• Use of B

• Use of V

• Use of G before E or I

• Use of J before E or I

• Use of H & M

• Use of K

• Use of X instead of S

• Use of R

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Use of B

 

        It must be written with B:

 

1)  Any verbs in which infinitive time ends with:

BER	beber; to drink .		BIR	recibir; to receive.
BUIR	inbuir; to inculcate.

Exceptions:

        Precaver, ver; volver; hervir; servir, vivir.

        ...and their compound times.

 

2)    The 1st person indicative imperfect past conjugation.

            In the first person indicative imperfect past conjugation such as: amaba; lloraba; bailaba.

 

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3)     The words that start with the following sounds:

BAN	banco; bank.		BAT	batallón; battalion.
BAR	barco; boat.		BOR	borde; border.
BAS	basta; enough.		BOT	bote; can.
BIBL	biblioteca; library.		BU	bula; bull.
BUR	burgés; bourgeois.		BUS	buscador; searcher.

Exceptions:

        Vándalo, vanguardia, vanidad, vara, varear, variar, varilla, varón, vasallo, vasco, vaselina, vasija, vaso, vástago y vasto, vate ,vaticano, vaticinar, voracidad, vorágine, votar, vuestro.

 

4)     The words that end with the following sounds:

BILIDAD	accesibilidad; accessibility.		ILABA	Polisílaba;  polysyllable.
BUNDO	vagabundo; vagabond.		ILABO	monosílabo; monosyllabic.
BUNDA	abundante; plentiful.

Exceptions:

        Civilidad, movilidad.

5)     Syllables that have a b sound after a consonant.

            In syllables that have a "b" sound followed by a consonant such as in amable and brusco.          

 

6)     Always after m.

            The "b" is always used after an "m" such as bomba, ambiente.

 

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Use of V

 

        It must be written with V:

 

1) When there is a V sound after the following syllable:

AD	adviento; advent.		IN	inversión; investment.
CLA	clavel; carnation.		JO	jóven; young.
CON	convención; convention.		PRI	privado; private.
DI	dividir; divide.

Exception:

        Dibujo.

 

2) In adjectives that end in: 

AVA	octava; eighth.		EVE	nieve; snow.
AVE	llave; key.		EVO	huevo; egg.
AVO	esclavo; slave.		IVA	masiva; massive.
EVA	nueva; new (fem.)		IVO	cautivo; captive.

Exception:

 

        "Arabe" and composed conjugations, as well as the adjectives formed with the "sílaba" substantive (monosílabo, bisílabo, etc).

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3) All of the verb "ir" present time conjugations.

            In all the verb "ir" present time conjugations as in: voy, ve, vaya, etc.

 

 

4) The verbs ended in "servar". 

            In all the verbs ended in "servar" like in: conservar/ conserve;  reservar/ reserve.

 

                   Exception:

 

                            Desebrar.

 

 

5) Composed words starting with "vice".

VICE	vicepresidente; vicepresident		VILLA	villamediana
VILLAR	Villarejo

 

 

6) Words that end in:

 

IVORA	herbívora; herbivorous.		VIRO
IVORA	carnívoro; carnivorous.		VIRA	Elvira;

                    

                    Exception:

 

                            Víbora.

 

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Use of G before E or I

 

You must write G before E or I when:

 

1) The words start with "GEO"

            In words that start with "geo" like: geometría, geología and geografía.

 

2) In words that end in:

 

GELICO	angélico; angelic.		GEN	orígen; origin.
GENARIO	nonagenario; nonagenarian.		GENEO	homogéneo; homogeneous .
GENICO	fotogénico; photogenic.		GENIO	ingenio; ingenious.
GENITO	primogénito; first-born.		GESIMAL	vigesimal; twentieth.
GESIMO	trigésimo; thirtieth.		GETICO	exegético; exegetic.
GIENICO	higiénico; hygienic.		GINAL	virginal; virginal.
GINEO	virgíneo; virginal.		GINOSO	caliginoso; gloomy.
GISMO	neologísmo; neologism.		GIA	magia; magic.
GIO	litígio; lawsuit.		GION	religión; religion.
GIONAL	regional; regional.		GIONARIO	legionario; legionary.
GIOSO	religioso; religious.		GIRICO	panegírico; panegyric.
INGENA	indígena; Indian.		IGENO	oxígeno; oxygen.
OGIA	psicología; psychology.		OGICO	tecnológico; technologic.

