How do I know when words are written with “z” or with “c”?

In Spanish, there is always a constant rule to know whether to write words with ‘z’ or ‘c’:This only applies for the ’C’s and ‘Z’s that both phonetically sound like “th”. The rule is: za ce ci zo zu. You can apply these to any case since they don’t vary, for example, try saying these out loud and distinguishing their phonetical sound:Cecina (animal fat, usually pig)- here we can se how both the rules of “c” have been applied. Cebra (zebra the animal)- Cabeza (Head)- Zoológico (a zoo)

CS
Answered by Claudia S. Spanish tutor

2627 Views

See similar Spanish GCSE tutors

Related Spanish GCSE answers

All answers ▸

How do I learn vocabulary and grammar very well?


What should I include in my controlled assessment?


When do you use the imperfect tense and how do you form it?


What is the difference between star and sea? When is star used?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning