Spanish pronunciation guide
How to pronounce B and V in Spanish
In Spanish, b and v stand for exactly the same sound: vaca and baca are said the same way, and so are tubo and tuvo. What changes the sound is not the letter but where it sits. At the start of a phrase and after m or n it is a firm /b/, as in English. Everywhere else, above all between vowels, the lips come close without closing and the air keeps flowing: a soft /β/. There is no English v, with the top teeth on the lip, anywhere in Spanish.
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Firm b
After a pause, and after m or n. Both lips close completely, as in English “bed”.
vino, bien, hombre, también
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Soft b
Everywhere else, above all between vowels. The lips come close but do not touch, and the air keeps flowing.
lobo, uva, cabeza, haber
How to make the sounds
- Forget the spelling: b and v are one sound in Spanish. Never put your top teeth on your lower lip for v.
- At the start of a phrase, and after m or n, close both lips firmly: vamos, un vaso, también.
- Between vowels, bring your lips together as if for b, but stop just before they touch and keep your voice going. You should feel the air brush your lips: lobo, uva, cabeza.
- Let the sound before it decide, not the word: un vaso de vino has both, a firm b in vaso after un, and a soft one in vino after de.
Spelling still matters on paper. b and v are different letters, and Spanish speakers learn which one a word takes by memory, not by sound.
Same sound, different spelling
Each pair is two different words that sound exactly alike. Say them the same way; context tells a Spanish listener which one you mean.
- vaca baca cow · roof rack
- tuvo tubo had · tube
- votar botar to vote · to throw out
- vello bello body hair · beautiful
- vienes bienes you come · goods
- savia sabia sap · wise
Practice with real sentences
Tap Practice to open the sentence in Tono, listen to it, and say it.
- Vamos a beber un vaso de vino. Let’s have a glass of wine.Practice
- El lobo vive en el bosque. The wolf lives in the forest.Practice
- Voy a Barcelona el viernes. I am going to Barcelona on Friday.Practice
- La novia lleva un vestido blanco. The bride is wearing a white dress.Practice
- Tengo que volver a trabajar. I have to go back to work.Practice
- Hoy hace buen tiempo en Valencia. The weather is good in Valencia today.Practice
- Las uvas están muy buenas. The grapes are very good.Practice
- Hablamos otra vez la semana que viene. We will talk again next week.Practice
Common mistakes
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An English v
Speakers of English, French, German and Italian put the top teeth on the lower lip for v. Spanish has no such sound: vaca starts exactly like baca.
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A hard b between vowels
Closing the lips fully in lobo or cabeza sounds heavy and foreign. Between vowels, let the lips almost touch and the air pass.
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Guessing from the letter
Many learners make v softer than b. The letter never decides; the sound before it does.