Different Types of Spanish – Lesson 30

One language, many types of Spanish

This lesson is a bit different from the usual purple lessons. Today we look at the different types of Spanish. We touched on this before in the bonus video about Spain vs Latin America, but now let’s go a bit deeper.

Spanish is spoken in more than 20 countries. And each country, and even each region, has its own accent, its own words and its own expressions. Just like English: someone from London, Texas and Sydney all speak English, but they sound very different.

Different words for the same thing

Take a simple word like pen. Depending on where you are, you’ll hear:

Country	Pen
Spain	el bolígrafo
Mexico	la pluma
Colombia	el esfero
Argentina	la lapicera

All four mean exactly the same thing. And there are lots of words like this. A few more:

English	Spain	Latin America
juice	el zumo	el jugo
car	el coche	el carro / el auto
computer	el ordenador	la computadora
phone (mobile)	el móvil	el celular

Different ways to say “how’s it going?”

It’s not just single words: expressions change too. To say “how’s it going?”:

Different sounds

And then there’s the pronunciation. A few examples you’ll notice quickly:

• Spain: in most of Spain, z and c (before e and i) sound like the English “th”: gracias sounds like “GRA-thee-as”. In Latin America it’s an s: “GRA-see-as”.
• Argentina and Uruguay: ll and y sound like “sh”: me llamo sounds like “me SHA-mo”.
• The Caribbean (Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic): people often drop the s at the end of a syllable: ¿cómo estás? becomes something like “¿cómo etá?”

Even grammar can be a little different. In Spain people say vosotros, in Latin America ustedes. And the past tenses are sometimes used differently: more about that when we get to the past tenses.

Hear the accents for yourself

I originally wanted to show you clips from Spanish movies and series, but those are copyrighted, so I can’t use them in my videos. Instead, I put links to a few great videos on the free reference sheet of this lesson: one that explains the different accents, and two funny ones where comedians play with them. Get it below and click the links!

So which Spanish should you learn?

Good question! With so many types of Spanish, which one do you choose? My advice: learn the Spanish of the place where you’ll live or travel to.

This course gives you a solid foundation that works everywhere. Whenever Spain and Latin America are different, I show you both. Once you start talking to local people, you’ll hear words and phrases you didn’t learn here. And honestly, that’s the fun part!

Recap: different types of Spanish

Spanish	Where
el bolígrafo	Spain
la pluma	Mexico
el esfero	Colombia
la lapicera	Argentina
el zumo	Spain
■■■■■■■■	■■■■■■■■
■■■■■■■■	■■■■■■■■
■■■■■■■■	■■■■■■■■

+ 5 more words & phrases

Get all 10 words & phrases on one printable page, with examples and my tips. Free, straight to your inbox.

Get the free PDF ↓

Practice: where are you?

Think about it, then click to check.

1. You’re in Mexico and need a pen. What do you ask for?

Una pluma.

2. You’re in Spain and need a pen.

Un bolígrafo.

3. Someone greets you with “¿Qué onda?”. Where are you probably?

In Mexico (or Central America).

4. You order “un zumo” in Colombia. Will they understand you?

Yes! They’d say jugo, but they’ll understand you.

5. Someone says “me llamo” like “me SHA-mo”. Where are they probably from?

Argentina or Uruguay.

Quiz: different types of Spanish

7 quick questions. ¿Qué tal?

Frequently asked questions

Is one type of Spanish “better” or more correct?

No. Spanish from Mexico, Spain, Colombia or Argentina is all correct Spanish. They’re just different, like British and American English.

Which type of Spanish does this course teach?

As neutral as possible, and whenever Spain and Latin America are different, I show you both. I explain this in more detail in the bonus video.

Before you go to the next lesson

You’re about to start lesson 31, so you’re doing amazing. Keep it going! Don’t forget to grab the free reference sheet with the accent videos below. ¡Hasta luego!