We have still several letters which I need to explain: The letter y has two different sounds. Sometimes it is a consonant. When it is a vowel, it sounds exactly like the Spanish vowel "i", and when it is a consonant, it is like the English "y" in the word "you". Y is a vowel when it appears alone: y. In that case it is a word which means "and". Y is also a vowel when it comes at the end of a word, after a vowel.

Repeat: Y, voy, muy, rey, hay, doy, hoy. You see, the word ends in "y", and it comes just after a vowel. Y is a consonant when it goes before a vowel: ya, ye, yi, yo, yu.

Repeat: yema, yunta, yo, ya, ayudo, leyó.

We have r and rr. Both are letters, and double "rr" must never be separated. R is pronounced like "r" in English in the word "car": caro, toro, oro, llora, lorito.

Rr is pronounced as in English in the word "rate": carro, parra.

In the beginning of a word, we write only one "r", but it is pronounced like two r's (r-r); also we write only one and pronounce as two after the consonants "n", "s": roto, rata, rito, rema, rudo, Israel, enramada, honra, sonrisa.

Now I am going to speak about the Spanish accent.

I have told you that the accent is on vowels, and never on consonants, and since the accent makes the sound of a vowel long, the syllable which contains an accented vowel is long, too.

Every Spanish word has an accent; that is to say, we pronounce one syllable longer than the others.

Pardon me, teacher, how do we know which is the syllable with the accent?

We have rules, and I am going to explain them to you. First, as I have said, every word has an accent. Sometimes it is necessary to write it in this way: ´ and sometimes we do not write it.

1. Every Spanish word ending in a consonant, except "n" or "s", has the accent on the last syllable, without a written accent.
2. Every Spanish word ending in a vowel, or "n", or "s", has the accent next to the last syllable, without a written accent.


Pronounce for me these words, and tell me where the accent is:

1. Papel, lugar, bondad, leal, poner, abrid, etc. Why did you pronounce the accent in that place? do we need to write the accent? Why?
2. Cama, alto, campo, libro, gruta, flaco, vamos, compran, etc. Why did you pronounce the accent in that place? Do we need to write the accent? Why?
3. Alegre, ventana, casucha, ponemos, compramos, gorrito, etc.

Pardon me, teacher, I do not understand why the accent is written if one knows where to stress it.

I will tell you. When a word ending in a consonant (except "n" or "s") requires the accent on any syllable which is not the last syllable, then we have to write the accent in the place where we want it. For instance: útil, árbol, etc. When a word ending in a vowel, or "n" or "s", requires the accent on any syllable which is not the next to the last syllable, we place the written accent over the syllable which requires the accent. For example: compró, compás, ratón, volcán, tomé, tomé, rubí, papá, mamá, demás, etc. In other words, the written accent is to show where the accent must be when it does not follow the rule.

All words having the accent on the last syllable (última sílaba) are called agudas; all the words having the accent next to the last syllable (penúltima) are called graves; and those having the accent next to the next to the last (antepenúltima) are called esdrújulas.

The latter must have a written accent always: dámelo, último, música, dígame, etc.

Exercise

1. Pronounce: a, e, i, o, u; ai, ei, oi, ui; grie, gua, bue, cuan, lue.
2. How many sounds has the letter y in Spanish?
3. Explain them to me.
4. How do you pronounce y when it goes alone, and at the end of a word after a vowel?
5. When y goes alone, is it a word? What does it mean?
6. Pronounce three times each> ya, yo, hay, hoy, voy, doy.
7. What is the Spanish accent? Which Spanish words have accent?
8. Where does the accetn go, on vowels or on consonants?
9. Do we have rules by which we may know the place of the accent?
10. If the word ends in a consonant, where does the accent fall?
11. is there any exception to this rule? Which consonants are the exceptions?
12. if the word ends in a vowel, where does the accent fall?
13. If the word ends in the consonant "n", or "s", where does the accent fall?
14. What is the written accent for?
15. When do we have to write the accent?
16. Tell me where the accent is in the following words, and why we need to write it and why not> mesa, tener, abrí, papel, bondad, libro, grieta, agua, compás, árbol, ratón, último, hablo, comprar.
17. Did you memorize the words aguda, grave, esdrújula?
18. Can you explain to me what they mean?