Varieties Of Spanish

Whether you are learning Spanish in a class or you are learning it on your own from a course, you may be wondering how intelligible you will be to Spanish-speakers from different parts of the world. After all, there are worlds of difference between the history and culture of places like Spain, Mexico and Bolivia, where Spanish is spoken by a large majority of the people; it only makes sense that there is going to be a lot of difference between the way the languages are spoken.

 

First, let me put your mind at ease!

 

As long as you can speak competent Spanish, you will find that you have no problems communicating in any of the places where Spanish is a primary language. While you may want to avoid using colloquialisms and you may want to keep your speech formal, there is not going to be any problem with making yourself understood or understanding other people. If you are a native English speaker, a good comparison can be made between this situation and the difference between American English, British English and Singapore English. While there are some differences in vocabulary, intonation and pronunciation, they are all mutually intelligible.

 

One of the major differences that you will note between varieties of Spanish is the pronunciation. For instance, in most parts of Latin America, the Z or the C before an I or an E has a Z sound, while someone with a European Spanish accent would pronounce it as a th. Similarly, some areas will drop S sounds, while other areas, the letter J is pronounced much like the Ch in the word Loch. Similarly, some areas will pronounce the R and the L at the end of a word nearly identically. Keep a sharp ear out for small changes like this as well as changes in the rhythm and stress of the words.

 

Lots of people worry about the vocabulary changing abruptly, but this is really not something that you have to worry about. Just keep an eye out for the suffixes, as they can change the meaning on you. While the word for pencil is lápiz, the word lapicero can mean a mechanical pencil, a ball-point pen and or a pencil holder, depending on where you are. Just remember to be alert, and when necessary, to ask for context.

 

When it comes to grammar, there are just a few things to keep in mind. While some areas will use tú, others will use vos, and while in Spain, vosotros can be used as the plural of tú; Latin America will frequently use ustedes instead. These are the main differences that you will see; just about everything else is colloquial and can be picked up as you go.

 

While there are definitely some differences that you should be aware of, remember that speaking good basic Spanish will get you where you need to go!

 

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