Spanish · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "la bolsa" in Spanish?

Q: How do you pronounce la bolsa in Spanish?

la bolsa is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /la ˈbol.sa/. It means “bag.” lah BOHL-sah — a bright l before the s and a clean hissing s.

lah BOHL-sah — a bright l before the s and a clean hissing s.

la bolsa /la ˈbol.sa/

Two syllables, BOL-sa, beat on the first, as the rule for this ending requires for a vowel-final word. The plural "bolsas" keeps it. Note the related "bolsillo" (pocket) adds two syllables and shifts the beat to SI, with the ll pronounced as a y.

Listen: la bolsa

Free browser voice. Hear it read by a real native speaker inside the LingoDrop app.

Sound it out

la A bright forward l and a wide "ah", unstressed.

bol A b with the lips meeting gently, a pure "oh", and a bright forward l. English darkens an l before a consonant — feel what happens in "bolt" — and Spanish keeps it light. This is the stressed beat.

sa A voiceless hiss and a wide-open "ah".

Hear it in a sentence

Dejé la bolsa en el auto.

I left the bag in the car.

Listen: Dejé la bolsa en el auto.

Free browser voice. Hear it read by a real native speaker inside the LingoDrop app.

"Dejé la bolsa en el auto" uses "dejé" with an accent holding the stress on the final é and marking the past tense. "Auto" glides its au into one beat: OW-to. Say "en el auto" and all three words link into one run: e-ne-LOW-to.

Where English speakers slip

The l before the s gets darkened, producing "BOWL-sa" with the consonant swallowed into the vowel. Keep the tongue tip forward. The b then wants popping, and the final a wants reducing. Note the word also means the stock exchange — "la Bolsa" — which is a useful ambiguity to be aware of in the news.