How to pronounce “Álvarez”
Hear how “Álvarez (common surname)” sounds in Spanish, then read the breakdown below.
ÁlvarezAHL-bah-rehs (Latin America) · AHL-bah-rehth (Spain)
Accent
Breakdown
| Meaning | common surname |
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| Syllables | ál · va · rez (3) |
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| Stress | The written accent marks the stress: ÁL. |
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| IPA (Latin America) | /ˈal.ba.ɾes/ |
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| IPA (Spain) | /ˈal.ba.ɾeθ/ |
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Tips for English speakers
Common mistake: Stress the first syllable: AHL-bah-rehs, not "al-VAR-ez".
- The single r is a quick tap, like the "tt" in American English "butter". Don't use an English r.
- v sounds the same as b. Spanish has no English-style v sound.
- z sounds like s in Latin America and like the "th" in "think" in most of Spain.
- Keep every vowel short and pure: a = "ah", e = "eh", i = "ee", o = "oh", u = "oo". No gliding.
Learn more: Spanish R and RR · Spain vs. Latin America · Stress and accent marks
Example sentences
El señor Álvarez es abogado.Mr. Álvarez is a lawyer.
La doctora Álvarez llega tarde hoy.Dr. Álvarez is arriving late today.
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