Spanish Intonation
Definition: Spanish Intonation is the variation of pitch in the pronunciation of words to convey an affirmation, question or exclamation. For example: "mi Madre está en casa" is an affirmation, and has a sound different from a question that is obtained by adding the symbols "¿?" in the same sentence: "¿mi madre está en casa?" has a different intonation even though the words are the same.
In Spanish the tone for a given word does not alter its meaning; however it varies its pragmatic interpretation:
¡Adelante!
¿Adelante?
Example: The following sentences have different sounds and different meanings.
The intonation is a supra-segmental phenomenon because it transmits information to a level above lexicon. This information allows us to distinguish two complete sentences that are otherwise identical phonetically, for example:
Enunciative scheme:
The normal tone is reached, from the first syllable accented; with this tone is pronounced the whole message, until the last stressed syllable, where the pitch falls seriously.
Interrogative scheme:
The first accented syllable is raised something about the normal pitch. From here the following syllables form a slightly descending scale to the last syllable where the pitch rises again.
Exclamatory scheme:
The body starts above the normal pitch and quickly descends into its final branch below the normal pitch.
Read more: Spanish Phrases for Meeting and Greeting
In Spanish the tone for a given word does not alter its meaning; however it varies its pragmatic interpretation:
¿Adelante?
Example: The following sentences have different sounds and different meanings.
- Is my father cooking? ---> ¿Está mi papá cocinando?
- My father is cooking ---> Mi papá está cocinando
- Marking of interrogative and exclamatory sentences.
- Marking of the topic (theme) - rheme and topicalization, etc.
- Paralinguistic and extralinguistic information: used to give expression to the feelings that accompany the emission of a certain statement. Such as anger, irony, doubt.
The intonation is a supra-segmental phenomenon because it transmits information to a level above lexicon. This information allows us to distinguish two complete sentences that are otherwise identical phonetically, for example:
- ¿Tú trabajas en el banco? (Do youwork in the bank?)
- Tú trabajas en el banco (You work in the bank)
Enunciative scheme:
The normal tone is reached, from the first syllable accented; with this tone is pronounced the whole message, until the last stressed syllable, where the pitch falls seriously.
Interrogative scheme:
The first accented syllable is raised something about the normal pitch. From here the following syllables form a slightly descending scale to the last syllable where the pitch rises again.
Exclamatory scheme:
The body starts above the normal pitch and quickly descends into its final branch below the normal pitch.
Intonation in Spanish
Alphabet: Alphabet PronunciationLetter | Spanish Name | Spanish Example | English Example |
a | a | Papá | Father |
b | be | Barco | Boat |
c | ce | Carro | Car |
ch | che | Muchacho | Change |
d | de | Dado | Detective |
e | e | Escoba | Egg |
f | efe | Fabrica | Factory |
g | ge | Gorra | Goverment |
h | hache | Honra | "h" is always silent |
i | i | Policía | Police |
j | jota | Jarra | Justice |
k | ka | Kilo | Kilometer |
l | ele | Laguna | Laundry |
ll | elle | Llama | |
m | eme | Marino | Mother |
n | ene | Nariz | Nouse |
ñ | eñe | Caña | Canyon |
o | o | Votar | Vote |
p | pe | Perú | Peru |
q | cu | Química | Chemistry |
r | ere | Paro | |
s | ese | Sopa | Soup |
t | te | Texto | Text |
u | u | Unicornio | boot |
v | uve | Vendaje | bandage |
w | Ve boble | Washington | Washington |
x | equis | Excelente | Excellent |
y | I griega | Yuca | Yucatan |
z | zeta | Zorro | an 's' sound, as in 'socks' |
Stress rules in Spanish words
- The word will have a written accent ( ´ ) if finishes in “n”, “s” or a vowel.
E.g. camión (truck), ratón (mouse), perdón (sorry).
- If the stress is in the third last one or before, the word always has the written accent.
E.g. ídolo (idol), cómpralo (buy it), teléfono (phone).
- If the stress is in the syllable just before the last one the word will have a written accent ( ´ ) if does not finish in “n”, “s” or a vowel.
E.g. cárcel (prison), cráter (crater), mártir (martyr).
Examples of Intonation and rhythm
Spanish | Pronunciation | English |
Carlos entiende | Car-los en-tien-de | Carlos understands |
tu escuela | tu es-cue-la | your school |
lluvia y nieve | llu-via y nie-ve | rain and snow |
¿tienes sueño? | ¿tie-nes sue-ño? | Do you dream? |
Read more: Spanish Phrases for Meeting and Greeting
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