Spelling Words in Spanish with “C”

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “spelling?” You may relate it to spelling bees or it may take you back to practice spelling lists from elementary school. In this technological age, spelling does not seem as important because we have automatic spell checkers at our disposal, but it is! Especially when learning a foreign language. In this blog post, we will be looking at words that start with “C” in Spanish.  

Not only does practicing Spanish spelling ensure clarity in your writing, but it also improves your fluency and comprehension. 

To work on Spanish spelling, it is good to take it one letter or sound at a time. Let’s get started!

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See What you Know about the Letter “C”

Before we look at some Spanish spelling lists, there are a few things you need to know about the letter “C” in Spanish.

Letter Pronunciation 

To be able to spell the following words, you need to know how to say each letter in Spanish! While learning the whole Spanish alphabet is a topic for another blog, we’ll review the basics to help you with the following spelling lists.

C — “say” 

A — “ah”

E — “ay”

I — “ee”

O — “oh”

U — “oo”

L — “elay”

R — “airray”

Vowel Effect

The Spanish spelling lists below are divided into different categories because the letter “C” has a different sound based on what letter follows it, specifically the vowels! This phenomenon exists in English as well (say “circle” and “cat”), but it can take some time to get used to these different sounds. Let’s have a look at some rules to help us make some sense of this.

Basic “C” Pronunciation Rules

• There are two sounds for the Spanish “C”
• The hard C has a “k” sound.
• The soft C has an “s” sound.
• There is a hard C when the vowels A, O, or U follow it.
• There is a hard C when any consonant (except for H) follows it. 
• There is a soft C when the vowels E or I follow it.

Pronunciation Examples

Hard “C”

• Casa: kah-sah
• Calmar: kahl-mahr
• Corona: kohr-ohn-ah

Soft “C”

• Cien: see-ane
• Ceniza: say-nee-sah
• Cenar: say-nahr

Why Pronunciation Matters with Spanish Spelling

While spelling is directly connected to writing, there are so many more areas of language that spelling affects! How many times has someone asked you how you spell your name or a certain word? A lot, right? To be able to answer such questions, you need to know how to spell and pronounce words in Spanish. Connecting letters to their correct pronunciation is imperative to create fluency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening to Spanish. 

Knowing how to spell and pronounce words will help you understand spoken Spanish and read quicker as well. To make sure you use these Spanish spelling lists to the fullest, say the words, spell them out loud, and write them down. Doing these things will improve your Spanish exponentially! 

Spanish Spelling Lists: Letter C

Whether you are a Spanish teacher, a student, or even a parent looking for Spanish resources for your kids, these Spanish spelling lists are a great resource for you. Each list is divided into categories based on the number of letters in the words. 

If you (or your students) are younger or are just starting to learn Spanish, begin by practicing some short, simple words to spell! Remember to say the word in Spanish before and after spelling it, and if possible, say each letter in Spanish as well! ¡Buena suerte!

CA- Words

CE- Words

CI- words

CO- words

CU- words

CL- words

CR- words

Start Spelling in Spanish!

You now have several great Spanish spelling resources to improve your Spanish writing and fluency. Print out some of these lists, hang them up around your house or classroom, and practice them whenever you have a chance. Remember, la práctica hace al maestro. If you have any questions, or if you would like to practice your spelling with a Spanish-speaking person, try a free class with one of our amazing teachers! They will take your Spanish spelling to the net level. Happy spelling!

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Ashley Reid

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

I have a B.A. in Linguistics and a passion for Spanish. I've lived in Latin America for almost a decade. I'm a freelance writer and ESL teacher, as well as a loving mom and wife. In my free time, I dabble in art and music.

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