Understanding the Silent "H" in Spanish: Listening and Writing Skills

One of the first surprises for English speakers learning Spanish is discovering that the letter H is almost always silent. Words like hablar (to speak), hacer (to do/make), and hora (hour) all begin with an H that you don’t pronounce.

So while hablar sounds like “ablar,” you should never spell it that way. This is where both listening and writing practice become important. The way a word sounds doesn’t always match how it’s written, so being able to distinguish between sound and spelling is a key part of language learning.

The exception to this rule is when the H is paired with a ch as in chorizo or chico—in these cases, the sound is strong and very different from the silent H. So don’t confuse hacer with chocar!

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How to improve your ear and your writing

1. Practice with audio and text: Try listening to native speakers while reading the transcript. Apps like Lingobi can help you build this connection between sound and spelling.

2. Dictation exercises: Listen to a sentence and try writing it out. Then compare your version with the original. Did you forget the silent H?

3. Repeat aloud: Shadowing (repeating after native audio) can help you internalize pronunciation. Say the words out loud and notice where the H is silent and where sounds like CH are strong.

It’s small details like these that separate beginner learners from confident speakers. Keep listening, keep writing, and let your ears guide you toward fluency!