Hiatuses and Diphthongs in Spanish

Content

• Examples of diphthongs
• Examples of hiatuses
• It can serve you:

Thediphthong it is the union of two vowels in the same word, forming a joint sound in the same syllable. For example: pEU - from.

The hiatus It is the opposite phenomenon: the breaking of a diphthong due to the intervention of a specific accent of the language or the presence of two vowel sounds that do not articulate with each other. For example: cto – and. 

Both the hiatus and the diphthong vary according to the language (and even the dialectal variant) and there are some in which these phenomena do not occur (such as Turkish or classical Nahuatl), although most have their list of specific diphthongs .

It is important to mention that when the letter H is between two vowels, it does not interfere in the formation of hiatuses or diphthongs. In the case of hiatuses, the word will be divided in the same way and the H will always remain attached to the second vowel. For example: al - cor – hol.

• It can serve you: Diphthong, tripthong and hiatus

There are three types of diphthong:

• Increasing or ascending. When the vowel union begins with the weak vowel (i, u) towards the strong one (e, a, o). For example: cumbia.
• Decreasing or descending. When the vowel union begins with the strong vowel (e, a, o) towards the weak one (i, u). For example: peine.
• Homogeneous. When the union comprises two weak vowels (i, u). For example: ciudad.

There are three types of hiatus:

• Simple. It occurs when two strong vowels are found (a, e, o), or two repeated weak vowels (ii, uu). For example: Fealdad.
• Accentual. It occurs when the weak vowel of a diphthong has an accent or accent, thus separating the vowels. For example: melodía. 
• Repeating. It occurs when the same vowel is repeated but none is stressed. For example: zoological.

• See also: Diphthong and hiatus

Examples of diphthongs

1. Paisaje (decreasing)
2. Peine (decreasing)
3. Cambio (growing)
4. CEUva (growing)
5. Guardar (increasing)
6. Triunfo (homogeneous)
7. Baile (decreasing)
8. Cumbia (growing)
9. Cielo (growing)
10. AbEUthe (growing)
11. Miopía (crescent)
12. PEUrro (growing)
13. CEUllo (growing)
14. Pauta (decreasing)
15. Flauta (decreasing)
16. VEUthe (growing)
17. Coima (decreasing)
18. PrEUba (growing)
19. Caiman (decreasing)
20. Reina (decreasing)
21. MEUrte (growing)
22. Ruinas (homogeneous)
23. Ciudad (homogeneous)
24. Cuigiven (homogeneous)
25. Laurel (decreasing)

• See more: Words with diphthong

Examples of hiatuses

1. Caerse (simple)
2. Coertion (simple)
3. Lealtad (simple)
4. Lorble (simple)
5. Cooperar (of repetition)
6. Chiita (of repetition)
7. Saeta (simple)
8. Teologal (simple)
9. Melodía (accentual)
10. Leer (of repetition)
11. Frio (accentual)
12. satíamos (accentual)
13. LIe (accentual)
14. Creer (of repetition)
15. FIen (accentual)
16. Bordear (simple)
17. Saúco (accentual)
18. Zoological (repeating)
19. Periodo (accentual)
20. Fealdad (simple)
21. Egi heardsta (accentual)
22. Changeía (accentual)
23. Geología (accentual)
24. Abstraer (simple)
25. Caer (simple)

• See more: Words with hiatus

It can serve you:

• What is the hiatus?
• Sentences with hiatus
• Artificial hiatus