                       

                    Exceptions:

                            comejen, ojen, aguajinoso, espejismo,  salvajismo.

 

3) The infinitives ended in:

 

IGERAR	aligerar; to lighten.		GER	recoger; to pick up.
GIR	surgir; to spurt up.

 

                   Exceptions:

                           tejer, crujir.

 

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Use of J before E or I

 

You must write J in the following cases:

 

1) The sounds je and ji. 

             The sounds "je" and "ji" from the infinitive verbs which have neither "g" nor "j" such as "dije" (from the verb "decir"), "reduje" (from the verb "reducir").

 

2) The words with the following terminations:

 

JE	mensaje; message.		JERO	viajero; traveler.
JERIA	cerrajería; lock shop.		JIN	trajín;

 

                    Exceptions:

                           ambage, magín, auge, cónyuge, esfinge, faringe, laringe, parágoge and some others.

 

3) The derivatives from words that have -JA, -JO and -JU.

             The derivatives from words that have -JA, -JO, -JU  like ajillo (ajo).

 

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Use of H

 

You must write an H in the following situations:

 

1) In words that originally had an " F "

 

-farina

harina; flour.

facere

hacer; to do.

 

2) In words that start with the following sounds:

 

IA	hiato;  hiatus.		IE	hielo;   ice.
UE	huevo;  egg.		IDR	hidráulico; hydraulic.
IGR	higrometría; hygrometry.		UI	huida;  escape.
IPER	hiperespacio; hyperspace.		IPO	hipopótamo; hipopotamus.
OG	hogar;  home.		OLG	holgura; looseness.
OPS	hospital; hospital.

 

                Exceptions:
                        Ipecacuana, ogro.

 

3) Any form of the verbs "HABER" and "HACER".

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4) Any words that start with:

 

ELIO	heliopuerto; heliport.		EMA	hematoma; bruise.
EMI	hemiciclo; hemicycle.		EMO	hemofilia; hemophilia.
EPTA	heptagonal; heptagonal.		ETERO	heterogéneo; heterogeneous.
OME	homeopatía; homeopathy.		OMO	homólogo; homologous.

 

                    Exceptions:
                            Among others:  emanar, emancipar, emitir, emigrar, eminencia, emitir, emoción, emoliente, emolimento, omóplato.

 

5) Most of the time, an "H" appears in between two vowels without a diphthong

            almohada, alcohol, ahorcar.

 

6) The composite words and derivitives written with "H".

            Composite words and derivitives written with "H":  deshonra, deshonesto.

                    Exceptions:
                        orfandad, orfanato (from huérfano)
                        osario, osamenta, óseo (from hueso)
                        oquedad. (from hueco)
                        oval, ovalado, ovalo, ovíparo, ovo & ovoide (from huevo)

 

7) At the end of one syllable interjections.

            At the end of one syllable interjections such as: Ah!, bah!, oh!

 

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Use of M

            You must write "M" when:

 

1) "M" is written instead of "N" always before "B" and "P" like in: imberbe, amparo.

 

2) "M" is written before "n", like in himno, except in the preposition compounds like "en" (ennegrecer), "in" (innecesario), "con" (convivencia) and "sin" (sinnúmero).

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Orthographic use of K

 

            It is only used in foreign words incorporated to the Spanish language like kan, kilo or kermesse.

 

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Use of X instead of S

            X is used when:

 

1) At the beginning of a word before a vowel and h;

             At the beginning of a word before a vowel or "h" like in: "exaltación", "exhalación".

 

 

2) Almost always before:

 

CR	excreción; excretion.		PLA	explanar; to level.
PLE	expletivo; expletive.		PLI	explicación; explanation.
PLO	explorar; to explore.		PRE	expresivo; expressive.
PRI	exprimidor; squeezer.		PRO	expropriar; to expropriate.

 

 

3) In the words that start with the following prefixes:

 

EX

extender;    to extend.

EXTRA

extraordinario; extraordinary.

 

 

4) Words intended to be written with X.

             Some words are intended to be written with x, but they sound like j; such as México or Oaxaca.

 

 

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Use of R

 

            A single "R" produces a strong sound at the beginning of the word, and after "l", "n", or "s": rosa, alrededor, Israel. 

            To produce the same strong sound between two vowels, you must use a double "r" like in ferrocarril, errante, etc.

 

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• Use of B

• Use of V

• Use of G before E or I

• Use of J before E or I

• Use of H & M

• Use of K

• Use of X instead of S

• Use of R