¿Qué Pasó con la ch, ll, y rr? - What happened to “ch,” “ll”, and “rr”?

Learn Spanish and Go

We walk you through why letters like ch, ll, and even rr used to appear in the Spanish alphabet—and why they were eventually removed. We explain the role of the Real Academia Española and the network of language academies that oversee updates to Spanish, including the move to classify these as dígrafos rather than independent letters. You’ll also hear how pronunciation, regional differences, and even the renaming of the letter y impact learners today. Whether you’ve been speaking Spanish for decades or you’re just getting started, this episode will help you understand the modern 27-letter alphabet and avoid common pronunciation mistakes.

Key Takeaways:

• Why ch, ll, and rr are no longer part of the Spanish alphabet
• How the RAE and the Association of Academies make decisions about the language
• The importance of correct alphabet pronunciation for clearer, more confident Spanish speaking

Relevant Links And Additional Resources:

• How To Say The Alphabet In Spanish [Blog Post]
• Level up your Spanish with our Podcast Membership
  • Get the full transcript of each episode so you don’t miss a word
  • Listen to an extended breakdown section in English going over the most important words and phrases
  • Test your comprehension with a multiple choice quiz

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פרקים

1. ¿Qué Pasó con la ch, ll, y rr? - What happened to “ch,” “ll”, and “rr”? (00:00:00)

2. Introducción al Podcast (00:00:31)

3. Preguntas sobre el Podcast (00:01:52)

4. Cambios en el Abecedario (00:04:58)

5. La Real Academia Española (00:09:03)

6. Eliminación de Dígrafos (00:12:17)

7. El Abecedario Actual (00:13:23)

8. Diferencias Generacionales en el Abecedario (00:16:54)

9. La Letra Ñ (00:19:25)

10. Resumen de Cambios (00:20:50)

11. Escena Humorística de Español (00:23:44)