Learning to pronounce the ‘G’ sounds in Spanish is straightforward when you keep in mind that there are 2 different pronunciations to keep in mind:
Soft G
Hard G
How will you know, when confronted with a new word, which ‘G’ to use?
Is that a Soft ‘G’ or Hard ‘G’?
The answer to this question depends on the vowel which follows. If the ‘G’ is followed by a, o, or u, then you will need to use the Soft ‘G’.
If the vowel which follows i, or e, then you will need to use the Hard ‘G’.
With the above video, you can hear the sounds with your own ears, but just to give you another way to think of the hard/soft G difference, consider these examples:
Soft ‘G’ Example:
Argentina
-The g here sounds like the English e in ‘held.’
Hard ‘G’ Example:
Gustar
-The g in this word (which means ‘to like’) sounds like the g in the English pronunciation of ‘guru.’
Hope this clarifies how to pronounce this sound in Spanish! Remember that the only way to truly improve your pronunciation is to talk, talk, talk! Find someone patient or get a teacher today if you want to make a big burst in Spanish progress or push past any plateaus you may be experiencing.
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