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Pronunciation

j is a rough h

j is a voiceless sound from the back of the mouth. In much of Latin America it is a strong h. g before e or i uses the same sound.

j

Typical mistake

English j is a voiced “dg”. gente then sounds like “gentle”, and the Spanish word disappears.

How to make the sound

  1. 01Fog a mirror with a h from farther back than English h.
  2. 02jugo, gente, México, trabajo.
  3. 03Keep the voice off. It should not buzz.

Practice words

  • jugo

    juice

  • gente

    people — j sound

  • México

    the x is the same sound

  • trabajo

    work

Questions

Is g always this sound?
g before e or i is. g before a, o, u is a hard g, as in gato.
How strong should it be?
A clear h from the back is enough. You do not need a harsh scrape.

Check j out loud

Record a phrase with this sound — the teacher will tell you if you landed it.

Open Practice
Spanish j — jugo, gente, México | MiAcento