What are the differences between Spanish from Spain and Spanish from Latin America?

Mainly pronunciation and some local words, which depend on the place where you are. Just like English English and American English

Letter pronunciation not only between Spain and Latin America but also within Spain itself. Ex: letters s,c and z. Different pronouns are also used (tú, vos, ustedes) and therefore there is a slight difference in the conjugation of verbs. Some countries in Latin America combine one pronoun with the conjugation of another like it happens in Uruguay where they use the pronoun ‘tú’ but the verb will be conjugated as a ‘vos’. Also different words for similar things like it would happen in American and British English for instance. Intonation and accents also vary.

There are many differences between Spanish from Latin america and Spain. To start, the accent. In Spain, they pronounce the "z" and "c" with the sound of a soft "th" sound. In Spain the 2nd person is "vosotros" in most of the countries in Latin Americe we use "tu" or "usted" - Except in Argentina, they use "vos".

They differ slightly in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. For instance, in Spain, the "c" before "e" or "i" is pronounced like the "th" in "think," whereas in most Latin American countries, it's pronounced as an "s." Vocabulary also varies; for example, "coche" (car) in Spain is "carro" or "auto" in some Latin American countries. Additionally, Spain uses "vosotros" for informal plural "you," while Latin America uses "ustedes."

Gramatically there are some differences. In Spain, nationals and people who learn Castillian Spanish use past perfect forms to explain some action In detail. In Latin American, people explain actions In progressive form. For example: I have made or done this and then just finished that (Spain, Castillian) I started doing this and then finished doing that

Hello! There are many sustantives,verbs and expressions that change in both Spanish from Spain and Spanish from Latinoamerica. ¡No mames wey! in Latinoamérica is '¡No es posible tío!. Here tío means mate. When someone tells you that, they mean something is a surprise or it's not posible.

The main difference is that, in the Spanish spoken in Spain, the letter “c” and “z” if followed by “i” or “e” are pronounced as a “th” in English. So for example, the word for ashtray in Spanish is cenicero. In Latin American Spanish that is pronounced (phonetically) se/ni/se/ro. However in Spain they would say the/ni/the/ro. The other difference is that Spanish from Spain has more emphasis on the “j”. This letter is very guttural. It reverberates in the throat. The “j” in Latín American Spanish is much softer.

Imagine Latin America, with the 33 countries that make it up, each having its own pronunciations and some words that can have different meanings in different countries. It can be compared to the English spoken in the United States versus that in England, or the Spanish of Spain versus that of Latin America, but with a wide variety of meanings in both regions. What’s important is that basic words or essential phrases are understood by everyone.

The first difference is the pronunciation of "c" and "z". It is called seseo. In Spain these letters are pronounced by putting the tong between the teeth, like the English "th". In Hispanic America, they pronounce these letters as "s". Eg: thervetha vs servesa (beer). However, the "s" is pronounces as "ss" in both Spain and Hispanic America, but there is not double ss in written Spanish. Eg: casa (cassa - house). The Spanish accent of Andalucia is similar to the Hispanic American accent as the majority of Spaniards who settled in the American continent came from Andalucia. Another difference is the 2nd personal pronoun "vosotros" (pl. you). It is used in Spain only. Meanwhile, in Hispanic America they use "Ustedes". As a result, they do not know vosotros. They use Ustedes in Spain when speaking formally to a group of person in place of vosotros, which is the most common plural form of "tú". There are also difference in the pronunciation of the "ll". In Hispanic America, the pronounce it like an y i.e. pollo (pollo). In Argentina it is pronounce as the English "j i.e. pojo. There are also differences in vocabulary due to the indigenous languages and European immigration, especially in Argentina. The sounds of Argentine Spanish are different from the ones of the other HA countries. The word "coger" (take) is fine in Spain, but it is considered vulgar in Hispanic America. In Spain they say "coger el bus" (take the bus), but in HA they say "tomar el bus". However, in the UK they teach Spanish from Spain.

Hello, the difference between Spanish from Spain and Spanish from Latin America, it that in Spain the most used dialect is Castellon that is considered the Spanish Language. In South America, an older version of Spanish, rich with abbreviations and diminutive. It called Latino,but it can be understood by the majority of Spanish Speakers .

