s
“s” means “s” in Spanish (the letter of the alphabet).
s
📝 In Action
La palabra 'casa' se escribe con 's'.
A1The word 'casa' is written with an 's'.
Mi nombre empieza con la letra ese.
A1My name starts with the letter s.
En español, la 's' al final de una palabra suele indicar plural.
A2In Spanish, an 's' at the end of a word usually indicates the plural form.
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Words that translate to "s" in Spanish:
s→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: s
Question 1 of 1
Which of these sentences uses 'la ese' correctly?
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🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The letter 's' comes from the Phoenician letter 'shin', which looked a bit like a 'W' and represented a 'sh' sound. It was adapted by the Greeks as 'sigma' (Σ) and then by the Romans into the 'S' we know today.
First recorded: Ancient times
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Spanish 's' ever pronounced like a 'z'?
Almost never. Unlike in English (e.g., 'is', 'rose'), the Spanish 's' consistently makes a hissing sound, like in the word 'snake'. The only rare exception might be when it comes before a voiced consonant like 'd' or 'g' in very fast speech, but as a rule, always aim for the 'snake' sound.
What's the difference between 's', 'c' (before e/i), and 'z' in Spain vs. Latin America?
In most of Latin America, all three sound exactly the same: a hissing 's' sound (this is called 'seseo'). In most of Spain, 's' has the hissing sound, while 'c' (before e/i) and 'z' are pronounced with a 'th' sound, like in the English word 'think' (this is called 'distinción').