Pronunciation of "c" in Spanish: sometimes like "s", sometimes like "k"

Question

I'm trying to wrap my brain around this! Is there a rule in Spanish for the pronunciation of "c"? In "sucio", it is like "s". Also, "bucear", like "s". In "como", it is like "k".

Ayudame, por favor!

Muchas gracias mis amigos.

Answer 1

Hi Amy.

Here's the rule:

The Spanish "c" has two separate sounds, hard and soft. When appearing in the combinations "ca", "co" and "cu", the hard Spanish "c" closely resembles the English "k" sound. When appearing in the combinations "ce" and "ci", the "c" is softer. Spaniards pronounce this like the "z", while Latin Americans pronounce it like the "s".

Answer 2

Gracias Marianne! I was naturally pronouncing "bucear" like "boo-say-are", then I thought, wait, maybe it's "boo-kay-are". So I listened to it pronounced, and I was right with my first instinct, the "s" sound.

That's really great that you knew how to pronounce it naturally! - --Mariana--, Jun 7, 2010

Thank you, I was sort of encouraged too! - amykay, Jun 7, 2010

Answer 3

Would some dialects pronounce it closer to the English "th"? I was listening to a professor speaking and I thought his "c" was sounding like a mix between an "s" and a "th". Could have been a different letter though, I'll listen more closely today.

Yeah, I noticed that too. Spaniards pronounce facil as "fathil" or something to that extent. - psyche_of_frogs, Jun 7, 2010

In Spain, 'ci', 'ce' and 'z' are all pronounced like 'th' - MeEncantanCarasSonrisas, Jun 7, 2010

Don't Spainards say "Bar-the-lona" too? - amykay, Jun 7, 2010

You described it right schemmn, it is not the same as the "th"; it is a mix between an "s" & a "th". - Deanski, Jun 7, 2010

Thanks. Yeah, I thought I heard it with both the C and the Z. Glad to know I'm getting a little bit of an ear! - schemmn, Jun 11, 2010

Answer 4

Hi, I´m from Argentina, yeahh.. the pronunciation is different in Spain, specially. But... as regards, the C, that´s the rule: CE and CE, sounds like S, and CA, CO, or CU, sound like K.

Examples: celeste (light blue) cielo (sky) cabeza (head) color (colour) cuello (neck) But it happens the same in english, doesn´t it?? for example: colour- cable- currency (sound like K) but celeron - cinderella - center (sound like S).

It´s the same, or not??

Byeee!!! good webpage!

Answer 5

You described it right schemmn, it is not the same as the "th"; it is a mix between an "s" & a "th"

If you refer to the pronunciation in Casitlla, there is no hint of "s". The sound is transcribed with the "theta" in the IPA (as is the "th" [in some contexts] of English). Technically, speaking it is an unvoiced, lingual dental (exactly the same description that would be provide for the sound in "think" (though not for "then" [which is voiced]).

Answer 6

"pace", "citrus" vs "coop", "cupric" and "cake" (the alternation is pronunciation) is quite similar to that of English [though the specific sounds may differ]).