The difference between Spanish and Latin American is in grammar vocabulary and pronunciation. Also Latin is rarely used while Spanish is the native language for people worldwide.

Hi Alice! There's a lot of differences between Spain Spanish and LATAM Spanish. A part from the accent, that is pretty different even between regions in the same country, the main differences can be pronunciation and vocabulary. PRONUNCIATION: For example, in Spain the letters c (when followed by e/i) and z are pronounced as the English TH (like in THought), while Latin Americans always pronounce it as a "s". VOCABULARY: Words like "coger" take very different meaning depending on where you are. In Spain we say "coger un autobús" but in some Latin American countries the word is used to describe sexual intercourse. "Fresa" in Spain is a type of fruit - strawberry - but saying that someone is a "fresa" in Mexico means they are posh. STRESS/WRITING: Another difference if you take into account Argenina and Uruguay is the different writing of some verbs due to the different placement of the stress. Words like "puedes" would be pronounced "podés", "sabes" would become "sabés", "quieres" -> "querés" and many more. GRAMMAR: Also, grammatically there's also some differences, like in the use of the past tenses of verbs. In Spain, the past perfect (he hecho, he tenido) is used when talking about something that was recently done or that was done in a period that hasn't ended (this week, this year, today), while the past indefinite (hice, cogí) when the action happened in a moment that is already ended (yesterday). While in Lat. Am. the past indefinite is much more used. I hope the explanation was clear :)

Hi, happy to help you! Here are some key distinctions: Pronunciation: - S/C/Z: In Spain, particularly in Castilian Spanish, the "c" (before "e" or "i") and "z" are pronounced as a "th" sound (like in "think"), which is known as "distinción." In most Latin American countries, these letters are pronounced as an "s" sound. -Double "L" (LL): The pronunciation of "ll" varies greatly. In many regions of Latin America, it is pronounced like the English "y," while in others, it is pronounced like the "j" in "judge." In parts of Spain, it is often pronounced similarly to the "y" sound as well. -S: In some areas of Latin America, particularly the Caribbean, the "s" at the end of syllables or words may be aspirated or dropped. Vocabulary: -There are many regional variations in vocabulary. For example, "popcorn" is "palomitas" in Mexico but "cogollos" or "canteens" in some other regions. Similarly, "juice" is "jugo" in most places, while some may use "zumo" instead (more common in Spain). Pronouns: -Spain often uses "tú" for informal "you" and "usted" for formal "you." In many Latin American countries, "tú" is used informally, while "usted" is used more widely, even in contexts that may seem informal. The use of "vos" is common in parts of Central and South America, such as Argentina and Uruguay. This replaces "tú" in the informal context. Verb Conjugations: -The use of the vos form also comes with different conjugations, which can be unfamiliar to speakers from Spain. For example, instead of saying "tú hablas" (you speak), it would be "vos hablás."

a few differences: the use of the pronoun vos/vosotros in Latin America; the pronouciation of c,z, is different in Latin America

The words used and the accent, some words used in Spanish from Spain are bad words and in Latin America they are not.

They have different words for things eg carro - coche for car . In each place the local language is made up from colloquialisms

Hello dear student, There are several differences between Spanish from Spain and Latin American Spanish. Some have to do with vocabulary, idioms, and cultural differences. The following examples show the vocabulary differences: In Spain they say "piso" and in Latin America "departamento", meaning similar to the Great Britain English "Flat" and the American English "apartment". "enhorabuena" in Spain and "felicitaciones" in Latin America, meaning "congrats". "vale" in Spain and "esta bien" in Latin America, meaning "OK". "chaval" in Spain and "joven" in Latin America. Some idiom examples: "Que why!" in Spain, "que excellente o que chevere" in Latin America, meaning "Super, outstanding, or awesome" There are other differences in the use of the personal pronouns, for example: "vosotros" in Spain, "ustedes" in Latin America, meaning "you" (people) plural pronoun Also, there are differences in the verb inflections used for the second persona or subjectl pronoun of singular and plural. For instance, "vosotros sois" in Spain and "ustedes son" in Latin America meaning "you (people) are in plural.

