The letters “ch” and “ll” are no longer official Spanish letters according to the Spanish Royal Academy.
If you need details
In 2010, the Spanish Royal Academy (RAE) eliminated the letters “ch” and “ll” from the Spanish alphabet, reducing it to 27 letters. This decision was met with controversy, as many argued that these letters were an important part of the language’s history and cultural identity. However, the RAE argued that they were no longer necessary, as they were already represented by other combinations of letters.
According to the RAE, the letter “ch” is now considered a combination of the letters “c” and “h,” while “ll” is a combination of “l” and “l.” This decision was not made lightly, as the RAE is the ultimate authority on the Spanish language and is responsible for ensuring its uniformity and correctness.
Interestingly, this decision has also affected the way words are sorted alphabetically in Spanish dictionaries. Words beginning with “ch” are now listed under “c,” while words beginning with “ll” are listed under “l.”
While this change may take some getting used to for native Spanish speakers, it is worth noting that languages are constantly evolving and adapting to new circumstances. As the RAE notes on its website, “The Spanish language has undergone, since its birth as a Romance language to the present day, many changes produced by the passage of time, societal events, and political and historical circumstances.”
As for the importance of preserving the cultural significance of these letters, writer Mario Vargas Llosa said in an interview with El País, “It is easy to mock the uproar of some of us against the abolition of the letters “ch” and “ll.” But it is not a silly matter…they are two letters indelibly associated with the language and the culture of Spain and America.”
Below is a table showing the letters of the Spanish alphabet, including the letters that were removed by the RAE:
| Letter | Spanish name |
|---|---|
| A | a |
| B | be |
| C | ce |
| D | de |
| E | e |
| F | efe |
| G | ge |
| H | hache |
| I | i |
| J | jota |
| K | ka |
| L | ele |
| M | eme |
| N | ene |
| Ñ | eñe |
| O | o |
| P | pe |
| Q | cu |
| R | ere |
| S | ese |
| T | te |
| U | u |
| V | uve |
| W | uve doble |
| X | equis |
| Y | ye |
| Z | zeta |
See the answer to “Which letters are no longer official Spanish letters?” in this video
Ana explains the different sounds of the letters “C,” “K,” “S,” and “Z” in Spanish, noting that “C” has two sounds depending on the vowel it is paired with and that the sound of “C” is distinct in Spain versus Latin America. She emphasizes the differences in pronunciation for words like “house” and “my house,” and highlights the unique sounds of “Q” and “K.” Ana encourages viewers to explore other videos in the series to gain a deeper understanding of the letters and sounds in Spanish and to subscribe to the channel for more content.
There are alternative points of view
Click on the audio to practice! In 2010, the Royal Spanish Academy officially removed two letters (ch and ll) from the alphabet, making it 27 letters instead of 29. Fortunately for English speakers, the official Spanish alphabet now only has the one additional letter that does not appear in the English alphabet: ñ.
Also people ask
Simply so, What letters were removed from Spanish alphabet? Answer to this: But in 1994, the Spanish Royal Academy eliminated the LL and CH from the Spanish language alphabet. They made this change to make Spanish more computer and keyboard friendly. This change also streamlines the Spanish alphabet. After all, it’s two less letters!
Likewise, What 3 letters were removed from the Spanish language?
Response will be: Spanish Alphabet Changes
- Ch & Ll. In 2010, the Royal Spanish Academy (Real Academia Española) officially removed the letters ch and ll from the Spanish alphabet.
- Letter Y. They also made some other important changes that parents and teachers should know.
- B & V.
- Diacritical Marks.
Also Know, What letters do not exist in Spanish?
The answer is: The letters k and w do not occur in Spanish words unless the word has been borrowed from another language such as English or even Japanese. For example, el karate is considered a “Spanish” noun, even though the k is not a Spanish letter. In Spanish, there are two ways to produce the sound of the English letter k.
What 2 letters are not native to Spanish?
The response is: Long before 2010, there was debate over a few others letters, such as w and k, which aren’t found in native Spanish words.
Similar
Also to know is, What letters are not part of the Spanish alphabet? As an answer to this: The letters "ch", "ll", and "rr" are three letters that are not technically part of the Spanish alphabet anymore, but they make there own sounds. The only letter different still in the Spanish alphabet is the letter "ñ". What word has all letters of the alphabet? There is no word in the English language which has all letters of the alphabet.
Just so, When did ll stop being a letter in Spanish? The letters (called diagraphs) ch, ll, and rr are no longer officially counted as letters of the Spanish alphabet, although dictionaries published before 1994 will show ch and ll as separate letters. THIS IS AMAZING: What is the safest place to live in Spain?
Why did they remove letters from the Spanish alphabet?
And there used to be even more Spanish letters! For example, there used to be a double L and a CH, too. But in 1994, the Spanish Royal Academy eliminated the LL and CH from the Spanish language alphabet. They made this change to make Spanish more computer and keyboard friendly.
Why is RR not included in the Spanish alphabet?
Answer will be: This leads many to consider the RR as a distinct letter, thus bringing the alphabet to a potential 30 letters in total, before CH and LL where removed. However, since words in Spanish can’t start with an RR, it’s not considered to be a letter officially and therefore not included in the official Spanish alphabet.
Keeping this in view, When did ll stop being a letter in Spanish? The response is: The letters (called diagraphs) ch, ll, and rr are no longer officially counted as letters of the Spanish alphabet, although dictionaries published before 1994 will show ch and ll as separate letters. THIS IS AMAZING: What is the safest place to live in Spain?
In respect to this, What are the 4 letters in the Spanish alphabet? Response: The Spanish Alphabet: Sounds And Letters The table above includes the four extra letters that are often included in the Spanish alphabet: ch, ll, ñ and rr. Is there a letter K in the Spanish alphabet?
In this regard, Why did they remove letters from the Spanish alphabet? And there used to be even more Spanish letters! For example, there used to be a double L and a CH, too. But in 1994, the Spanish Royal Academy eliminated the LL and CH from the Spanish language alphabet. They made this change to make Spanish more computer and keyboard friendly.
Keeping this in consideration, Why is RR not included in the Spanish alphabet? This leads many to consider the RR as a distinct letter, thus bringing the alphabet to a potential 30 letters in total, before CH and LL where removed. However, since words in Spanish can’t start with an RR, it’s not considered to be a letter officially and therefore not included in the official Spanish alphabet.