Languages are like families. Literally. Almost every language is related to another, which means there are a lot of connections we can use to our advantage. One of the most notable examples? The Romance languages are languages derived from Latin.
The Romance languages include Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Romanian. Today, we will focus on the first three.
National Spelling Bee judges love to ask words from Spanish, Italian, and French. So it would behoove you to learn the fundamental patterns for spelling words from these languages. In this lesson, you will go over these patterns and exceptions. In tomorrow's live lesson, we will talk about the connections between these languages and a couple of useful hidden tricks you can use.
| Sound | Symbol | Spelling | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| /ah/ | ä | a, o | opera, gelato, pasta, paparazzi | A is more traditional |
| /a/ | a | a | piano, balcony, ravioli, maraschino | |
| /ay/ | ā | e | al dente, forte, padre, seicento | Ei based on root sei- (6). Can be a in anglicized words like malaria. |
| /e/ | e | e | escort, penne, pesto, bruschetta | |
| /ee/ | ē | i, e | caviar, diva, spaghetti, fettuccine | E at end of words sometimes; often has /ay/ alternate pronunciation |
| /i/ | i | i | bandit, vibrato, rigatoni, spinet | |
| /ahy/ | ī | ai | serail, assai, maestro, ferraiolone | |
| /oh/ | ō | o | bravo, solo, fresco, provolone | |
| /ow/ | au | au | flauto, flautist, ciao, camauro | Ao in 3 words: bresaola, ciao, and paolo |
| /uh/ | ə | a, e, i | salami, sostenuto, sonata, garibaldi | A used to connect parts of words and at end. O and u are rare. |
| /oo/ | ü | u | crudo, ragu, studio, fusilli | |
| /k/ | k | c+a,o,u, cc, ch, cch | cameo, broccoli, chianti, zucchini | Cch before i. -que at end. Cc in middle before o or a. Ch before e and i. C at beginning. |
| /kw/ | kw | qu | banquet, squad, quintet, tranquillo | |
| /sh/ | sh | sc (before i, e) | fascia, crescendo, disgracious, charlatan | Ch is uncommon. C in -cious endings from Latin. Two words: capricious, disgracious. |
| /s/ | s | s, ss | casino, espresso, spade, grissino | Ss in middle, especially in -issimo endings |
| /t/ | t | t, tt | alto, octet, motto, frittata | Doubled in endings or due to assimilation |
| /l/ | l | l, ll | ballerina, finale, malaria, tagliatelle | Doubled in endings. Gl before y sound, similar to gn pattern. |
| /ch/ | ch | c+i, e, cc+i, e | porcini, vivace, ciabatta, cappuccino | I sometimes not pronounced when modifying a consonant. Five words with cce: accelerando, bocce, cacce, fettuccelle, roccella. |
| /ts/ | ts | z, zz | pizza, terzina, tazza, mozzarella | |
| /f/ | f | f, ff | confetti, fresco, coffee, graffiti | |
| /g/ | g | g, gh | gala, indigo, legato, larghetto | G next to a, o, u |
| /j/ | j | g+i,a,o,u, ggi+a,o,u | reggiano, agio, adagio, arpeggio | |
| /z/ | z | s | sbrinz, influenza, divisi, sgabello | S- root at the beginning of words |
| /zh/ | zh | s, g | cortege, solfege, parmesan, agiotage | Especially in -ege endings |
| /ny/ | ny | gn | lasagna, segno, signora, gnocchi |
| Sound | Symbol | Spelling | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| /ah/ | ä | a | taco, bongo, adios, hacienda | Can be o in anglicized words |
| /a/ | a | a | ranch, patio, alligator, fandango | |
| /ay/ | ā | e | queso, mesa, reina, jaguey | Ei is very rare |
| /e/ | e | e | siesta, fiesta, sombrero, caballero | |
| /ee/ | ē | i, e | burrito, cafeteria, guacamole, vigilante | I is traditional, e is anglicized or from Mexican Spanish |
| /oh/ | ō | o | nacho, diablo, cargo, aficionado | |
| /aw/ | ȯ | a, o | salsa, balsa, tornado, forastero | A is rare, but often before l |
| /ow/ | au | ao, au | cacao, flauta, auto, bacalao | Au if from traditional Spanish or Latin-based |
| /oo/ | ü | u | chalupa, puma, tuna, dulce | |
| /ahy/ | ī | ay, ai | maya, playa, jai alai, ayuntamiento | Ai more in middle, ay at beginning or end. If you hear /y/ after /ahy/ it's probably ay. |
| /uh/ | ə | a | vanilla, buffalo, mosquito, banderilla | Schwa at the end is almost always a. Other vowels (e, i, o, u) also used. |
| /h/ | h | j, g | fajita, junta, mojito, colegio | G next to i or e only |
| /y/ | y | ll | tortilla, quesadilla, flotilla, frijolillo | -illa is a common ending |