Hi Alice, first of all, would say Catillian Spanish is 90% the same as Latin American Spanish, with the main difference being the accent. The ce, ci and za are pronounced like and s in Latin America; this is called seseo. Also in many parts of south America, the “s” at the end of a syllable is often softened and sometimes dropped completely. For example, más o memos would sound like “ un poco más o menos” would sound more like: “in poco ma o meno”

Yes, they have some differences in the pronunciation, past tense, I think the most important point to compare is the culture.

Hi Alice. The main thing you notice is the accent, but that will also vary from country to country. Another stark difference is the different use of ustedes (Latin) vs vosotros (Spain).

Hola Alice, Both are Spanish and we can understand each other perfectly, but each country has singular expressions, the same situation happens in Spain each county over Spain has a different accent and expressions. The best example for you is the American English and British English both of them are English but with different nuances. I hope my explanation has answered your doubts Jenaro Fernandez (Spanish Tutor)

It changes pronunciation, the grammar and the vocabulary. Somehow similar to English in the United States, and English in Britain. However, regardles of the differences, you will still be able to communicate and understand each other.

The main differences between latin Spanish and Spain Spanish it is mainly on the pronunciation and intonation. The grammar stays the same. The generic meaning of words and phrases are also linked to the local use of some tearms.

To begin with, it's important to state that Spain is a country in Europe, while Latin America is a region made up of 33 countries, including South and Central America. There are differences in the Spanish spoken within the region, particularly in accent, slang, and pronunciation. One relevant difference with Spain is the pronunciation of certain "S" sounds: in Latin America, it's always an "S," while in some areas of Spain, it's pronounced like a "Z." Another difference is the use of certain words; for example, ordenador means "computer" in Spain, while in Latin America, people use computadora. There is also a difference in grammar. The plural "you" is vosotros in Spain and ustedes in Latin America, which affects verb conjugation. For example, ustedes hablan vs. vosotros habláis. In some countries of Latin America, the singular form of "you" is vos instead of tú, while in Spain, no one uses vos. It's important to remember that there are many variations of Spanish spoken within Latin America.

There are differences in pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. For example the car in spanish in Spain is El Coche and in Latin Americans its El Carro.

It depends of the region or country you learn Spanish the meaning of the words change. In Argentina coger means to fuck in the rest of the Spanish world is to take, and like this hundred of samples

Hello how are you, the main difference is accent but change some words because of the culture,.but is the same and way to approach people as well

Although people think the only difference is the accent, I have noticed many more differences between how I speak Spanish (Spain) and how my Latin American friends speak it. Especially with the "you" form in verbs, they tend to use "usted/ustedes" everyday, which is actually only used in a very formal setting when speaking in Spain. This is just one of many differences, which also makes studying Spanish from different countries interesting even for me (a native speaker)!

Hi Alice, its the same language but accents differ from countries and regions. The writing is the same, grammar is the same but pronunciations of some letters like "z"and "s" sound different. For example.. corazón( heart) Hope is clear😊

Accent change is the most noticeable difference. However, the usage of certain grammar and vocabulary too. For example, the pronoun “vosotros” (which is the plural equivalent of “tú” in most of the mainland Spain) and subsequently its verb conjugations is not used in most of Latin America. Also, LatAm Spanish tends to favour the preterite tense (the simple past) over certain instances, where the present perfect would be used in Spain.

- In Spain, especially in the north and central regions, the "c" (before "e" or "i") and "z" are pronounced as a "th" sound (like in "think"). This is known as "distinción." In most of Latin America, these letters are pronounced as an "s" sound (this is called "seseo"). - The "ll" and "y" sounds can also differ. In some regions of Argentina and Uruguay, for example, they are pronounced as a "sh" sound (this is called "yeísmo de zheísmo").

Words. And accent. Same as English from US, Australia, and UK. Thong mean something totally different to an Aussie. Same difference between the two Spanish, same words different meaning. Then you have the completely different words for the same thing like lift an elevator.

It's the same language, like UK and US English, but has comparable variations in vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar. There are also wide variations within Latin America itself. In grammar, Spain uses 'vosotros/vuestro' for 'you' and 'your' plural, and a second person plural verb ending, whereas LatAm mostly uses 'ustedes' and 'su' (with third person plural verb ending). Argentina and Uruguay complicate things with 'vos' instead of 'tu'. Words for food and produce reflect regional differences and histories, although I'm not sure why an Argentine strawberry should be 'un frutillo' when everywhere else (I think) it's 'una fresa'. Potato is generally 'una papa' in LatAm and 'patata' in Spain - and so on. The main thing is that despite the differences the various versions of Spanish are all mutually intelligible.

