1 Answer

The letter "v" is pronounced in most Spanish dialects just like the letter "b". So in fact "votar" (to vote) sounds the same as "botar" (to throw away).

However, one slight difference is that in most cases, this sound is pronounced not as a plosive (as in English), but as an approximation. Meaning, it is pronounced not quite with the lips together, but slightly apart, to where it sounds like an "approximated B." This may lend an acoustic similarity to the English V sound; however, the articulation of the two consonants is quite different (the English V is made by creating friction between the upper teeth and lower lip).

So, to sum it up: V and B have the same pronunciation in Spanish, and while the V/B sound is not exactly the same as the B sound in English, it *is* closer to "boat" than "vote".