Cómo se dice la consonante «ll»?

Cómo se dice la consonante «ll»?
 

Quiero escribir la pregunta en español, pero debo escribir in inglés por que me falta una respuesta muy específico y esta pregunta me está volviendo loco:

Escucho mucho programas de radio, todo las días, de mucho del países del mundo, y todos lo dicen de manera diferente. Sometimes, I hear it pronounced like a "y." For example, the word "millón" pronounced "miyón" but I hear all the time "llamame," "allí," "llega" even "yo" pronounced with the english hard "j" sound, "jamame, "ají," "jega," and "jo," ALL THE TIME, NO MATTER WHAT COUNTRY THE SPEAKER IS FROM. I hear these words pronounced either way, sometimes.

So, my question is: when do I pronounce it like a "y" and when do I pronounce it like an english hard "j."

Mucho gracías por ayudarme.

The ll varies from country to country and sometimes from speaker to speaker. It may vary with emotion too. People from Argentina pronounce it the way French people pronounce J. In Spain it's Y sometimes with a hint of L in it. As a non-native speaker, the use Y is fine. Many Latin Americans do the same, although when they wish to be emphatic that Y sound switches to DJ.

Poli's got it: in most regions most people freely use a range of pronunciations for the spellings 'll' and 'y', which they usually pronounce the same way: the typical range is from the 'y' of 'yoke' to the 'j' of 'joke'. There are no hard-and-fast rules about which one to use, although the 'j' pronunciation may be more common at the beginning of a word or sentence, before a stressed vowel, and when the speaker is adding some emphasis.

In some regions, some or most speakers distinguish 'll' and 'y': usually the sound of 'y' varies in the same way as for other speakers, while 'll' is something like a typical English pronunciation of 'lli' in 'million'.

As a learner of Spanish, it is fairly safe for you to always pronounce 'y' as 'y'. If you are learning the 'lli' of 'million' pronunciatoin of 'll', that's always safe for you to use, too; otherwise, pronounce 'll' as 'y'.

As you develop your skills, you may find yourself naturally imitating the habits of the native speakers you speak with and start to vary your pronunciation as they do.

There is yet another pronunciation not mentioned above. In Argentina it's pronounced 'sh'. "When in Rome ..." is the advice I wholeheartedly champion.

I changed your thread title, by the way. It had the wrong wording.

In Spain it varies, just as in other countries. About 80% of Spaniards are yeístas (they say it 'y'), but there are some who say it 'dj' and others in between. I've heard roughly the same range of pronunciations for it in Spain, Cuba, and Ecuador.

Actually, Poli did mention it.

. Esto parece tener más sentido ¡Mucho gracias por todos las respuestas!

I first posted this last June, but as it's totally relevant I'm giving it another airing!

¡Vaya! This takes me back more than thirty five years. I was holidaying in a hotel in Sitges with some other English lads and there was a group of very pretty young andaluzas staying there at the same time. One evening while sitting at the bar I started chatting to one these girls (I thought the prettiest of them all), when some of her friends came down and sat at a table, and I was invited to sit with them. I really thought I'd 'pulled'!

I sat down and some of my mates sat nearby, and the youngest started larking about and making everyone laugh. My new amiga said "Él es muy divertido, ¿no?", I replied "Sí, siempre hace de payaso", pronouncing the 'y' like an English 'y'.

One of her compañeras said "Se pronuncia paJaso", which I answered with "Oh, ok", but my new friend defended my pronunciation, and the two started arguing angrily. Soon all the Spanish girls were in two sides arguing furiously until one camp left, enraged. The others including my new 'conquest' retired to their rooms to dry their eyes.

The whole thing put an end to my new friendship and ruined what had promised to be a very pleasant evening!

"My fair lady" can kindly help you: la lluvia en Sevilla es una pura maravilla. Ignore the subtitles and the face:



Would you say is it Y or LL?

Apart from what's been said, perhaps you'll find the discussion and the sound attachments in this thread useful. :)