Rules for pronouncing "th" in Spain

Question

I know that in Spain they pronounced their z, c, and s with a "th" sound so are the rules for it?

In Spain, the 's' still has an 's' sound, only a little more like a whistle. Not a 'th' sound. - PumpkinCalabaza, Jul 28, 2012

Answer 1

There are different accents, but the way that many people speak is to pronounce "c" and "z" as "th" (but not the letter s).

The rule is that if the "c" or "z" is followed by a vowel that is not "a" or "o," it is pronounced "th" (or "s").

I know from personal experience, because I speak this way.

If you're interested in more about the accent, a lot of times an "s" has more of a "sh" sound.

Answer 2

I don't personally know the answer to your question as I have always learned from Latin Americans, but here are some pronunciation practices that might interest you.

the consonant z

the consonant s

the consonant c

And here are some articles that might be helpful

WordReference discussion thread on this topic

About.com pronouncing the Spanish C and Z

Answer 3

This reminds me of the time I horrified my Spanish friends by taking a stab at it and getting it wrong.

I was trying to say the word for "process," "el proceso."

Here is is in the SpanishDict.com dictionary. Two "s" sounds. But, I was in Madrid. Which one becomes a "th" sound? I guessed.

I said, "pro-cess-tho" and totally flipped them out.

It is "pro-the-so." They made me look at their mouths while they said it up close. I'm clear on it now.