The Digraph 'Ll' in Spanish
'Ll' is a common digraph in Spanish, which means it consists of two letters but is pronounced a single, specific sound.
Digraph name | doble ele |
|---|---|
Phoneme | /ʝ/ |
How to Pronounce 'Ll'
Although this digraph consists of two 'l's, its pronunciation has no relation to 'l'. Rather, it is pronounced as /ʝ/ which is similar to the sound of 'y' in English words like "yellow." Its pronunciation remains unchanged regardless of its position within the word and it cannot be split between syllables. Here are some examples:
calle → /kaʝe/
street
lluvia → /ʝuβja/
rain
llave → /ʝaβe/
key
llama → /ʝama/
flame
Yeísmo
The traditional sound of 'll' was /ʎ/ which is a palatal sound close to the pronunciation of 'lli' in the English word "million." Today, this pronunciation only exists in a few parts of Spanish-speaking world and in the majority of regions the sound /ʝ/ is the standard pronunciation. This merging of the sound of 'll' with the sound of 'y' is called yeísmo.
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