Seseo

Pronouncing c and z as s

Written by qualified Spanish expert Inma Sánchez BA
Last updated: 2022-12-20

In parts of Spain (the region of Andalucía and the Canary Islands) and in Latin America there is a phonetic phenomenom called "seseo", where words that contain z or soft c (-ce, -ci) are pronounced as "s".

Here are some examples of how some words are pronounced with and without seseo:

With seseo:

zapatoshoe

Without seseo:

zapatoshoe

With seseo:

cervezabeer

Without seseo:

cervezabeer

With seseo:

contaminaciónpollution

Without seseo:

contaminaciónpollution

See also ceceo and distinción

Let me take a look at that...