b / v

B and V

Level 1

B and v are pronounced the same. Galician has no English-style v sound.

How It Works

One sound. Galician has no v sound made with the lower lip against the teeth, as in English very. Both letters are said as a b: a full b after a pause, and a softer b between vowels. So beber (to drink), vivir (to live), vaca (cow) and bo (good) all use the same sound.

Spelling follows Latin. The standard chooses b or v according to the word's origin. Words with b include saber (to know), deber (must), goberno (government), móbil (mobile phone), marabilla (wonder), bico (kiss) and ribeira (riverbank). Words with v include viño (wine), vivir, avó (grandfather), voda (wedding), covarde (coward), gravar (to record) and avogado (lawyer).

Traps for Spanish speakers. Some words use the other letter from Spanish: móbil (móvil), marabilla (maravilla), avogado (abogado), covarde (cobarde), gravar (grabar).

The imperfect ending -aba-. The imperfect of -ar verbs is always written with b: cantaba, cantabamos. See Imperfect of -ar Verbs.

Examples (6)

  1. Queres beber auga?

    Do you want to drink water?

    Word by Word: Want-you to-drink water?

  2. Vivo en Vigo.

    I live in Vigo.

  3. A vaca come herba.

    The cow eats grass.

  4. O meu avó ten un móbil novo.

    My grandfather has a new mobile phone.

    Word by Word: The my grandfather has a mobile new.

    Avó has v, and móbil has b. Spanish writes móvil with v.

  5. A miña irmá é avogada.

    My sister is a lawyer.

    Galician avogada has v, while Spanish abogada has b.

  6. De pequenos cantabamos xuntos.

    When we were little, we used to sing together.

    Word by Word: Of little we-sang together.

    The imperfect ending -aba- is always written with b.

Common Mistakes

  • Copying the Spanish spelling móvil.

    Perdín o móvil.
    Perdín o móbil.

    Galician móbil is written with b.

  • Copying the Spanish spelling abogado.

    O meu tío é abogado.
    O meu tío é avogado.

    Avogado has v in Galician.

  • Copying the Spanish spelling maravilla.

    Esta praia é unha maravilla.
    Esta praia é unha marabilla.

    Galician marabilla is written with b.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

b / vLevel 1B and V

Learn This First

B and v share a pronunciation but retain different spellings.