Spanish syllable cards printable for kids learning to read in Spanish

Why syllables work so well in Spanish

Spanish is far more regular than English. Most syllables sound the way they are written, every time: «pa» is always «pa», whether it sits in pato or in sopa. That makes the syllable a natural building block for early reading in Spanish, and it is how many Spanish-speaking children are taught at school.

If you grew up reading in English, this may feel different from phonics as you know it. You don't need to be fluent to help: once your child can say a handful of syllables, reading a new word is often just putting two familiar pieces together.

What is on the sheet

The sheet holds 16 short Spanish words. Each word has its own card plus one card for each of its syllables, so it can be built and taken apart: pe + ra = pera (pear).

• The words: pera (pear), uva (grape), mesa (table), luna (moon), sopa (soup), pato (duck), mano (hand), gato (cat), casa (house), boca (mouth), cama (bed), nube (cloud), rana (frog), dedo (finger), moto (motorbike) and loro (parrot).
• All of them have two syllables, so every game stays short and clear.
• Printed in Andika, a school typeface with a one-storey «a», the shape children learn to write, which is easier for beginning readers to recognise.
• The words are checked against a list of words we never want to appear by accident when the cards are mixed.

Printing, cutting and storing

There is no PDF to download. Print straight from this page with your browser's Print option (Ctrl+P, or Cmd+P on a Mac). It works on A4 or US Letter, and only the cards come out, not the page around them.

Cardstock or thick paper is worth it if you have some: the cards last longer and you can't see through them. Cut along the dashed lines, then keep word cards and syllable cards in two envelopes or zip bags so each game starts quickly.

Games to play with the cards

A few minutes at a time is plenty. Pick one or two games and stop while your child still wants more.

• Build the word: lay down the card for «luna» and let your child find «lu» and «na» and place them underneath in order.
• Clap it out: say a word and clap once per syllable, then tap each card in time with the claps.
• Find the syllable: spread a few syllables face up and ask «where is ma?». Start with three cards and add more.
• Mix and read back: pick two or three words, shuffle their syllables and let your child rebuild them; then read each finished word aloud together.
• What word is missing: show three word cards, read them, have your child close their eyes and take one away. Which one left?
• Syllable memory: face down, match each syllable with a word that contains it, so «pa» can go with pato or sopa.
• Swap a syllable: in ca + sa, replace the first card with «me» and read «mesa»; turn ga + to into pa + to. You choose the swap, and words become things you can build.

Adapting for a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old

At 4, keep only two or three words on the table and lean on your voice: you say the syllable, your child finds it. Clapping and memory work well because they don't need reading yet. If attention drifts, put the cards away for another day.

At 6, let your child read the cards alone, mix the syllables of more words at once and look for other words on the sheet that the same pieces can make. They can also be the one asking the questions. Every child moves at their own pace, so treat ages as a rough guide only.

If Spanish is your child's second language, say each word in English once too, so the picture in their head matches the sound.

From the table to the screen

The cards practise the same skill as the Syllable Market, our online game where children build the name of each item, syllable by syllable, to fill a basket. The game loads in the language of the page, so to practise Spanish syllables on screen, open its Spanish page. The game has its own market words (pera and uva appear in both), so cards and screen complement each other. It is free to play in the browser with no sign-up.

Related games

• Syllable Market: a syllable game for kids who love to shopThe online game for more syllable practice: children build the name of each item to fill a basket.See →
• The syllable method for reading in Spanish, explained for parentsWhy reading by syllables suits Spanish, and how to support it at home.See →
• Syllable games for kindergarten, in English and SpanishAll our syllable games in one place, to keep practising on screen.See →

Frequently asked questions