How to pronounce “principio”
Hear how “principio (beginning / principle)” sounds in Spanish, then read the breakdown below.
principiopreen-SEE-pyoh (Latin America) · preen-THEE-pyoh (Spain)
Accent
Breakdown
| Meaning | beginning / principle |
|---|
| Syllables | prin · ci · pio (3) |
|---|
| Stress | Words ending in a vowel, n or s stress the second-to-last syllable: CI. |
|---|
| IPA (Latin America) | /pɾin.ˈsi.pjo/ |
|---|
| IPA (Spain) | /pɾin.ˈθi.pjo/ |
|---|
Tips for English speakers
- The single r is a quick tap, like the "tt" in American English "butter". Don't use an English r.
- c before e or i 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
Al principio no entendía nada.At first I didn't understand anything.
Es una cuestión de principios.It's a matter of principle.
More words
Pronounce any other Spanish word →