how to pronounce "ll"

I am a little confused on the correct pronunciation of "ll" in Spanish. In listening to this course, I have heard it said in several ways and I'm not sure why there is a difference. Sometimes it seems to be pronounced like a "y", sometimes more like a "j" and even more confusing is that sometimes it seems to be pronounced like "ch". For instance, it seems that the word llamar can be said as "yamar", "jamar", or even "chamar". Often, I can't really tell the difference. Is there some reason for this. Thank you.

I remember being confused by the same thing when I started to study Spanish. All the pronunciations you're hearing are correct--they merely reflect regional differences. This is true, by the way, for vocabulary as well as for pronunciation. We have regional differences in pronunciation and vocabulary in English as well, though it seems to me that there are more of them in Spanish. :D

Thank you for your quick response. Your answer is pretty much what I expected, however I am still a little confused. My original question referred to 3 ways that I have heard the same word pronounced. The most confusion is because the word is pronounced 3 different ways by the same person, Mauricio. That really doesn't account for regional dialects. Why does he say it differently? Is he just trying to show the different pronunciations or is there is a different meaning depending on how words are said.

Good question. By the time I listened to Rocket Spanish, I had already gone through level 1 of Learning Spanish Like Crazy, which has multiple speakers who illustrate different accents, so I may not have noticed that Mauricio pronounced the ll in several different ways. My guess is that if he did this, he probably was trying to make us aware of the different ways in which the ll can be pronounced. (By the way, though I did level 1 of LSLC _before_ coming to Rocket Spanish, that's _not_ the order I'd recommend. I think Rocket Spanish offers a much gentler introduction to Spanish and provides an excellent base from which to go on to other programs, such as LSLC.)

I do think that Rocket is an Excellent Beginner - Advanced level course in Spanish. In just a few weeks, I have already learned quite a bit of Spanish. I listen to the conversation courses during my 45 ride to and from work each day. In the evenings and on weekends, I read the grammar and vocab courses. I seem to be able to understand much better when I am able to read what has been said,as the pronunciations can often be confusing.

By the way, in Argentina "ll" is always pronounced as "sh".

I disagree with you. I have an Argentinian friend , married with children, for 20 Years. They pronounce the ll as Y or J ( official ) Maybe some people do pronounce it as sh , but it is wrong, even if they are natives . Best Antonio

I think this discussion demonstrates two things: 1) Spanish pronunciation, like Spanish vocabulary, differs from country to country, and even within a country. 2) It's often dangerous to say "always" (or "never") As the thread has noted, the ll can be pronounced several different ways. I hear all of them quite frequently, both "live" and on TV and radio. I've heard radio announcers say Yama, Jama, and Zhama for llama. And, in spite of what Antonio says, many people in Argentina (and Chile and Uruguay) do pronounce ll as zh (the sound in the middle of the English word "leisure"). I was in Argentina last year, and that was the pronunciation I heard most often. Recently, I was watching a fascinating movie called *Stranded*, which in spite of the title was completely in Spanish. It was about a 1972 crash in the Andes mountains of a plane carrying players, coaches, and friends of a Uruguayan sports team, and what the survivors went through for more than two harrowing months before being rescued. In the film, too, the pronunciation of ll that I heard most often was zh. The Spanish word ella sounded very much like the English word Asia. And it's not a wrong pronunciation, it's just another variant, just as people in Spain often pronounce a z as th (so that plaza sounds like platha). But Antonio mades an important point. Not everyone in Argentina (or elsewhere in the Southern Cone) pronounces the ll as zh. It's often wise to avoid sweeping generalizations like "In Argentina, ll is ALWAYS pronounced as sh."

[quo]*Quote:* the ll can be pronounced several different ways [/quo] I disagree that *it can* I do agree that *it does* Tthe ll should be pronounced as defined and spoken at Spanish Universities. [quo]*Quote:* I hear all of them quite frequently, both "live" and on TV and radio [/quo] I also hear 20 different ways of talking English, but that doesn't change the fact that most of them are wrong. [quo]*Quote:* And, in spite of what Antonio says, many people in Argentina (and Chile and Uruguay) do pronounce ll as zh (the sound in the middle of the English word "leisure") [/quo] I can't argue about Argentina , as you were there and I wasn't, but I doubt very much if they teach it in school. Also, as I spend time in Paraguay, there it is a J or a Y, as far as I remember. But you know what I think is the real problem....>> you and me ( and Tom, Dick and Joe ). I think that we hear sounds on a certain way that we are brought up. As I mix with teachers in English, we sometimes are in disagreement about how best to apply phonetic writing. What HE hears as a z, I hear as a S What HE hears as a D, I hear as a T ex: here in this country we have teachers coming from the Philipinnes. Mother becomes mather Father becomes fether When you point it out, they get upset. When you tape it, and play it back, they hear themselves and understand So, again, maybe you imagine it is spoken as sh, but there is a big chance , that when I am standing next to you, I just may hear it different and thus disagree with you. Now, last but not least, I am going to download " stranded" in spanish , and if I indeed hear the ll pronounced as a sh. I will apologize here on this forum btw, a good Spanish movie is " Bee movie ". It's a cartoon. See you people

here are some other opinions. please note that the one is contradicting the other. You figure it out, as I give up ! http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071221163402AA8pYAz Antonio

[quo]*Quote:* Now, last but not least, I am going to download " stranded" in spanish , and if I indeed hear the ll pronounced as a sh. I will apologize here on this forum [/quo] Well, I never thought that I had to do it, but I listened to the movie " Stranded " in Spanish, and indeed, you here the ll pronounced as zh. So, my apologies to nohablo. She is right , and I am wrong. Antonio

[quo]*Quote from * ccfcjc70 I do think that Rocket is an Excellent Beginner - Advanced level course in Spanish. In just a few weeks, I have already learned quite a bit of Spanish. I listen to the conversation courses during my 45 ride to and from work each day. In the evenings and on weekends, I read the grammar and vocab courses. I seem to be able to understand much better when I am able to read what has been said,as the pronunciations can often be confusing.[/quo] Where are the grammar and vocab materials. I would like to download them as I go through the course.

"I also hear 20 different ways of talking English, but that doesn't change the fact that most of them are wrong." Most of them are called 'American'! :D

[quo]*Quote from * Esteban1961 Where are the grammar and vocab materials. I would like to download them as I go through the course.[/quo] They're in the same place as the rest of the lessons. Usually, the first three or four or five in each section are lessons with .mp3 files and transcripts. These are followed by several files under the heading Grammar and Culture. These are the grammar materials.

interesting i find it confusing myself not only the ll but also the y as i realise its also pronounce as j as well forvo.com is a very nice site you guys should check it out you hear different people say the same word depending on region its spoken differently with the ch/zh type song etc

also antonio i notice you pronounced in llamada ah jamada in lesson 1.3 but you pronounce "llorando" crying as it is to be pronounced why the switch on pronounciation from j to y ??? which one should i use with regards to ll ????? also the y as pointed out in some words is pronounced j