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Latin American Language Services
"British people find Latin American Spanish softer, slower and more musical, therefore easier to understand and learn combined with a richer and more vibrant culture" LALS director
History of Spanish
Many of you have heard so much about how Spanish from Spain and Spanish from Latin America are different and worry about that you will not be understood if you travel to these countries having learn Latin American Spanish.
While the comparison isn't completely accurate, the differences between Spanish from Spain and Spanish from Latin America are something like the differences between British English and American English. People from throughout the Spanish-speaking world can communicate with other as easily as people throughout the English-speaking world can.
There are differences in the spoken language but the writing is the same. I call this differences “accents” but they aren't so extreme that they prevent communication. You will learn how to differentiate them when you visit Spanish speaking countries.
Standard educated Spanish is understood anywhere in the Spanish-speaking world, and people from main Spanish speaking cities speak good Spanish. If your Spanish pronunciation is reasonably good, whether your accent is Castilian or Mexican or Peruvian, you will be understood. Latin Americans watch movies from Spain, and Spaniards watch Latin American soaps so you can see that the differences aren't huge.
Spanish pronunciation
One of the main differences in Spanish pronunciation is that many Spaniards often pronounce the z and the c before i or e like the "th" in "thought," so “Cecilia” sounds like “thethilia”; while many Latin Americans pronounce those letters as the s in “sun” so “Cecilia” will be pronounce “Cecilia” like in English. Therefore these two sounds Z and C will be easier to learn for English speakers if the teacher is from Latin America because all words with c before the i and e are the same as in English.
Other small differences in pronunciation are the speakers in Argentina who often pronounce the ll and y like the "s" in "sugar." In Chile and Cuba you will hear speakers drop s sounds at the end of the word, so “vamos” sounds like “vamo” and “tres” becomes “tre”. In Bolivia, the j sounds like the "ch" in "loch" and in Cuba the “do” at the end of a word becomes “o” so “pescado” becomes “pescao”.
But not of the differences stated above in pronunciation is a problem for the English student because in the Spanish speaking world we see them as accents and do not interrupt communication.
om Latin American Language Services you will learn standard educated Spanish where "cecilia" or "celia" is pronounced as in English.
spanish Vocabulary
The differences in Spanish vocabulary are as common as the British-American differences so you learn them as you go along visiting different countries in Latin America. Again, it will not interrupt communication but on the contrary it will enrich your vocabulary. We have a dictionary for sale that profits go to raise money for charity. To buy it click here.
spanish Grammar
Two of the biggest differences in Spanish grammar are the leísmo (read more below) of Spain and the use of vosotros (“you” plural) which is the plural of tú (“you” singular).
In Latin American ustedes is used instead of vosotros. “Ustedes” is easier for English speakers because the ending of the verb is the same as the one of “ellos” (they) so there is less verbs endings to learn. When they learn the “vosotros” use, it gets more complicated to memorize another ending of the verbs.
At Latin American Language Services we use "ustedes" which makes life easier for our English students.
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