') ▁can ▁be ▁represented ▁as ▁one ▁character ▁. ▁▁ ▁is ▁the ▁symbol ▁of ▁the ▁ar ro ba , ▁a ▁pre - metric ▁unit ▁of ▁weight ▁( about ▁ 1 1 . 5 0 2 ▁kg , ▁ 2 5 . 3 ▁pounds ). ▁▁ ▁and ▁ ▁are ▁used ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁inter rog ative ▁and ▁ex clam atory ▁sentences , ▁respectively . ▁ ▁Orth ography ▁Spanish ▁orth ography ▁is ▁such ▁that ▁the ▁pron unci ation ▁of ▁most ▁words ▁is ▁un ambigu ous ▁given ▁their ▁written ▁form ; ▁the ▁main ▁exception ▁is ▁the ▁letter ▁, ▁which ▁usually ▁represents ▁ ▁or ▁ ▁, ▁but ▁can ▁also ▁represent ▁ ▁or ▁, ▁especially ▁in ▁proper ▁n oun s ▁from ▁times ▁of ▁Old ▁Spanish , ▁as ▁in ▁ ▁or ▁Pedro ▁X im é nez ▁( both ▁). ▁These ▁orth ographic ▁rules ▁are ▁similar ▁to , ▁but ▁not ▁the ▁same ▁as , ▁those ▁of ▁other ▁Rom ance ▁languages ▁of ▁the ▁I ber ian ▁Pen ins ula , ▁such ▁as ▁Portuguese , ▁Catal an ▁and ▁Gal ician . ▁ ▁The ▁con verse ▁does ▁not ▁always ▁hold , ▁i . e . ▁for ▁a ▁given ▁pron unci ation ▁there ▁may ▁be ▁multiple ▁possible ▁spell ings . ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁issues ▁are : ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁both ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁for ▁; ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁both ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁for ▁ ▁before ▁ ▁and ▁; ▁the ▁silent ▁; ▁for ▁the ▁speak ers ▁who ▁have ▁merged ▁ ▁and ▁, ▁the ▁various ▁use ▁of ▁, ▁ ▁or ▁ ▁in ▁different ▁words ; ▁the