Hi Alice, this is a very good question! You're right, the accent changes quite drastically when you look at European Spanish and Latin American Spanish, most noticeably the pronunciation of the soft 'c' and the 'z' sound. In certain regions of Spain, they either emphasise the pronunciation of their 's' or, in more southern regions, omit it entirely. You don't find this in Latin America. Another big difference is the use, or lack thereof, of the subject 'vosotros'. This is used in Spain as 'you (plural)' towards a group of people you know, are familiar with or who are in your peer group. 'Ustedes' is reserved for formal encounters but is used in the same way, to talk to 'you (plural)'. However, in Latin America, they don't use 'vosotros' at all, anywhere, and use 'ustedes' all the time instead, regardless of the familiarity they have with one another. It's important to keep in mind that when you use 'ustedes', you must conjugate the verb to the 3rd person plural! It goes without saying that there are a lot of slang differences but those are the two main differences between the variants. I hope this helps!

The Spanish language, while fundamentally the same, has some notable differences between the version spoken in Spain and the versions spoken across Latin America. Here are a few key distinctions: Pronunciation Seseo vs. Ceceo: In Latin America, the letters “c” (before e or i) and “z” are pronounced as an “s” sound (seseo). In Spain, particularly in the central and northern regions, these letters are pronounced with a “th” sound (ceceo). Yeísmo: In many parts of Latin America, the “ll” and “y” sounds are pronounced the same, typically as a “y” sound. In Spain, especially in regions like Argentina and Uruguay, “ll” can have a distinct “sh” sound. Grammar Vosotros vs. Ustedes: In Spain, “vosotros” is used for informal plural “you,” while “ustedes” is used for formal situations. In Latin America, “ustedes” is used for both formal and informal contexts.

Well, the main difference is the pronoun for the plural you. In Latin America, "ustedes" is used, and in Spain, "vosotros" is used. Therefore, the verb's conjugation has a variation in this pronoun, but the meaning is the same. There are some other differences, like the pronunciation or accent, and some words that are different to refer to the same verb or object.

Hi, There are several differences.One of them is accent and many words are different as well.Such as coche(car) is used in Spanish and in Latin they say carro(car). In Spain they say como estas but in Latin they say como andamos.

atin American Spanish is a neutral and universal language that can be used in any country, whereas Spanish from Spain contains many idiomatic expressions and cultural nuances that are only representative of that specific country.

Hello Alice , Differences between Latin American and European Spanish: accent and pronunciation and even the meaning of some words. Phonetically, a difference is the use of seseo, that is, the difference in pronunciation, pronunciation of the letters “s” and “z, in Latin America they pronounce both as “S”. Only in Spain in Andalusia is there the difference between “S” and “z”. "The latter is pronounced TH. Apart from yeismo and different names in Spanish to call the same thing in each Latin American country, such as car, truck, guagua, colectivo , etc., to say bus in Spanish.

Spain’s Spanish uses vosotros whereas in Latin America they use Ustedes. Also in certain Latin American countries they pronounce LL as a SH sound.

Hi Alice! There are three main differences between Spanish from Spain and Spanish from Latin America: The accent is different, especially regarding the sound of the letters ‘c’ and ‘z’. In Spain they will make the sound ‘th’ and in LA they will make the sound ‘s’. In Spain ‘you’ is ‘tú’ or ‘vosotros’, however in LA they say ‘usted’ or ‘ustedes’. The vocabulary is different in the way that English in the US is different to in England, for example with pavement and sidewalk. In Spain, car is ‘coche’ and in LA car is ‘carro’. It’s also important to note that there are many different countries in Latin America and they each have their own accents and vocabulary. Hope this helps!

