- Several consonant sounds (and one combination of consonant + w sound ) that occur at the end of verb stems vary in their spelling, depending on what follows.
- The spelling changes are used to keep the pronunciation of the consonant sound consistent: for example, the k sound of saco [sako] is maintained by spelling it qu in saque [sake]. Spelling it sace would cause it to be pronounced [sase].
- Unlike stem-changes, then, spelling changes are seen but not heard.
- These spellings are almost completely predictable and consistent, and conform with the general rules of Spanish spelling.
- The spelling of each varies according to which vowel sound immediately follows (the first sound of the verb ending).
- The various sound changes are all grouped the same way: each sound is spelled one way before a or o, another way before e or i.
- See table below for examples.
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| THE FIVE STEM-FINAL CONSONANT SOUNDS AND THEIR SPELLINGS |
Consonant Sound |
Spelling before a, o |
Spelling before e, i |
Examples |
"hard" g |
g |
gu1 |
llegar, llego; llegue
distingo, distinga; distingue, distinguir |
gw |
gu |
gü |
averiguar, averiguo; averigüe
argua; argüe, argüir |
jota2 |
j |
g |
recoja, recojo; recoge, recogí |
k |
c |
qu1 |
buscar, busco; busque |
s3 / th4 |
z |
c |
abrazar, abrazo; abrace
convence; convencí |
- u is silent in these spellings
- if consonant sound is spelled with j in infinitive, no spelling changes occur:
- trabajar→trabaje; tejer→tejo, teja
- when consonant is spelled s, no changes occur: coser, cosa, coso, cosí
- pronounced this way in most parts of Spain, as s in Latin America
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