Different vocabulary between Spanish from Spain and Latin America The Spanish language is not only spoken in Spain. There is practically an entire continent in which Spanish is spoken, which is Latin America. If you have Spanish friends and from any Latin American country, you will know that, although we share and
The Spanish language is not only spoken in Spain.
There is practically an entire continent in which Spanish is spoken, which is Latin America.
If you have Spanish friends or friends from any Latin American country, you will know that, although we share the same language, there are many words that they are said differently.
Each country has its particular words, and we love this because it gives a lot of richness to the Spanish language.
In today's article we are going to see many Spanish words to learn from Spain and Latin American countries.
Are you thinking about traveling to Latin America?
Are you curious to expand your vocabulary with words from our brothers from the American continent?
If so, we recommend that you stay because the article promises to become a hit.
Let's go there!
Before starting with the vocabulary of words that are said differently in Spain and Latin America, we want to first introduce the importance of the Spanish language.
Spanish today is the fourth most spoken language, only behind English, Mandarin Chinese and Hindi.
All over the world there are more than 548 million people who speak it.
Can you get an idea?
Spanish is officially spoken in 21 countries. One of them is Spain and the other is Equatorial Guinea, in Africa.
The other 19 are Latin American countries that speak Spanish.
They are distributed between South America and Central America. They are the following:
Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Cuba.
In addition, there are also many Latinos in the United States, which is why Spanish is the second most spoken language in this country, after English.
The trend is that more and more people want to learn Spanish. All these countries are very exotic for tourists.
The warm climate, the cultural wealth, its delicious cuisine and the friendliness of its native speakers make millions of people want to learn this language every year.
Today, Spanish is the second most studied foreign language, only behind English.
Furthermore, Spanish-speaking countries represent a economic market increasingly important. Many multinational companies are looking to expand in Spanish-speaking countries.
Knowledge of Spanish is a valuable asset for companies and can increase employment and business opportunities.
Therefore, learning Spanish is very interesting because, in addition to being the most beautiful language in the world, it will open job doors for you and you will have the possibility of get to know some beautiful countries in depth.
As we said at the beginning, all of these 21 countries speak Spanish. However, there is a different vocabulary between Spanish-speaking countries. Maybe you are wondering:
Which of all the types of Spanish is the best?
The answer to that question is that they all are. Although each one has their specific vocabulary, they are all normative and are equally accepted.
Both the Spanish vocabulary like him American Spanish are correct. So don't worry about that 😉.
Let's start with the vocabulary. We are going to see Spanish words with their meaning and their synonyms in Latin America.
Actually in each country there are many.
We cannot talk about all these words because it is practically incomprehensible.
What we are going to do is focus on some of the most popular, dividing them into the following lexical fields:
Verbs, food, objects, clothes, places and parts of the house, professions and adjectives.
You will see how the spanish Latin and Spanish from Spain They have many different words.
We start with the verbs. There are many verbs that are said differently in America and Spain, although they mean the same thing.
Let's see the most relevant ones.
In Latin American Spanish, the word "handle" It is the most used to refer to the action of carry a vehicle.
In Spain, the synonym of driving is "drive".
In Spain, "get hurt" means get physical harm or an injury.
In Latin America the verb is used more "get hurt".
The verb «take» It is one of the most used words in Spain. It is used to refer to take something with your hands.
In Latin America, the verb "take" is the most used term.
Also, be careful because in some Latin American countries, the verb «take» It has a very strong sexual connotation.
It's a very fun clash between Spanish speakers.
when you need do something quickly due to lack of time, in many Latin American countries the verb is used "hurry up", while in Spain we say "hurry up."
In the Latin vocabulary the word is used «throw away» when they get rid of something which is no longer useful.
On the other hand, in Spain we say the verb «throw».
with the verb "stand up" We Spaniards express that we get up from a chair, from the bed, from a sofa, etc., and we remain standing.
For this action, in many Latin American countries they use the verb "stand".
In Spain, the verb "get angry" is used to refer to feel angry or irritated for something that bothers us.
To express this emotion, Spanish in America uses the verb more "get angry".
When we feel the absence of someone and that creates us the feeling of sadness or nostalgia, the verb that we Spaniards use is "miss."
In Latin America they say «miss».
When the Latinos leave your vehicle in a place and they come out of it, they use the verb "park."
However, we Spaniards call this "park."
These verbs express that something is fastened with a rope or a tie so it can't move.
