The short version
- Spain Spanish and Latin American Spanish are the same language. Speakers from both understand each other without trouble.
- The differences learners notice most are vosotros, the "th" sound for z and c, how the past is used, and a set of everyday words.
- Learn the Spanish of the place where you'll speak it. If you've learnt the other one, you only need to adjust a few things.
"Should I learn Spain Spanish or Latin American Spanish?" comes up all the time, and it usually comes from someone who's just been caught out. Maybe your app taught you computadora and everyone in your office in Madrid says ordenador. Or you've never seen vosotros before and suddenly hear it every day.
The short answer: it's one language, and you haven't wasted anything. A Spaniard and a Mexican can talk for hours without a problem. The differences are real, but they're more like British and American English than two separate languages.
This post goes through the differences that matter for a learner, and what to do about them if you live in Spain.
How different are they, really?
Think of a Londoner talking to someone from Texas. Different accents, some different words (flat and apartment, pavement and sidewalk), a few grammar habits. Nobody needs a translator.
Spain Spanish and Latin American Spanish work the same way. Also, "Latin American Spanish" isn't one thing. Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Chile all sound different from each other, just as Spain has its own regional accents. Andalusia and Galicia don't sound much alike either.
For a learner, the differences fall into four groups:
- Pronunciation
- Vosotros and ustedes
- How the past tenses are used
- Everyday vocabulary
Pronunciation: the "th" and the j
The difference most people notice first is the z and the c before e or i. In most of Spain, these are said like the "th" in "think". Gracias sounds like "gra-thias" and cerveza like "ther-ve-tha". In Latin America, and in the Canary Islands and parts of Andalusia, the same letters sound like "s".
Both are correct. If you learnt the "s" version, you'll be understood everywhere in Spain. If you live in most of Spain, switching to the "th" will make you sound more like the people around you, but you don't have to.
The second one is the j (and g before e or i). In Spain it's a strong, throaty sound at the back of the mouth, a bit like "loch". In much of Latin America it's softer, closer to an English "h". There's more on both sounds in the Spanish sounds English speakers get wrong.
Vosotros and ustedes
This is the grammar difference you'll notice most in Spain.
When you talk to more than one person, Spain has two options. Vosotros is the informal one, for friends, family or colleagues. Ustedes is the formal one, for strangers in an office or older people you don't know. In Latin America, ustedes is used for everyone.
| Spain, with friends | Latin America (and formal in Spain) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where are you from? | ¿De dónde sois? | ¿De dónde son? |
| Do you want a coffee? | ¿Queréis un café? | ¿Quieren un café? |
| Are you coming tonight? | ¿Venís esta noche? | ¿Vienen esta noche? |
| You're very kind. | Sois muy amables. | Son muy amables. |
| I'll see you tomorrow. | Os veo mañana. | Los veo mañana. |
If you use ustedes with your friends in Spain, everyone will understand you. It just sounds a bit formal, a bit like saying "would you all care to join me?" to your mates. You'll also need to understand vosotros, because you'll hear it constantly.
Take five questions you already know with ustedes and say each one again with vosotros, out loud: ¿Quieren algo? becomes ¿Queréis algo?, ¿Tienen hambre? becomes ¿Tenéis hambre? Do it for a week with a new set of five each day. Most vosotros forms end in -áis, -éis or -ís, so the pattern sticks quickly once your mouth has said it a few times.
One more thing: in Argentina, Uruguay and parts of Central America, people use vos instead of tú for "you", with its own verb forms (vos tenés, vos sabés). You won't need it in Spain, but it's worth knowing it exists if you watch a lot of Argentinian series.
How the past is used
Both sides have the same past tenses. They just use them slightly differently.
In Spain, if something happened today, or in a period that includes now, people usually use the present perfect: Hoy he comido paella (I had paella today). Esta semana he trabajado mucho (I've worked a lot this week).
In much of Latin America, people use the simple past for the same thing: Hoy comí paella.
| Spain | Much of Latin America | |
|---|---|---|
| I had breakfast at eight. (today) | He desayunado a las ocho. | Desayuné a las ocho. |
| Have you seen Ana? (this morning) | ¿Has visto a Ana? | ¿Viste a Ana? |
| I got up late. (today) | Me he levantado tarde. | Me levanté tarde. |
For anything yesterday or earlier, both sides use the simple past: Ayer comí paella. So if you learnt Latin American Spanish, the adjustment for Spain is mostly "use he, has, ha for today".
