5. Frecuencia y encadenamiento de palabras

Spanish has a special way to make the transition from one word to another word when you are speaking. This is one of the two challenges that we face when we are learning a new language. It is very different to understand the words individually than to be able to understand a bunch of words in several sentences with natural speed. When you are talking with one of your friends, you don’t stop until you finish your idea. Perhaps you want to emphasize what you just said, or your friend interrupts you to tell you something. During this time, all the words are continually linked together until there is a reason to stop. We can master the grammar and the vocabulary of the new language, but it is difficult for us to hear the sounds of the words that the native speakers put together and divide these sounds in the way that we can understand each word. The good news is that the ability to understand linking words is something that comes naturally.

The second challenge is the ability to speak while linking the words like native speakers. Linguistic experts think that the ability to speak as native speakers by linking the words doesn’t come in a natural way. The challenge for us is to develop this skill through proper pronunciation. Incorrect pronunciation leads to miscommunication. Linking the words incorrectly doesn’t cause miscommunication.

You may ask yourself: why we are studying this? One of the objectives of any language student is to become fluent. The flow or fluidity of speech via the ability to link words affords one the ability to be termed fluent in a language. Fluency in another language is a desirable skill sought by global-minded employers and tends to give the speaker opportunities to build relationships with heritage speakers.

Encadenamiento = Spanish Linking. In short, it refers to the lack of a phonetic border between words in a sentence or question. This makes us feel that Spanish is spoken very fast. As always, Spanish has very simple but rigid rules that help us understand this concept and start working on our skills to link words.

Spanish language philosophy: The musicality of the Spanish language is based on the fact that most of the syllables begin with a consonant sound and end with a vowel sound. In other words, Spanish doesn’t tend to have syllables begin with vowels or end in consonants. In the next four rules you will be able to see how the final sound is linked onto the word that follows it.

Regla uno: The final vowel of one word is pronounced with the initial vowel of the next word.

Example: La escuela abre la puerta a las ocho à La- es-cue-la-bre-la-puer-ta-las-o-cho

Regla dos: This rule often creates diphthongs and triphthongs by joining the final vowel of one word and the initial vowel of the next word, when they are different.

Example: La escuela abre la puerta a las ocho à Laes-cue-la-bre-la-puer-ta-las-o-cho

Regla tres: Sometimes the final consonant of a word is pronounced together with the initial vowel of the next word.

Example: El doctor es una buena persona à El-doc-to-res-una-bue-na-per-so-na

Regla cuatro: When the final consonant of one word is the same as the initial consonant of the following word, only one sound is made but with longer duration.

Example: comemos sabroso à Co-me-mo-sa-bro-so

In the next video you will hear and see how we apply these rules. The video is all in Spanish. Remember, we are introducing the Spanish word linking concept to you. We want you to be familiar with the concept, to know it exists, understand the mechanics, and notice these elements when you listen to Spanish. The more conscious you are of this phonetic phenomenon, the easier it will be for you to develop faster your understanding and also your skills in linking Spanish words. Now, listen to the next video and try to identify the concepts that we just studied. Repeat aloud all the words and how they are linked.