In many Latin American countries they say "tie up" and in Spain "tie".
In Spain, the verb «return» is used to refer to the action of return something to its place or to its owner.
While in Latin America, the verb "return" is the term most used to describe the same action.
when we want take off a piece of clothing or a bad habit, we Spaniards say the verb "take something off" and Latin Americans use the verb "get something out."
Now let's go with a topic that we all like, the food.
There are also many Latin American words that we don't have in Spain to talk about food.
Let's look at some examples.
In Spain, the word is used "juice" to refer to liquid obtained at squeeze fruits
There may be orange juice, apple juice, peach juice, etc.
However, in Latin America the word «juice» is the term most used to describe the same thing.
Here we say apple juice, lemon juice, apple juice, etc.
Many Latin Americans call «cake» to a type of sweet large, with chocolate, cream and other ingredients.
How do you say cake in Spain? We Spaniards call it almost the same, only the first vowel changes: "cake."
However, we also have the word "cake."
What does cake mean in Spain?
In Spain, cake is a type of sweet flatbread.
the word "potato", in Spain, or "dad" in Latin America, It is an edible, fleshy and round tuber. which can be eaten in many ways: boiled, fried, baked, etc.
The canaries also call them "potatoes."
In Spain, the term "mushroom" refers to a type of small, whitish mushroom that is eaten.
Many Latin Americans call "mushrooms" to these mushrooms.
The pumpkins are that large, orange, round vegetable which is used as a terrifying face in halloween to decorate houses and shops.
In some Latin American countries they call them «squash».
The corn It is that yellow and round cereal that is eaten in the cobs.
That is the term used in some South American countries, we Spaniards call it "corn."
In Spain we call «strawberry» to the small red fruits with a sweet and sour flavor that grow in spring.
On the other hand, in countries like Argentina, Chile or Uruguay they call them "strawberries."
Another fruit that can have different names is the "peach".
It's delicious and summery orange fruit receives the name of "peach" in some countries on the South American continent.
The product derived from milk what we use for spread the toast with jam for breakfast, in Spain we call it "butter."
In other countries like Paraguay, Uruguay or Peru they call it "butter."
Let's talk now about objects.
What objects have different names in Spain and Latin America?
Let's see some!
Nowadays we all need the mobile to make phone calls, chat with our friends, see the latest trends on social networks, etc.
However, in the vast majority of Spanish-speaking countries on the American continent they do not call it "mobile", but "cell phone."
What in Spain we call "car", common four-wheeled vehicle, in most Latin American countries they call it "car" or "auto".
We Spaniards call «ticket» to two things:
On the other hand, in other countries where Spanish is spoken in America they use the word "ticket" to refer to the ticket for a means of transportation or an event such as a concert, show, match or something similar. In Spain we call the latter «entrance».
In the world we live in, the money It is necessary to live, without it we could not buy anything.
In Latin America too, but the term they use to refer to capital is "silver."
The "match" is that little one wooden stick that if you rub it with a rough surface it catches fire fire flare.
In most of Latin America they call this object "phosphorus."
when they want mark the importance of a word In a text, many Latin Americans use the "markers" of colors for this purpose.
In Spain too, but we call it «marker».
In Spain, the word «piggy bank» is the most common way to refer to the container used to save coins, while in Latin America the term is used more «piggy bank».
«Wallet» is what we Spaniards call the object to save our money and cards.
In Latin America it is more common to call it «wallet».
In Mexico, the «trunk» It is the space where we store our luggage in the rear of a vehicle.
Do you know what we call it in Spain? «Trunk».
In other countries like Argentina, Colombia or Uruguay they call it «trunk».
What would be of us today without the "computer"?
Much of the work is done on a computer.
In Spain, in reality, the term to refer to the PC is "computer", whether it is desktop or laptop.
In winter, there is nothing more pleasant than lying on the sofa and warm up with a "blanket" while watching a good movie.
This word is not so common in some Spanish-speaking American countries, which use the term more "blanket."
In the clothing There are also Spanish words that are said differently.
The following are some of the most typical.
When it's cold, we wear the «jacket» in the body. This word is said in many ways in different countries.
In Mexico it is said "jacket", is one of the most typical Mexican words.
In Chile and Peru, for example, it is said "jacket", or "jacket" in Argentina.
So depending on the country you go to, you will have to learn the right word 😁.
The female underwear It also goes by other names.
The "bra" What we say in Spain is called "adjuster" in some Latin American countries.
