AtoC™ Textbooks
English (US)

Voice setup

Browser voices come from your system — install the voice in your OS settings:

  • Windows: Settings → Time & language → Speech → Manage voices → Add voices → select Spanish (Spain)
  • macOS: System Settings → Accessibility → Spoken Content → System voice → Manage voices → download Spanish (Spain)
  • iPhone / iPad setup: Settings → Accessibility → Spoken Content → Voices → Tap Spanish (Spain), download a voice
  • Android setup: Settings → Language & Input → Text-to-speech output → Tap gear icon next to Google TTS → Install voice data → Download Spanish (Spain) voice
7¡A comer!Section 6 of 8

7.6

Pronunciation

Z and C in Spain: the [θ] sound

In most of Spain, z and c before e, i sound like English th in think: /θeˈɾeθa/, , , , . This is called distinción, because (house) and (hunt) sound different.

In parts of southern Spain, in the Canary Islands and in all of Latin America, these letters sound like s: /seˈɾesa/. This is called seseo and it is completely correct. Choose one system and use it consistently.

Minimal pairs

  • casa/caza
  • seta/zeta
  • coser/cocer

Repeat after the voice

  • cinco cerezas y un zumo
  • cien, doscientos, quinientos
  • Gracias, la cena está muy buena.
  • Para mí, una ración de queso.
9

s or z?

Listen to the Spain voice and choose the word.