Spanish grammar: When G isused and when J
Spanish is a very rich language, although sometimes it is a little complicated to study. For example, H is mute, V and B are pronounced basically the same and G and J have the same sound on many occasions. So when should I use G and when J? Both the use of g and j offers no difficulty when preceding the vowels a, o and u. Doubts arise when the sound g/j precedes e or i. At Academia Contacto we want to help you with questions about Spanish grammar. We tell you in which cases you have to use G and in which cases you should use J.
If you've decided to join a Spanish school, you'll learn a lot of grammar. Perhaps one of the most difficult questions is when to use G or J.
Spanish grammar: when using G
In our Spanish school we are going to give you some tips and tricks to help you learn when to use G and when to use J.
It is written with G the prefix GEO- in words that are composed: geography (geografía), geology (geología)...
It is written with G the ending -GEN in names like origin (origen), margin(margen)...
In the endings -gélico, -genario, -genico, -genio, -genito, -gesimal, -gésimo, -gético and all its feminine and plurals. For example, in words such as angelic (angélico), twentieth (vigésimo), photogenic (fotogénico)...
All terminations are also written with G: -gia, -gio, -gión, -gionario, -gioso and -girico. For example, in words such as magic (magia), religión (religión)...
All words with endings -ger and -gir are written with G in the infinitive verbs: to choose (escoger), to pretend (fingir), to correct (corregir), to protect (proteger)... However, there are exceptions that confirm the rule: weaving (tejer), crunching (crujir) and their compounds are written with J.
In addition, it is important to remember that G written with E and I has a strong guttural sound. In order for it to have the same soft sound as with A, U and O, it is necessary to place a U between G and E or between G and I: war (guerra), stew (guiso). When we want the intermediate U to have sound, we should write it with a diaeresis: penguin (pingüino).
Spanish grammar: when using J
Words are written with a J ending -jeria: counseling (conserjería), locksmithing (cerrajería)...
The tenses of the verbs in which the infinitive has that letter: crunch (crujir) -> (cruje). Work (trabajar)-> (trabaja).
Derived words whose original has J: box (caja)-> (cajita)
Verbal forms that carry sound Je, Ji as long as the infinitives do not carry either G or J: distract (distraer) -> (distrajo). Deduct (deducir) -> (deduje).
With these little rules of Spanish grammar, you will be able to advance more in your Spanish classes
