The Varieties of Spanish in Latin America

Many times, when we talk about Spanish, we refer to the language spoken in Spain, that is, Castilian. However, we must not forget that Spanish is a language without borders, as it is the official language in 21 countries.

Although we speak the same language, sometimes when we read or listen to something in Spanish, we realize that many words are different or are pronounced differently from Castilian, depending on the author of the written or spoken text. A Chilean author does not use the same vocabulary or pronunciation as an Argentine or a Spaniard.

If we want to deepen our knowledge of Spanish, it would be important for us to recognize some of these differences, since we often encounter texts by authors from different Spanish-speaking countries in everyday life.

Let’s get to know some of the main features of American Spanish:

Phonetics

• Seseo: In American Spanish, the /c/ (before /i/ and /e/) is pronounced as /s/, and /z/ and /s/ become equivalent.
• Yeísmo: The /ʎ/ is pronounced as /y/. For example, poyo instead of pollo.
• Confusion between /r/ and /l/: For example, arma instead of alma.
• In Mexico: The /x/ induces variability in certain words. For example, xilófono is pronounced as si’lófono.
• In the Caribbean: The /s/ is often omitted at the end of a word or syllable.
• In Chile: Chilean intonation is faster and with tones that rise or fall in speech. Also, there is a distinction between /b/ and /v/.
• In the Andes: The vowels /e/ and /i/, and /o/ and /u/ are often confused.

Morphosyntactic Features

• Voseo: Use of vos instead of tú.
• Ustedes: Use of ustedes instead of nosotros.
• Use of the plural: For example, “What time is it?” becomes “What times is it?”
• Greater use of diminutives: ahorita, calentito, mamacita (especially in Mexico).
• Tendency to modify gender: el llamado (the call, masculine) instead of la llamada (feminine).
• Use of the simple past tense instead of the present perfect, which is disappearing.
• In Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay: Use of che.
• In Mexico: Use of the pronoun le in exclamatory expressions. For example: Ándale.

Vocabulary