Spanish is very diverse. People speak it in Spain, in dozens of countries in Latin America and even in Equatorial Guinea in Africa. Every country and every region in these countries have their differences, which can sometimes be very considerable.
Citizens of Madrid can identify Andalusians by their accent. Citizens of Rosario in Argentina can understand that they a talking to locals from Buenos Aires.
When it comes to the differences between cities and towns, these are very specific details, which are impossible to describe on one page. We are not going to dive so deep. However, there are some general differences, that are typical to entire countries or wide areas in these countries.
In very general terms all Spanish diversity can be divided into two groups – the Spanish of Spain (or European Spanish) and the Latin-American Spanish. As all countries in Latin America are independent, their Spanish has their own distinctive features. Spanish at the level of a country is called a national variant. Dialects are varieties on narrower geographical territories.
In this last lesson of the Spanish tutorial we are going to make a superficial review of the most considerable differences. In particular, we are going to explore the differences between the Spanish of Spain and the Spanish of Latin America, and their national variants.
Any language consists of three basic layers – pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. Let’s explore Spanish national differences according to these layers.
Pronunciation is the most changeable layer. Sounds and accent can vary not only from country to country, but from one person to another.
These are the most highlighted differences at the country level.
interdental sound [θ]
The interdental [θ] is typical only for Spain. Such letter as z and the combinations ce, ci are pronounced by Spaniards with the tongue between the teeth (just like the English thanks or thin). In contrast, Latin Americans and some people from certain regions in Spain pronounce it simply as [s].
lápiz
Spain: [lapiθ]
Latin America: [lapis]
necesito decir
Spain: [neθesito deθir]
Latin America: [nesesito desir]
hissing [š]
The same applies to the letter s. Spaniards pronounce it as a hissing sound [š], almost like sh. Latin Americans keep it simple and pronounce it as the English s.
casa
Spain: [kaša]
Latin America: [kasa]
aspirate [h] instead of [s]
Many people in Latin America, as well as in Andalusia in southern Spain, pronounce the s like [h] before consonants and at the end of the word.
cómo estás
Spain: [komo eštaš]
Latin America and Andalusia: [komo ehtah]
Sometimes the aspirate [h] at the end of the word is cut off at all: [komo ehta].
That’s why foreigners who travel to Argentina, Peru or Malaga, have difficulties trying to understand local people.
ll in different countries
The double ll letter in different parts of the Spanish-speaking world is pronounced in different ways. This is by far the most diverse letter in the language.
The most classical European way of pronouncing it is like [y]: silla [siya], me llamo [me yamo].
However, in many Latin American countries and in Andalucia the letter ll can be pronounced as a very toxic sound, something like [j]: silla [sija], me llamo [j].
In Argentina and Uruguay the ll is pronounced like sh: silla [sisha], me llamo [me shamo]. If you come across people speaking like that, chances are you are talking to an Argentinian or an Uruguayan.
The same applies to the combinations of sound yo, ya, ye, yu.
yo desayuno
Colombia: [jo desajuno]
Argentina and Uruguay: [sho desashuno]
Grammar is the most stable language layer. There are not so many differences as in the phonetics, but there are some anyway, and they are quite notable.
vosotros vs. ustedes
Vosotros is used only in Spain and in Equatorial Guinea. All Latin Americans say ustedes instead of vosotros. For Latin Americans ustedes is not a polite treatment in plural, but a common way to address to various people at a time, like friends, relatives, teachers, etc.
Spain: Vosotros sois mis amigos
Latin America: Ustedes son mis amigos
vos in Argentina and Uruguay
Many years ago Spanish had the pronoun vos, which meant you. This is where vosotros came from: vos + otros (you + others = you)
In Argentina and Uruguay vos remains the main way of saying you, instead of tú. Sometimes it can be heard in Colombia, too.
Vos y yo – You and me
¿Dónde estás vos? – Where are you?
Verb forms for vos in Presente and Imperativo afirmativo are slightly different from the forms for tú. Students, who learn the Argentinian national variant, need to learn these forms separately. For these forms it’s typical to have the personal ending stressed with intonation and an accent mark.
Presente
vos hablás
vos estudiás
vos ponés
vos decís
vos venís
¿Cómo te llamás vos? – What’s your name?
¿Me decís dónde vivís vos? – Can you tell me, where you live?
Imperativo afirmativo
comprá
esperá
traé
poné
decí
Llamame (the second a is stressed) – Call me
Decime – Tell me
Vení acá – Come here
Haceme un favor – Do me a favor
It’s easy to learn these forms, because almost all of them are regular.
Perfect tenses
In Latin America such tenses, as Pretérito Perfecto and Pluscuamperfecto are used much less, than in Spain. Usually they are replaced by Indefinido.
Spain: ¿Has estado en Madrid?
Latin America: ¿Estuviste en Madrid?
Spain: Ya he vuelto
Latin America: Ya volví
Vocabulary is a very flexible layer. There are words and expressions that are only common for determined geographical areas.
Spain
vale – ok
venga – come on, go ahead, here we go
guay – cool
¡hostia! – damn!
curro – work, job (colloquial)
cazadora – jacket
zumo – juice
ordenador – computer
echar de menos – to miss somebody
melocotón – peach
plátano – banana
patata – potato
tienda de campaña – camp tent
gilipollas – prick, jerk, idiot
pijo – posh
tío – man, dude (colloquial)
pasta – money (slang)
Latin America
acá – here
allá – there
listo – ok
dale – come on, go ahead
chévere – cool
casaca – jacket
jugo – juice
carro – car
celular – mobile phone
computadora – computer
extrañar – to miss somebody
durazno – peach
banana – banana
papa – potato
carpa – tent
lindo – beautiful
chico – small
plata – money (colloquial)
¡cuídate! – take care!
And this is a list of words that are typical for determined Latin American countries.
departamento – a flat (Argentina, Mexico)
pasaje – ticket (Argentina)
viejos – parents (Argentina, colloquial)
frutilla – strawberry (Argentina)
heladera – fridge (Argentina)
che – hey (Argentina)
gallego – Spaniard (Argentina, colloquial)
boleto – ticket (Mexico)
alberca – swimming pool (Mexico)
padre, madre – cool (Mexico)
¡padrísimo! – so cool! (Mexico)
colectivo – bus (Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia)
guagua – bus (Cuba, Canary islands, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico)
pololo – boyfriend (Chile)
chamba – work, job (Peru, slang)
jato – home (Peru, slang)
jatear – to sleep (Peru, slang)
¿qué bolá? – how are you? (Cuba, slang)
pura vida – typical expression in Costa Rica, which means great, cool and even how are you?
All these differences in the pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary add much diversity into Spanish and make it immensely interesting. In spite of all this diversity, Spanish remains a solid and unified language. If you know one of its national variants, it won’t be hard to understand people from other Spanish-speaking countries.
Of course, many secrets are still left unrevealed, because Spanish is more versatile, than a set of rules embodied by speaking skills of one author. This tutorial has only paved the way to be followed for a long time, yet. Therefore, here is your homework for the rest of time: improve your speaking skills, don’t forget any lesson, be in contact with the Spanish-speaking community, which one day seemed to you mysterious and unknown. Don’t forget your mentors, who made efforts to guide you into the world of the Spanish language.
We are done. Keep on discovering new things and revealing how beautiful and wonderful Spanish is.