The Language Warehouse Spanish Basic Course -
Phonology Unit 14
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In this series, a special effort has been made to list which
are especially difficult to pronounce accurately because of
strong interference from English. Dividing each word into
syllables is the most useful start to pronouncing them right.
1. Write this word in syllables in the spaces below.
posibilidad: _____-_____-_____-_____-_____
(po-si-bi-li-dad)
Now pronounce it, then check it to see if you have learned
the correct rhythm.
. . . . . . . ( ) ( )
2. Do the same with this one.
electricidad: _____-_____-_____-_____-_____
(e-lec-tri-ci-dad)
. . . . . . . ( ) ( )
3. Do the same with this one.
historia: _____-_____-_____
(his-to-ria)
. . . . . . . ( ) ( )
4. Do the same with this one.
contrario: _____-_____-_____
(con-tra-rio)
. . . . . . . ( ) ( )
5. Do the same with this one.
temporario: _____-_____-_____-_____
(tem-po-ra-rio)
. . . . . . . ( ) ( )
6. Do the same with this one.
digestible: _____-_____-_____-_____
(di-ges-ti-ble)
. . . . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
7. Do the same with this one.
tangible: _____-_____-_____
(tan-gi-ble)
. . . . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
8. Do the same with this one.
indulgente: _____-_____-_____-_____
(in-dul-gen-te)
. . . . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
9. Do the same with this one.
inteligente: _____-_____-_____-_____-_____
(in-te-li-gen-te)
. . . . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
10. Do the same with this one.
imperceptible: _____-_____-_____-_____-_____
(im-per-cep-ti-ble)
. . . . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
11. Do the same with this one.
trivial: _____-_____
(tri-vial)
. . . . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
12. Do the same with this one.
racial: _____-_____
(ra-cial)
. . . . . . . ( ) ( )
13. Do the same with this one.
proficiente: _____-_____-_____-_____
(pro-fi-cien-te)
. . . . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
14. Do the same with this one.
negligente: _____-_____-_____-_____
(ne-gli-gen-te)
. . . . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
15. Do the same with this one.
miserable:
(mi-se-ra-ble)
. . . . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
16. From now on, we will let you find out how well you
have learned to read new words correctly. If necessary,
mentally divide a word into syllables. Then say it, smooth
it out, and check with the tape. Though some of these words
are identical to English, they are, of course, Spanish.
interminable: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
17. Read aloud and check.
equivalente: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
18. Read this one.
ocasional: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
19. And this one.
indecente: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
20. profesional: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
21. horrible: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
22. terrible: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
23. social . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
24. The next word presents a special problem with
the first syllable. Listen and repeat
( )X ( )X ( )X
25. This is the first syllable of that word.
au- : ( )X ( )X
26. Now repeat the word.
( )X ( )X ( )X
27. Now look at it and say it.
auto: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
28. Here is another word with that same difficult
syllable. Listen and repeat.
( )X ( )X ( )X
29. Now look at it and say it.
autor: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
30. Read this one, and check.
autoridad: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
31. Listen to the rhythm of a certain word represented
by the syllable ta.
( ) ( ) ( )
32. Listen to the word itself. Don't repeat, just listen.
( ) ( ) ( )
33. Here is another word represented by the syllable ta.
Listen only.
( ) ( ) ( )
34. Listen to the word itself. Don't repeat.
( ) ( ) ( )
35. Here is a list of the words that are stressed
three syllables from the end. Listen for the rhythm.
1. ( ) ( )
2. ( ) ( )
3. ( ) ( )
4. ( ) ( )
5. ( ) ( )
36. Now read these and check.
1. físico: . . . . . ( ) ( )
2. fantástico: . . . . . ( ) ( )
3. democrático: . . . . . ( ) ( )
4. económico: . . . . . ( ) ( )
5. cosmético: . . . . . ( ) ( )
37. Practice reading these.
1. narcótico: . . . . . ( ) ( )
2. típico: . . . . . ( ) ( )
3. microscópico: . . . . . ( ) ( )
4. hipnótico: . . . . . ( ) ( )
5. fotográfico: . . . . . ( ) ( )
38. Here are some new words and phrases. Practice
reading these and check your pronunciation.
1. se-dice: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
2. ese: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
3. dicho: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
4. ese-dicho: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
or, ( ) ( )
5. existe: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
6. a veces: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
7. se-puede: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
8. fastidies: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
9. usarlo: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
10. siempre: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
11. me-está: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
or,
m(e)-está . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
12. molestando: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
13. esta-noche: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
14. sin: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
15. quién: . . . . . . . ( ) ( )
UNIT 14 ANSWER KEY
1. .../posibilidad (2)/ 26. auto ... (3)
2. .../electricidad (2)/ 27. .../auto (2)/
3. .../historia (2)/ 28. autor ... (3)
4. .../contrario (2)/ 29. .../autor (2)/
5. .../temporario (2)/ 30. .../autoridad (2)/
6. .../digestible (2)/ 31. (Read like fotográfico:)
7. .../tangible (2)/ tatatátata (3)
8. .../indulgente (2)/ 32. fotográfico (3)
9. .../inteligente (2)/ 33. (Read like auténtico:)
10. .../imperceptible (2)/ tatátata (3)
11. .../trivial (2)/ 34. auténtico (3)
12. .../racial (2)/ 35. 1. físico (2)
13. .../proficiente (2)/ 2. fantástico (2)
14. .../negligente (2)/ 3. democrático (2)
15. .../miserable (2)/ 4. económico (2)
16. .../interminable (2)/ 5. cosmético (2)
17. .../equivalente (2)/ 36. 1. .../físico (2)/
18. .../ocasional (2)/ 2. .../fantástico (2)/
19. .../indecente (2)/ 3. .../democrático (2)/
20. .../profesional (2)/ 4. .../económico (2)/
21. .../horrible (2)/ 5. .../cosmético (2)/
22. .../terrible (2)/ 37. 1. .../narcótico (2)/
23. .../social (2)/ 2. .../trópico (2)/
24. au- ... (3) 3. .../microscópico (2)/
25. au- ... (2) 4. .../hipnótico (2)/
38. 1. .../se dice (2)/ 5. .../fotográfico (2)/
2. .../ese (2)/
3. .../dicho (2)/
4. ... ESE dicho(2)/ or /ese DIcho(2)/
5. .../existe (2)/
6. .../aveces (2)/
7. .../se puede (2)/
8. .../fastidies (2)/
9. .../usarlo (2)/
10. .../me está (2)/ or /mestá (2)/
11. .../molestando (2)/
END OF UNIT 14