Learning when to use G and J in Spanish can be challenging for learners because both letters can represent the same sound /x/ before the vowels E and I. In most Spanish dialects, gente (people) and jirafa (giraffe) sound identical at the beginning, even though they are spelled differently. That is why it is essential to focus on the spelling rules with G and J in Spanish rather than on pronunciation differences.

Mastering these spelling rules will help you write more accurately and avoid some of the most common mistakes in Spanish. Let’s review the main rules, examples, and practice exercises to consolidate what you learn.

Spelling Rules with G and J in Spanish

First of all, you should note how these two letters (G and J) are pronounced in Spanish.

The letter G has two different sounds:

  • A soft sound /g/ before A, O, or U: gato, gorro, gusano.
  • A hard sound /x/ before E or I: gente, gigante.

The letter J, on the other hand, always has the same sound /x/, similar to a strong English h as in ham: jamón, jefe, jirafa, joven, jugar.

Because the hard G and J sound the same, you need to rely on spelling rules with G and J in Spanish to know which one to write. Here are the most important spelling rules with G and J in Spanish.

Words with G

Words ending in –ger or –gir

Words ending in –ger or –gir are written with G, except tejer and crujir.

  • Proteger (to protect)
  • Escoger (to select, to choose)
  • Dirigir (to direct)
  • Elegir (to choose)

Words beginning with geo– or gest–

Words beginning with geo– or gest– are written with G.

  • Geografía (geography)
  • Geofísica (geophysics)
  • Gestión (management)
  • Gesto (gesture)

Words ending in –gen, –genario, –géneo, –génico, –genio, –génito

Words ending in –gen, –genario, –géneo, –génico, –genio, –génito are written with G.

  • Origen (origin)
  • Sexagenario (sexagenarian)
  • Homogéneo (homogeneous)
  • Fotogénico (photogenic)
  • Ingenio (ingenuity)
  • Primogénito (firstborn)

Words ending in –gélico, –gesimal, –gésimo, –gético

Words ending in –gélico, –gesimal, –gésimo or –gético are written with G.

  • Angélico (angelic)
  • Cuadragesimal (quadragesimal)
  • Vigésimo (twentieth)
  • Apologético (apologetic)

Words ending in –gia, –gio, –gión, –gional, –gionario, –gioso, –gírico

Words ending in –gia, –gio, –gión, –gional, –gionario, –gioso or –gírico are written with G.

  • Magia (magic)
  • Regio (regal)
  • Religión (religion)
  • Regional (regional)
  • Legionario (legionary)
  • Prodigioso (prodigious)
  • Panegírico (panegyric)

Words with J

Words ending in –jería or –aje

Words ending in –jería or –aje are written with J.

  • Relojería (watch shop)
  • Mensajería (messaging service)
  • Equipaje (luggage)
  • Garaje (garage)

Verbs derived from nouns or adjective ending in J

Verbs derived from nouns or adjectives that contains J in their last syllable keep the J, following the spelling rules with G and J in Spanish.

  • Trabajo (work) → trabajar (to work)
  • Consejo (advice) → aconsejar (to advise)
  • Viaje (travel) → viajar (to travel)
  • Dibujo (drawing) → dibujar (to draw)

Words beginning with eje– or aje–

Words beginning with eje– or aje– are written with J.

  • Ejemplo (example)
  • Ejercicio (exercise)
  • Ajedrez (chess)
  • Ajeno (external, unrelated)

Verb forms with /xe/ or /xi/ sound

Verb forms with the sound /xe/ or /xi/ are written with J if their infinitives do not contain either G or J.

  • Distrajimos (we distracted) → distraer (to distract)
  • Dijimos (we said) → decir (to say)
  • Dedujimos (we deduced) → deducir (to deduce)
  • Produjimos (we produced) → producir (to produce)

Exercises

Although the letters G and J can represent the same sound in modern Spanish, their spelling depends on consistent rules. Practicing these spelling rules with G and J in Spanish will help you write accurately. In our blog, you can also do exercises with words containing CH, H, K, Ñ, Q, R, W, X, Y, or Z.

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

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Vocabulary