careless enough to put himself out there and make plenty of mistakes learning Spanish.
The new content is an accumulation of everything he learned and worked towards, but now delivered with focus.
No clickbait.
No dopamine hits.
Just hopefully calidad (quality) for you.
(Don’t worry, there will still be lots of sarcasm).
Let’s get to today’s micro lesson.
Pronunciation in Spanish #1
This is very important to know before you start learning the beautiful language.
Even if you’re already on the path, it’s worth checking you understand this.
There are 3 types of pronunciation used across the various Spanish speaking countries.
1) Distinción
‘S’ 👉 sounds like an ‘S’
’Z’ and ‘C’ 👉 sound like ‘Th’
Casa 👉 sounds like ‘Ca-sah’
Cerveza 👉 sounds like ‘Cer-vetha’
Gracias 👉 sounds like ‘Gra-thias’
Distinción is common throughout most of Spain.
(You might have heard the myth about the Spanish King, who had a lisp and this is why the ‘z’ and ‘c’ sound like a ‘th’. This is not true, but it’s a good way to remember.)
*Choose this pronunciation if you’re planning on living in or communicating with speakers from Central Spain.
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2) Ceceo
‘S’, ’Z’ and ‘C’ 👉 sound like a ‘Th’
Casa 👉 sounds like ‘Ca-thah’
Cerveza 👉 sounds like ‘Cer-vetha’
Gracias 👉 sounds like ‘Gra-thias’
Ceceo is common in rural Southern Spain, in places like Cádiz, Sevilla and Málaga.
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3) Seseo
‘S’, ’Z’ and ‘C’ 👉 all sound like ‘S’
Casa 👉 sounds like ‘Ca-sah’
Cerveza 👉 sounds like ‘Cer-vesah’
Gracias 👉 sounds like ‘Gra-sias’
Seseo is used in all of Latin America, the Canary Islands and some cities in Southern Spain.
*Choose this pronunciation if you’re planning to live or speak with anyone from Latin America.
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No te preocupes (don’t worry).
Whichever of these 3 pronunciation styles you choose, you will be pretty much understood in any Spanish speaking country.
Want the 4 min video explanation?
Click Here.
Any questions, my inbox is always open.
Un abrazo,
Harrison
(Language for living, not just learning)
Frequently Asked Questions About Spanish Pronunciation (Distinción, Ceceo, Seseo) 👇
Why does Spanish pronunciation sound different depending on the country?
Because there are different pronunciation patterns across Spanish-speaking regions. The main differences come from how speakers pronounce “s”, “z”, and “c”.
What is “distinción” in Spanish pronunciation?
Distinción is when “s” sounds like an “s”, but “z” and “c” (before e/i) sound like “th”. This is common in most of Spain.
What is “seseo” in Spanish?
Seseo is when “s”, “z”, and “c” all sound like “s”. This is used across Latin America, the Canary Islands, and parts of southern Spain.
What is “ceceo” in Spanish?
Ceceo is when “s”, “z”, and “c” all sound like “th”. It’s less common and mainly found in parts of rural southern Spain.
Which Spanish pronunciation should I learn?
It depends on your goals. Choose distinción if you’re focusing on Spain, and seseo if you’re learning Spanish for Latin America. Both are correct — consistency matters more than perfection.
