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Spelling it Out There are a few conventions that are useful to know when it comes to giving and receiving information. It helps to know how to clarify spelling?on the telephone, at the check-in desk of your hotel, or even at the police station. (Just kidding. Unless you have absolutely no cash on your person you?ll never have to go to the comisaría for something you did or didn?t do).

Because v and b sound the same, we distinguish them with...

b = be larga (literally "long v")

v = ve corta (literally "short v"), or sometimes ve pronounced with the upper teeth on the lower lip, like the American letter (as in "very")

Likewise, y and ll are differentiated with...

y = ye or i-griega (literally, "Greek i")

ll = elie (like the Castilian ll)

And you can impress Argentines by specifying...

i = i-italiana (literally "Italian i"), or i-latina (Latin i)

Some reminders of the alphabet...

r = erre (with the double trill)

j = jota

g = ge (that?s a soft g)

h = hache (remember the h is silent)

ñ = eñe, or enie if you prefer

q = cu

w = doble v

x = equís

z = zeta (remember z = s)

If you decide people don?t understand a certain letter when you pronounce it, you can always use the "as in" strategy. For example...

Draves = de como dedo, erre, a, ve corta, e, ese (Regardless my last name is invariably spelled wrong when I finally see the results on a printed form).

Last updated 11/14/2005