The other part of women's underwear, in Spain they are called "panties", but in much of Latin America they are called "breeches."
In other countries they also have other names, like in Colombia they are called «cucos", or "panties" in Venezuela.
As for the underwear that we put ourselves in feet, both men and women, we Spaniards call this garment "socks".
However, in countries like Venezuela or Argentina they are called "stockings".
The curious thing is that in Spain there is also the word «stockings», but it refers to another garment, the underwear that covers the entire leg.
When we go to a wedding or special event, we want to look elegant. One of the typical garments for men is the jacket. "American", a classic.
However, not all Spanish-speaking countries know it by this name. Some call it "sack."
And it's curious, because in Spain, a sack is a cloth bag for heavy things, for example Santa Claus carries toys in a red sack.
In this section we are going to talk about places, parts and objects of the house which receive different names in Spain and Latin America.
In Spain, we say «floor» to one house or floor of a building.
In some Latin American countries this is called «department».
The «swimming pool»It is necessary to cool us down on hot summer days.
Although this word exists in most countries, there are some countries where it is called differently.
Swimming pool in Mexico, how do you say it?
In Mexico it is said "pool."
And, how do you say swimming pool in Argentina?
There it is said "swimming pool".
In Spain, we call "tap" to the mechanical valve that turn on or off the water. It is located in the kitchen sink or bathroom sink.
In other countries it is called "key", because it really is like a key that if you turn it, it turns the water on or off. It makes sense.
we call «refrigerator» or «refrigerator» to the indispensable appliance that keeps food cold.
In Argentina or Paraguay they call it "icer".
In Cuba or Mexico the term is used "refrigerator."
Before we have mentioned the "washbasin". This is where we wash our hands or face in the bathroom.
In other countries it is called «swimming pool». Although this name can also mean swimming pool in countries like Bolivia, Argentina and Uruguay.
In the professions There is also a difference between words in Spanish and Latin American translations that mean the same thing. Let's look at some!
In restaurants, workers who They serve customers and serve them meals, they can be called in different ways.
In Mexico it is said "waiter", It is another of the typical Mexican words.
In Argentina «waiter»and in Chile «heron».
How do you say waiter in Spain?
We Spaniards call them "waiters".
The «plumber» is the professional who installs, repairs and maintains hot and cold water systems.
They also work on heating systems, gas systems and plumbing.
In many Spanish-speaking countries this job is called "plumber".
The "accountants" they take care of the finance and economic management of a company.
In some Latin American countries they are called "accountants", which is really very similar to the word from Spain.
In Spain, the "auctioneers" value items and they organize auctions to sell them.
In certain Latin American countries these people are called "auctioneers".
To the person who drives a bus, taxi or other land vehicle we call it "driver."
But this word is not so common in Latin America. The term is said more here "chauffeur" .
Remember that the verb driving is not usually used in Latin America, but rather to drive.
For this reason, they do not usually use the word driver to refer to the person.
Finally, we close the article with the adjectives.
We are only going to see two that are very important that have different synonyms.
You will surely have heard them many times if you are familiar with the Spanish language. They are some of the most used spanish words in Spain and Latin America.
When we Spaniards see something that has good appearance or aesthetics, we say it is "nice".
On the other hand, Latin Americans usually use the word "cute".
You can use this word for people, things, places, actions... practically everything.
On the other hand, we Spaniards do not usually use the word "beautiful" to talk about people.
To talk about people with a pretty face or attractive, we Spaniards say the adjective "handsome."
Another adjective that is used a lot in Latin America for this is "beautiful."
And this has been all. I hope you liked this article. It has been very different from what we usually do.
It will be very useful if you have friends from Latin America or if you are planning to take a trip to this charming continent.
Of course, we've also reviewed a lot of vocabulary that you probably didn't remember what it meant.
If you want to expand your vocabulary further, you can learn Spanish with us at Hispania, Spanish school.
We are in the city of Valencia, in Spain. A beautiful city in which we offer face-to-face Spanish courses with the best teachers you can find.
If you cannot come to Valencia, although this would be a mistake on your part 😁, we also offer online Spanish courses so you can learn Spanish from your own home.
Did you know that there were so many words that are said differently in the Spanish of Spain and the Spanish of Latin America?
Do you know others?
If so, we encourage you to share your knowledge with us in the comments.
See you next time!
Article written by Carlos Martinez for Hispania, Spanish school.
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