Pronouncing Nahuatl [You may wish to print this page to use as a reference while reading.] Nahuatl is a language still spoken by over a million people in Mexico. It was the language of the Mexica as well as of the people in many of the neighboring towns in the Valley of Mexico. Although on first glance the words may seem impossible, the rules for pronounciation are actually relatively simple. The spellings represent sixteenth-century Spanish approximations of the sounds of Nahuatl, so treating them as if they were Spanish usually works. Vowel sounds thus are: a = ah e = ay i = ee o = oh (sometimes written as "u") While most consonants are similar to English, there are some notable exceptions. Following Spanish usage, "x" stands for the sound sh, and "hu" for the sound w. "Tl" and "tz" represent single sounds, not recognized in English or Spanish. "Tz" is close to the sound of thets in words like hats. The "tl" sound is produced by putting the tip of the tongue behind the upper teeth while sounding the "t". Unfortunately, sixteenth-century Spanish used "c," "q," and "z" in overlapping ways, depending on the vowels that followed: Before "a" or "o": c = k cu = kw z = s Before "e" or "i": qu = k c = s The accent is always on the next to last syllable: Coatlicue koh-ahtl-EE-kway Coyolxauhqui koh-yohl-SHAHW-kee Huitzilopochtli weets-eel-oh-POHCH-tlee Huixtocihuat weesh-toh-SEE-waht Mexica may-SHEE-kah Tecuilhuitontli tay-kweel-wee-TOHN-tlee Xochiquetzal shoh-chee-KAYTS-ahl Xilonen shee-LOH-nayn