| /k/ | k | c, qu | avocado, cabana, congo, querida | Qu especially if /ay/, /ee/, or /i/ follows. C only if next to a, o, u. /kw/ sound is cu. |
| /th/ | th | d | adobo, ejido, menudo, cedula | |
| /w/ | w | hu | huaca, iguana, huipil, chihuahua | Also made by adding u before consonants (esp h and j). Exception: hoatzin. |
| /r/ | r | r, rr | churro, oregano, serrano, conquistador | |
| /s/ | s | s, c, z | asado, cilantro, tostada, azulejo | C or z can also represent /th/ sound; look for alternate pronunciations |
| /ch/ | ch | ch | anchovy, chipotle, macho, ceviche | |
| /ny/ | ny | n | pinata, manana, jalapeno, bunuelo | Common in -eño endings |
| /g/ | g | g, gu | amigo, dengue, guava, guerrilla | Use gu when next to i and e, as they would otherwise make g sound like /j/ |
| Sound | Symbol | Spelling | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| /ah/ | ä | a, o | garage, mascot, collage, bureaucracy | May also be -as or -at at end of words |
| /a/ | a | a | diorama, royale, dramatic, meringue | May be i when next to n (hint: meringue) |
| /ay/ | ā | e (é), ai, ee | melee, mayonnaise, cliche, atelier | Et, ee, and er at end. Many other endings. Ai in middle. This is the toughest sound in French. |
| /e/ | e | e | menu, revenue, chef, croquette | Rarely ai, but these words often also pronounced with /ay/ |
| /ee/ | ē | i | niche, dijon, prairie, ratatouille | Ie, ee, y, it, is, ille, or ix may be used as endings |
| /i/ | i | i | vinegar, critic, finesse, chagrin | |
| /ahy/ | ī | aill, aille | taille, paillard, faille, vitraillist | I or y if from Latin or Greek. Aill in middle, aille at end. Ll in aill is often silent but becomes /y/ before other letters. |
| /oh/ | ō | o, au, eau | vogue, mauve, flambeau, escargot | O and au at beginning or middle. Eau at end. Ot and os may also be endings. |
| /aw/ | ȯ | o, au | cauter, report, embroil, rapport | O before r; next to i as part of /oy/ sound |
| /oo/ | ü | ou, u | route, etude, troupe, choucroute | Ou is traditional; u often from French verbs ending in -re |
| /uh/ | ə | a, e | baton, camouflage, croissant, entrepreneur | Eu, oi, ou may also be used (eu common in -eur, -euse endings), often from lazy English pronunciations. Can also be o. U and i are rare. |
| /uu/ | u | ou, u | deluxe, tour, manicure, gravure | U only at end of words |
| /wah/ | wä | oi, -ois | memoir, noir, etoile, patois | Common in -ois and -oise endings |
| /t/ | t | t, tt, -tte | hotel, battery, crouton, omelette | -tte at end of words; tt only in middle |
| /s/ | s | s, c, ss, -sse, -ce | celebrity, casserole, lacrosse, seance | S and c+i,e at beginning. Ss and c+i,e common in middle. -sse and -ce used as endings. |
| /z/ | z | s, -se | cuisine, hazard, disease, blase | -se at end of words. Z is rare. |
| /f/ | f | f, ff | fashion, fountain, buffet, facade | Ff in middle. Ph if influenced by Greek (scientific terms) |
| /k/ | k | c, qu, -que | crayon, antique, nacre, croquette | C at beginning. Qu most common in middle. -que at end. |
| /ny/ | ny | gn | cognac, mignon, pignon, beignet | Most common words with gn have dropped /y/ or pronounce g and n separately |
| /g/ | g | g, -gue | gorgeous, nougat, fatigue, egalitarian | G next to a, o, u. Gu next to e, i. -gue is a common ending. |
| /y/ | y | ll | guillotine, maillot, medaillon, maquillage | |
| /sh/ | sh | ch | brochure, charade, moustache, panache | Often -che at end of words |
| /zh/ | zh | g+e,i or j+a,o,u | massage, deja vu, mirage, bijou | G next to e or i. J next to a, o, u. Ge at end of words. |
Now that you have reviewed these tables, ask yourself these questions as you study:
1. What connections do you see between these languages and Latin? What differences?
2. What connections do you see between Spanish and French? French and Italian? Italian and Spanish? What differences?
3. Which French words look/sound "more French"? Why? Are there words from Spanish/Italian that look "more Spanish" or "more Italian"?
4. Do you think there are French/Spanish/Italian roots? What examples can you find? Do these roots look like their Latin equivalents?
Keep asking yourself these questions and exploring how French, Spanish, and Italian work together. These connections are your biggest advantage heading into Nationals. Happy spelling!