Seven of the consonants (b, c, d, f, g, p, t) are called liquefiers because of the particularity they have of fusing intimately with the "l" and with the "r", consonants these last ones to which it is given the name of liquids.

The liquefying and liquid consonants are associated and interpenetrated in such a way that they produce a single characteristic sound similar to the diphthong.

Syllables are formed with letters. Syllable is one or more letters that are pronounced in a single voice utterance. If we say amanecer (dawn), in this word we will notice that there are four syllables, that is, four voice emissions:

Considering the number of syllables, the words are divided into monosyllables (that is, one syllable) : ; bisyllabic (of two) : ; three-syllable (of three) ; tetrasyllabic (of four) : . In general, every word that has more than one syllable is called polysyllabic.

In syllables in which there is more than one letter, vowels and consonants are combined or articulated. Three kinds of articulations we have in Spanish: direct, which are formed of consonant and vowel, like ; the inverse ones, of vowel and consonant, like , and the mixed ones, of vowel between consonants, like . The direct or inverse articulations can be simple ,or compound, according to that they consist, respectively, of one or two consonants. In , the syllable is direct simple and the syllable compound direct; in , the syllable is simple inverse, and in the syllable compound inverse.

Saying words slowly is easy to distinguish the letter or letters that make up each syllable; but, in case of doubt it is convenient to apply the following rules:

1a. When a single consonant is in the middle of vowels, it forms syllable with the following vowel, as in , , . Compound words in which the first of the component elements ends in that consonant are excepted from this rule; then, in such a case, said consonant forms syllable with the preceding vowel and not with the following one; v. gr .: , , .

2a. Two consonants in the middle of vowels form syllables, adding the first to the preceding vowel and the second to the following vowel, as in , , . But if these consonants are one liqueur and the other liquid, then both will form a single syllable with the following vowel, as in , , , , , , , . Moreover, even if it is liquefying and liquid, if those consonants are part of a compound word, in such a way that one of the component elements ends with the first one and the other begins with the second, then the general rule of division subsists; v. gr.: , , .

3a. If there are three consonants in the middle of vowels, if the last two are liquefier and liquid form syllable with the next vowel and the first with the preceding: , , , ; but if they are not, then the opposite happens: , , .

4a. When there are four consonants, the first two join with the preceding vowel, and the last two with the following vowel: , , .

Carlos González Peña, Manual de Gramática Castellana. Editorial Patria, S.A.(Textual)