hiatus

Language

2022

We explain what a hiatus is, what types exist and examples of each. Also, hiatuses in sentences and differences with diphthongs.

In words like "theater" the hiatus is formed by the presence of two open vowels.

What is a hiatus?

In Spanish, the hiatus is the effect by which two vowels followed by the same word are separated in syllables different. This can happen in ordinary conditions, which are governed by the accentuation of Spanish, or it can occur in exceptional cases in which it is required to add a tilde, as we will see later. The hiatus is the opposite of the diphthong.

Many speakers tend to prefer the diphthong instead of the hiatus when pronouncing words, contrary to the norm. Something similar occurs with the presence of interspersed axes ("h"), which do not influence at all the formation of hiatuses or diphthongs within a vowel sequence (in words like prohgo tohfixed, for example).

Finally, remember that in Spanish there are open vowels (a, e, o) and closed vowels (i, u), also known as strong and weak.

Types of hiatus

Depending on the vowels involved, we can distinguish the following types of hiatus:

  • Simple hiatus. It occurs in the cases of:
    • Two equal vowels. Whatever type they are, as in the words "read", "zoo", "duunviro".
    • Two open vowels. As in the words "fall", "pleonasm" or "aorta".
  • Accentual hiatus. It is what happens when a tilde undoes a diphthong (open and closed vowel, or vice versa), for which it must fall on the closed vowel, giving it an extra intonation that separates the syllable. As in the words “there was”, “garúa” or “screaming”.

Words with hiatus

Here is an example of a list of words with a hiatus:

Equal vowel hiatus:

  • Provide (Pro-ve-er)
  • Zoo (Zo-o-ló-gi-co)
  • Chiita (Chi-i-ta)
  • Cooperate (Co-o-pe-rar)
  • Duunviro (Du-un-vi-ro)
  • Read (Le-er)
  • Canaan (Ca-na-an)

Open vowel hiatus:

  • Soez (So-ez)
  • Poet (Po-e-ta)
  • Aorta (A-or-ta)
  • Theater (Te-a-tro)
  • Maelstrom (Ma-el-strom)
  • Possess (Po-se-er)
  • Coati (Co-a-you)
  • Ethereal (E-te-re-o)
  • Berrean (Be-rre-an)
  • Cameo (Ca-me-o)
  • Fighter (Pe-le-a-dor)
  • Beodo (Be-o-do)

Accentual hiatus:

  • Passerby (Tran-se-un-te)
  • Elderberry (Sa-ú-co)
  • I knew (Sa-bí-a)
  • I read (Le-í-a)
  • Crane (Crane-a)
  • Cold Cold)
  • Cockatoo (Ca-ca-tú-a)
  • Duet (Duet)
  • Love affair (A-mo-rí-o)
  • Root (Root)
  • Fall (Fall)
  • Líos (Líos)
  • Seoul (Se-ul)

Hiatus with interspersed h:

  • Orange blossom (A-za-har)
  • Truhan (Tru-han)
  • Pillow (Al-mo-ha-da)
  • Cohort (Co-hor-te)
  • Cohesion (Co-he-sion)
  • There (A-he-to)
  • Alcohol (Al-co-hol)

Sentences with hiatus

And then we present sentences with words with hiatus:

  • I knew that María I would.
  • Do not fall into the peor of the road.
  • Shiites are Iranian hostages.
  • An arrow pierced my uncle's aorta.
  • At the zoo, lionesses ate a youngster.
  • We used to provide books to each cohort.
  • In class he would read about a duo of passersby in Seoul.

Hiatus and diphthong

The hiatus and the diphthong are opposite phenomena in the language. While, as we have seen, the hiatus separates vowels, the diphthong forces them to unite in the same syllable. The latter occurs, however, in specific conditions:

  • When you have an open and a closed vowel. As in the words "caiga "(cai-ga) or" Ceuta ”(Ceu-ta). It is known as a decreasing diphthong.
  • When you have a closed vowel and an open vowel. As in the words "viejo "(old-jo) or" pEUde ”(can-de). It is known as increasing diphthong.
  • When you have two different closed vowels. As in the words “you were” (fuis-te) or “Piura” (Piu-ra). It is known as a homogeneous diphthong.
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