Spelling Words in Spanish – Lists and Lessons on the Letter D

Mark Twain once said, “Anyone who can only think of one way to spell a word obviously lacks imagination,” and although he may have a point, we know that spelling words correctly in Spanish is the key to proficient Spanish literacy.  The beauty of spelling is that it provides you with a tool to improve your written communication, reading comprehension, and to make a positive impression in your writing.  Learning Spanish spelling rules is essential to your journey to fluency. Today we’ll focus on spelling words in Spanish with the letter “d”. ¡Hora de aprender! 

Pronunciation

An essential part of spelling in Spanish is knowing how to pronounce the letters, since Spanish is a phonetic language. The Spanish “d” is almost identical to the English “d”. It has two separate sounds, the hard one and the soft one.

The Hard “D” Sound

When the letter is at the beginning of the word, it’s pronounced the same way as the words “day” or “do.” This also happens when the letter is after an “n” or an “l” For example:

• domingo (Sunday)
• definir (to define)
• lindo (cute)
• caldo (broth)

The Soft “D” Sound

Now, when the “D” is in between vowels or at the end of the word, the sound is softer, similar to the voiced “th” sound in the word “that.” For example:

• la actividad (activity)
• la verdad (truth)
• la hermandad (brotherhood)
• la ciudad (city)

You can also check the following table that summarizes what’s above:

The Use of “D”

Now that we’ve seen the pronunciation, let’s check the two scenarios for the use of d in Spanish.

Words whose plural ends in -des. For example:

Amistad – amistades (friendships)

The plural imperative forms of verbs. This happens when speaking in Castilian Spanish, not in Latin American.

Agradeced (say thank you)

Spelling Words in Spanish: Letter D

It doesn’t matter why you’re learning Spanish, these spelling lists will definitely help you master it more easily! The lists are divided into hard and soft pronunciation, and the two scenarios for the use of d.

Practice makes perfect, so make flashcards or spelling lists in your language journal. Repeating the words in Spanish and spelling them frequently will significantly boost your memory! Let’s do this!

Hard sounds

Soft sounds

Scenario One, Plurality: -des

Scenario Two: Imperative (Castilian Spanish)

Time for More Spelling Words in Spanish!

Now you’re ready to rock the spelling world! If it’s useful, copy or print these lists in order to practice your Spanish and avoid losing fluency. If it’s important for you to keep learning different Spanish tips, join us in a free class at Homeschool Spanish Academy! We can provide you specialized teachers who will make you enjoy the experience of learning this beautiful language. See you soon!

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Mariana Gómez

Freelance writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

Native Spanish speaker and Industrial Psychology student in Guatemala, I love studying the nuances of Latin culture, its family values, and the Spanish language. Writing is my passion; it's my avenue for connecting ideas and sharing important information with readers. My goal is to make of this world a better place with far more multilingual people!

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