C, S, and Z (Seseo)

In Latin American Spanish, three different letters produce the same sound: c (before e or i), s, and z all sound like [s]. This merging of sounds is called seseo, and it is the standard pronunciation across nearly all of the Americas. The words cielo (sky), siete (seven), and zapato (shoe) all begin with exactly the same [s] sound.

What is Seseo?

Seseo is the pronunciation pattern in which c before e/i, s, and z all sound like the English s in see. It is the norm throughout Latin America, the Canary Islands, and much of southern Spain (Andalusia).

LetterContextSoundExample
cbefore e or i[s]cielo, cena
cbefore a, o, u, or consonant[k]casa, cosa, clase
salways[s]sol, siete
zalways[s]zapato, luz

Cielo, siete y zapato empiezan con el mismo sonido.

"Cielo", "siete" and "zapato" begin with the same sound.

La casa de mi prima está cerca.

My cousin's house is nearby.

El zorro cruzó la calle.

The fox crossed the street.

The Castilian Contrast (Distinción)

In central and northern Spain, speakers make a distinction (distinción) between the two sounds. They pronounce s as [s], but c before e/i and z as [θ], the same sound as the English th in think. Under this system, caza (hunt) [ˈkaθa] and casa (house) [ˈkasa] are completely different words.

WordLatin America (seseo)Spain (distinción)
cielo[ˈsjelo][ˈθjelo]
zapato[saˈpato][θaˈpato]
casa[ˈkasa][ˈkasa]
caza[ˈkasa][ˈkaθa]

In Latin America, casa and caza are homophones — they sound identical and you must rely on context to distinguish them.

La caza del zorro es un deporte antiguo.

Fox hunting is an ancient sport.

Mi casa tiene un jardín grande.

My house has a big garden.

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When learning Latin American Spanish, you never need to produce the [θ] sound. In fact, using it can sound artificial or out of place. Stick with [s] for c (before e/i), s, and z.

C Before A, O, U — The Hard Sound

When c is followed by a, o, u, or a consonant, it makes the hard [k] sound, exactly like the English c in cat. This rule applies to both Latin American and Castilian Spanish.

Mi casa está en la esquina.

My house is on the corner.

La comida está deliciosa.

The food is delicious.

Cuba tiene playas hermosas.

Cuba has beautiful beaches.

To get a [k] sound before e or i, Spanish uses qu: queso (cheese), quiero (I want). To get an [s] sound before a, o, or u, Spanish uses z or s: zapato, sal.

Spelling Consequences of Seseo

Because c, s, and z all sound the same in Latin America, spelling them can be tricky. You simply have to memorize whether a word uses c, s, or z. Some helpful patterns:

  • Plurals and verb forms change z to c before e: luz → luces, empezar → empecé.
  • The suffix -ción always uses c: nación, canción, estación.
  • Adjectives ending in -oso/-osa use s: famoso, hermosa.

Una luz, dos luces.

One light, two lights.

Empecé a estudiar español el año pasado.

I started studying Spanish last year.

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A spelling rule of thumb: Spanish almost never writes ze or zi. Instead it uses ce or ci. That is why lápiz becomes lápices in the plural, not lápizes.

Further Reading

Related Topics

  • SeseoA1 — The universal Latin American pronunciation where c (before e, i), s, and z are all [s].
  • When to Write C, S, or ZA2 — C (before e/i), S, and Z sound identical in Latin American Spanish — here's how to spell them
  • The Spanish AlphabetA1 — The 27 letters of the Spanish alphabet, their names, and an overview of pronunciation