ci ce and z

Question

I know that "C" as in "ce" or "ci" and the Z are pronounced like the English "th" in Spain,but most people don't say them like this. However I like to say them like this because it helps me remember how things are spelled. So I guess that my question is "Would it seem odd for a foreigner to say them like this?" I fear that I might come across as pompous/trying to be fancy if I do this. Am I right or do I have nothing to worry about?

Answer 1

but most people don't say them like this.

Well, that depends where you want to use them, jeje, in Spain most people do say them like this

Answer 2

I find that pronunciation in Spanish is very important. I live in Spain, and when speaking to native speakers if your pronunciation is even just a little off, they have great difficulty in understanding what your saying. So I say get the pronunciation as good as you possibly can.

Answer 3

My first experiences with Spanish were with an Ecuadorian friend, so I started out learning with 'seseo' (pronouncing, 'z' and 'ce' 'ci' the same way as 's'), however I live in England and I'm now working on the assumption that I'm more likely to visit Spain than cross the waters and have switched to 'non-seseo', also called 'distinción'. Of course, in some parts of Spain they use 'seseo' too, but as I'm watching tv from Spain, and listening to Spanishpodcasts from Barcelona, I'm mostly hearing 'non-seseo'.

It's also a very valid point you make about it being helpful with spelling. Also, the other night in Skype I used the verb 'cocer'.. Had I been speaking with the alternate pronunciation people might have thought I was saying 'coser', and then I would have taken longer to explain myself!

My Ecuadorian friend says it doesn't matter to him at all that I changed.

Edited because I had misunderstood the issue.

galsally, 'ceceo' is considered an unacceptable pronunciation in Spain. The typical term is "no seseo" - lazarus1907, Jan 9, 2011

thanks Lazarus, going to edit this. :) - galsally, Jan 10, 2011

Answer 4

I live in Spain, and when speaking to native speakers if your pronunciation is even just a little off, they have great difficulty in understanding what your saying. So I say get the pronunciation as good as you possibly can.

I am from Madrid and I don't think that is true, Spanish people always try to understand what you are saying, however weird the pronunciation.

It is of course always advantageous to get the pronunciation right

i agree with you.. - ash_afshan, Jan 9, 2011