Hola Alice! If you think of the differences between American English and British English, you will get an idea. Most of the differences are in vocabulary and pronunciation. For example, por ejemplo: A car in Spanish (Castellano, from Spain) is 'coche', whereas in South American Spanish it's 'carro'. However, in mainland Spain, 'carro' means a shopping trolley or a cart. I guess you could liken this to 'chips' meaning fried potatoes in Britain, but potato crisps in the USA. There are tons of examples of words that are different in South American Spanish compared to mainland Spanish! The other main difference is pronunciation. In mainland Spain, there is generally a lisp on the C and the Z. For example, sugar (azucar) would be 'a-thoo-car'. In South American Spanish, there is no lisp. So the same word would be pronounced 'a-soo-car'. Or, taking another example, the word ceninero (ashtray) would be pronounced 'theni-thero' in mainland Spain but 'seni-sero' in South America. Fun fact: in Seville, local people do NOT lisp on the C either. But the rest of Andalusia does, so this seems to be an exception. This answer is not exhaustive but I hope it helps!

Each country in Latin America has their own words that aren't used in Spain or the other Latin American countries. Also, the grammar slightly changes in some conjugation forms and past tenses. The pronounciation is a bit different but mostly understandable for both sides :)

Main differences that you may find in Standard/Spain spanish and Latin american tends to focus onto dialects, as these differ in expressions and ways of speech, most notable the Ud/ usted used as you (singular) in Latin America used while in Spain we use tu as you instead. I can offer examples if needed in one-to-one sessions as a tutor. Have a nice day

The Spanish from Spain and Latino America, are similar, the difference is the accent and in Latino America people use different words than in Spain. For example in Latino America they say carro for car, in Spain is coche, but we both understand each other

There are too many differences due to history and colonization. So basically, the Spanish from LA is the one that was talked in Spain before colonization.

It depends on the Latin American country you're talking about. In some places the grammar as well as the accent is affected. For example in Argentina instead of saying 'tú eres' they would say 'vos sos'. Sometimes it's mostly in informal language where the difference in noticed. For instance in Chile it is common for people to add 'ito' on to the end of nouns, for example 'un cafecito' instead of just 'un café'.

There is a big difference between Spanish from Spanish and Spanish from Latin America. Accent is, of course, a big one and in general, the Latin American accent is thought to be more melodic. However, there are many different accents in Latin America itself, for example, the 'y' sound. In Spain too, there are different pronunciations of sounds dependent on the region in Spain. Slang is also very different in Latin America. The way people express themselves with slang and dialect is very different

There are loads of differences between the two! It’s not just the accent that changes or the cultural differences, but it varies all across Spain and Latin America. Every country has a different accent and words and phrases that vary, such as ‘suelo’ (floor in Spain Spanish), more commonly understood as ‘piso’ in South America. Another example can be ‘piscina’ (swimming pool in Spain) or ‘pileta’ (swimming pool in Argentina).

Hi Alice! There are some differences between the two but we can still understand each other quite well. Like in all Spanish-speaking countries, we have some different words for things e.g. medias (socks) in Latin America and calcetines (also socks) in Spain. But the biggest differences are the accents (ceceo in Spain) and the use of vos and vosotros (Spain) compared to usted and ustedes (L.A) when addressing others. Hope this helps :)

Hello Alice! I think that the only different is the pronunciation in some words. In fact in Latin America there are some differents pronunciation too. Also could be some differents spelling for the same meaning for example: Spain: 1. ordenador 2. coche 3. vosotros Latin American: 1. laptop 2. carro 3. ustedes Other important thing is the pronunciation of the letter "Z" and the letter "C" before the letter "I" or the letter "E". In Latin America, these two letters are pronounced as S, but in Spain you would hear something like a TH sound.

the main difference of both spanish is the pronunciation of the words and the origins and meanings of the words

Hi! It is the accent, the way the ll and y is pronounced, and the colloquial speech is completely different, while the formal language is the same.

In general, the differences are in the pronunciation of some consonants: s and z are pronunced differently in Spain while in Latin America sound exactly the same. The grammar is slightly different in some pronouns and conjugations. In Spain, "you" plural is "vosotros", while in Latin America is "ustedes") Vocabulary might change too: in Spain, native roots are preferred ("computer" is translated "ordenador" due to the computing processing, or "hamburger" is translated "emparedado" because of the position of the meat) while in Latin America americanisms are fully accepted ("computer" is translated "computadora", "hamburger" is translated "hamburguesa"). Remember LAtin America has different countries too and they may have differences in ther language. Spain and Latin american countries have their own idioms wich are not always understood by people in those countries. However, due to globalisation, many Spanish speakers might understand the meanings.