LingoDrop
Spanish · Pronunciation Guide
How do you pronounce "el pez" in Spanish?
el pess — one syllable, with the vowel of "bed" and the z as a plain hissing s.
A single syllable, so nothing needs deciding. The plural "peces" adds a syllable, swaps the z for a c before the e, and lands its beat on PE, as the default rule prescribes. That z-to-c change is automatic across Spanish and never affects the sound.
Listen: el pez
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Sound it out
Hear it in a sentence
El pez nada en el río.
The fish is swimming in the river.
Listen: El pez nada en el río.
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"El pez nada en el río" uses "nadar" for swimming, and "nada" here is a verb, not the word for nothing — same spelling, different job. "Río" carries an accent breaking the i from the o into two beats, and its opening r is trilled since it starts the word.
Where English speakers slip
Almost everyone buzzes the z on first sight, producing "pezz". Hiss it. The vowel then wants stretching toward "peez". But the distinction that matters most is semantic: "pez" is a live fish swimming, while "pescado" is fish on a plate. Ordering "pez" in a restaurant is a memorable mistake.