60 Spanish Words That Start With S Letter + ‘S’ To ‘Es’ And ‘Az’ (Examples)

We’ve all been there. You’re searching for a Spanish word… It’s on the tip of your tongue. You know that it starts with the letter S, but you just can’t remember it.

Don’t worry, we’ve got your back!

In this blog post, we’ll share Spanish words that start with S: Spanish verbs, Spanish nouns, Spanish adjectives and Spanish adverbs.

First of all, you need to learn how to pronounce the Spanish letter S. Real Fast Spanish made a lesson on this topic:

And now, onto some more serious questions, like how and when did ‘S’ change to ‘Es‘ and ‘Az‘ in some Spanish words.

1. Fun facts about the Spanish letter S

The letter S in Spanish is quite the character.

It’s the 22nd letter of the Spanish alphabet and typically pronounced like the ‘s’ in “sun.

In some Spanish-speaking regions, it can sound more like a soft ‘h’ or even pull a disappearing act in certain words – more on this later!

In parts of Spain and the Caribbean, you might hear “los zapatos” (the shoes) pronounced as “loh zapatoh” or even “lo zapato“.

This sneaky behavior is called “aspiration”, but don’t worry, if you still pronounce the S, you will be understood nonetheless.

2. A curiosity in Spanish language: from S to ‘Es’ and ‘Az’

Ever noticed how some Spanish words that used to start with ‘S’ now begin with ‘Es’ or occasionally ‘Az’?

This is a linguistic makeover…

It happened as Old Spanish evolved into modern Spanish.

Words like “escuela” (school) and “espacio” (space) got an ‘e’ prefix to make them easier to pronounce, especially at the start of a sentence. You can actually think of it as a little help for you, so you can learn Spanish easier.

As for ‘Az’, it’s the rare bird of this bunch, but you’ll spot it in words like “azúcar” (sugar). This was also a linguistic change that happened when Spanish borrowed from Arabic during the Moorish influence in Spain.

Check out these transformations to understand it better:

3. Spanish verbs that start with S

Get ready for action with these S-verbs!

They’ll have you speaking Spanish faster than you can say “siesta.

4. Spanish nouns that start with S

From sunsets to sandwiches, these S-nouns will expand your Spanish horizons faster than you can say “sombrero.”

5. Spanish adjectives that start with S

Spice up your Spanish with these sizzling S-adjectives!

They’ll make your Spanish sentences more flavorful than a plate of spicy salsa. 😉

6. Spanish adverbs that start with S

Add some sass to your sentences with these snazzy S-adverbs.

They’ll make your Spanish more expressive than a telenovela actor! (By the way, one of my side-projects, Spring Languages has a radionovela which teaches you Spanish from scratch to upper-intermediate level. It’s called Los cazadores de tormentas.)

7. Learn Spanish Words That Start With S with Conversation Based Chunking

Want to master these S-words like a pro?

Try Conversation Based Chunking! This method is like learning to salsa – you pick up the moves in motion (in context), not by practicing each step in isolation.

Instead of memorizing a list of words, you’ll learn phrases like “Siempre sonrío cuando salgo con mis amigos” (I always smile when I go out with my friends).

This way, you’re not just learning individual words, but how to use them in real-life situations.

Here’s how it works:

1. Start with a simple sentence using an S-word.
2. Gradually add more S-words to create a mini-conversation.
3. Practice saying these phrases out loud.
4. Try to use them in your daily life or Spanish practice sessions.

For example:

• “El sol sale.” (The sun rises.)
• “El sol sale y el cielo se vuelve soleado.” (The sun rises and the sky becomes sunny.)
• “Siempre salgo cuando el sol sale y el cielo se vuelve soleado.” (I always go out when the sun rises and the sky becomes sunny.)

Curious to learn more?

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