Everyday words that change
This is where you'll get caught out most, because it's everywhere. Most of these words are understood on both sides. You'll just sound more local if you use the one where you live.
| Spain | Latin America (common) | English |
|---|---|---|
| el ordenador | la computadora | the computer |
| el móvil | el celular | the mobile phone |
| el coche | el carro / el auto | the car |
| conducir | manejar | to drive |
| el zumo | el jugo | the juice |
| la patata | la papa | the potato |
| las gafas | los lentes / los anteojos | glasses |
| el piso | el departamento / el apartamento | the flat |
| vale | ok / dale / está bien | OK |
| ¡Qué guay! | ¡Qué padre! (Mexico) / ¡Qué chévere! (several countries) | Cool! |
The Latin America column is simplified. Countries don't all agree with each other either. Carro is common in Mexico and Colombia, auto in Argentina and Chile.
In Spain, coger is an everyday verb: coger el autobús (to catch the bus), coger un taxi, coger el teléfono. In Mexico, Argentina and several other countries, it's a rude word for sex. If you're talking to people from Latin America, tomar el autobús works everywhere. In Spain, use coger freely.
You'll also find differences inside Spain. In the Canary Islands, a bus is la guagua, which is also the word in Cuba and Puerto Rico. Spanish from the Canaries has a lot in common with Caribbean Spanish, including the "s" sound for z and c.
Which one should you learn?
Learn the Spanish of the place where you'll use it. If you live in Spain, or you're moving here, go with Spain Spanish. If your partner is Colombian or you work with Mexico, go with that.
If you've already studied the other one, don't start again. The grammar and most of the vocabulary are the same, so you already know most of what you need. Here's what to adjust for Spain:
Add vosotros
You need to understand it straight away and use it with friends. Start with sois, tenéis, queréis, vais and os.
Use the present perfect for today
He comido, he ido, me he levantado. When the time frame includes now, reach for he.
Swap the everyday words
Pick the ten words from the table above that you use most and learn the Spain version. Móvil, ordenador, coche and vale will come up in your first week.
Tune your ear
Listen to Spanish from Spain every day, even for ten minutes.
Many streaming services offer Spanish audio in two versions, one labelled for Spain (sometimes "Castilian" or "España") and one for Latin America. If you watch series in Spanish, check which one you're getting. Choosing the Spain version means you hear vosotros, the "th" sound and Spain vocabulary every time you watch, without any extra effort.
A lot of apps and courses made in the US lean towards Latin American Spanish, and some leave out vosotros completely. That doesn't make them wrong, but it's worth knowing if you're learning for Spain. There's more on what apps can and can't do in is Duolingo enough to speak Spanish?
Common mistakes
Starting from scratch because you learnt "the wrong Spanish".
Keep what you know and adjust vosotros, the past and a few words.
Using ustedes with friends in Spain and thinking it's wrong.
It's understood. Switch to vosotros when you're ready.
Forcing the "th" sound when you live somewhere that uses "s".
Copy the people around you. Parts of Andalusia and the Canaries use "s".
Mixing words from five countries.
Pick the Spanish of the place you'll use it and stick with it.
Thinking one side is "proper" Spanish.
Both are correct. They're just different places.
Recap
- Spain Spanish and Latin American Spanish are one language with different accents and some different words.
- The big differences are the "th" sound, vosotros, the past for today, and everyday vocabulary.
- Learn the Spanish of the place where you'll use it.
- If you learnt the other one, adjust. Don't start again.
- Watch series with Spain audio to get used to how it sounds.
100 Spanish Conversations uses Spanish from Spain, with the words, vosotros forms and expressions you'll hear here. If you've learnt Latin American Spanish and want to check how something is said in Spain, ask in the Skool community. If you've just arrived, the Spanish you need in your first month in Spain is a good next read.
Leeroy studied Spanish for years before moving to Spain and finding he couldn't hold a conversation. He built Basically Spanish around the method that fixed it. Questions? leeroy@basicallyspanish.com