If you listen to a native Spanish speaker, you might be confused about where that speaker comes from. After all, there are many variations and dialects, not only in mainland Spain but in Latin America too. Some phrases and words may be used differently and for different reasons. Today, we’ll show you some of the differences that define the various Spanish dialects of both Latin America and Mainland Spain.
Lisp Or No Lisp – The Spanish Dialects
One of the major differences between mainland Spain and Latin America is the so-called “lisp” mainland Spanish speakers have. Instead of a “C”, they say “TH”, when pronouncing words like “facíl” or “cerveza”. In most other countries, the “C” in each word sounds like a “K” or an “S”. This depends on where the “C” is and what letter follows it. In mainland Spain however, it’s a bit different. Instead of the “s” sound, it’s a “TH” sound, so “facíl” sounds like “fa-thil” or “cerveza” sounds like “ther-ve-tha”.
You’ll notice that even the “z” uses the same rule. So, if you’re travelling to mainland Spain, don’t forget that both “C” and “Z” sound like “TH”, so if you’re using words like “empieza” you’ll need to say “em-pi-eh-tha” instead of “em-pi-eh-za”. But, of course, even if you don’t pronounce it the way they do, don’t worry. The native speakers in Spain won’t judge you for it. They’ll still understand what you mean.
Now, you’ll probably have heard the story about how this lisp came about. Apparently, one of their great kings, King Ferdinand, had a lisp, and to pay respects to him, the citizens of Spain decided to add the lisp in. This is not true. The lisp didn’t emerge because of a single king, it simply emerged as time went on, until we have the Spanish we know today.
LL = Y or J or SH or LY – It’s In The Dialects
You’ll find that there are other differences between dialects in Spanish. One of them is the pronunciation of “LL”. Some native speakers pronounce it as “Y”, while others pronounce it as “J”. And yet, there are still others that pronounce it as “SH”. So, how do you say it? It all depends on where in the world you are. For the most part, pronouncing “LL” as a “Y” is the most common and widely used version. So, for words like “caballo” you’d say “cabayo” or “pollo”, you’d say “poyo”.
However, there are many regional differences, both in Latin America and Spain. In some parts of northern Spain, you’ll find people saying “cabajo” or “pojo” instead. So, they substitute the “Y” for a very soft-sounding “J”. You’ll also find this pronunciation scattered across South America too.
Another form of “LL” is “SH”, which is mostly used in Argentina and Uruguay. So, instead, they’d say “cabasho” or “posho”. Why? Who knows, it’s part of the reason why the Spanish in both countries is called Rioplatense. It’s not something you really need to learn, but knowing that it exists will help. So, if you hear this version, you won’t be caught off-guard, and you’ll know that person comes from Argentina or Uruguay.
Finally, there’s the “LY” form. Think of it this way, when you say “million”, it’s that “li” sound you make. You’ll hear this version a lot. It’s almost as common as the “y” version, and it’s mostly used in isolated Spanish regions, like in the Philippines or Colombia. It especially helps learners and beginners, because then you’ll be able to distinguish the difference between words, particularly slang and regular words.
Grammar Difference
Last but not least, there is a grammar difference between Latin America and Mainland Spain. Usually, you’ll see this when they speak about the past. In Spain, when they talk about the past, they’d use the present perfect tense, so their sentences, in English, sound like “I have been to the doctors”, while in Latin America, they’d use the simple past tense, so they’d say “I went to the doctors”.
It’s like the difference between American English and British English. British English would often use phrases similar to Mainland Spain. While American English would use phrases similar to Latin America. However, it doesn’t really matter if you use one or the other on either continent, because they’d still understand you all the same. You’d probably just get people telling you not to be too formal in Latin America.
Not only that, but in Mainland Spain, you’ll find a separate conjugation for the formal version of you (plural). “Vosotros” is something most European schools will teach because they’re closer to Spain, and thus are familiar with its use. Essentially, the formal version of you (plural) has its own pronoun and verb conjugation. For example, if you’re talking formally to a group of people about eating at a restaurant, you’d say something like “comeís en un restaurante”. However, in Latin America, you’d simply use the pronoun ustedes and use the plural conjugation, “ustedes comen en un restaurante”. See the difference?
So, if you ever come across the “vosotros” pronoun and its conjugations, you’ll know you’re speaking to someone from Spain. And if you come across a person using “ustedes” and the plural conjugation, you’re talking to someone from Latin America.
Listen To Some Songs Or Watch TV
The best way you can really understand the difference is by listening to some Spanish songs or watching Spanish TV. Compare and contrast the grammar that they use, or how they pronounce different words. You’ll find a wide range of dialects. It’s good to familiarise yourselves with them. So if you do travel around the globe, and you hear the Spanish language, you’ll be able to guess which part of the world they’re from, and maybe start up a conversation with them.
There are many websites and social media platforms to go to, to find these songs and TV shows, you just need to look around. Here, we’ll recommend one for you:
RTVE
This is a great website for watching Spanish TV shows, straight from Spain. You can even watch the news! So, get learning!
