This introduction covers Diptongos e hiatos — Diphthongs: Two Vowels, One Syllable within Vowel clarity (a/e/i/o/u pure) for GCSE Spanish. Revise Vowel clarity (a/e/i/o/u pure) in Phonics & Pronunciation (SSC) for GCSE Spanish with 11 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. Use this page as part of a wider topic revision path rather than treating it as an isolated fact. It is section 4 of 5 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
🔗 Diptongos e hiatos — Diphthongs: Two Vowels, One Syllable
When a strong vowel (a, e, o) combines with a weak vowel (i, u), they typically blend into one syllable — a diphthong.
| Diphthong | Examples |
|---|---|
| ie | bien, tiene, quiero, siete |
| ue | bueno, puede, vuelve, nuevo |
| ai / ay | aire, hay, baile |
| au | auto, aunque, causa |
⭐ Hiatus — two strong vowels = two syllables
When two strong vowels (a, e, o) appear together, they do not merge — each keeps its own syllable. This is called a hiatus.
- teatro = te-a-tro (3 syllables, not 2)
- real = re-al (2 syllables)
A written accent also forces a hiatus by making a weak vowel strong:
- día = dí-a (2 syllables) — the accent on í prevents the diphthong /ja/