Spanish Words Starting with H

There are 3,008 Spanish words beginning with H, and the letter itself is silent in every one of them.

H Is Written but Never Said

Spanish H has no sound at all. HOMBRE is pronounced as though it began with the O, and HACER as though it began with the A.

That makes this page unusual. The letter carries no information for a listener, only for a reader, which is why it is one of the most common sources of spelling mistakes for native speakers.

The Most Even Spread on the Site

A takes about twenty three percent, O twenty two, and I, E and U between seventeen and eighteen each. Five branches within six points of one another.

Because H adds no sound, the vowel after it is doing all the work, and no single one of them dominates.

Everyday H Words to Know

HOMBRE, HACER, HERMANO, HIJOS and HUEVO reach all five branches between them and are among the first words a course introduces.

• Hombre
• Hacer
• Hermano
• Hijos
• Huevo

If you are trying to spell a Spanish word you have only heard, H is the letter most likely to catch you out, because nothing in the sound tells you it is there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is H ever pronounced in Spanish

Only in the CH pair, where the two letters together make a single sound. On its own H is always silent.

Why does Spanish keep a silent letter

It descends from Latin, where the H was pronounced. The sound disappeared over centuries but the spelling stayed.

How do I know whether a word needs an H

There is no reliable rule, which is why native speakers misspell these words too. HACER, HABER and their forms are worth memorising early.