Differences between Latin American Spanish and Castilian Spanish?

Hello, I was just wondering what the differences were between the two languages and would it be confusing to take both at the same time? Is one better to learn first?

Thank you for your responses.

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The biggest difference is that Castilian Spanish uses “vosotros” for the informal plural “you.”

There are also differences in pronunciation, such as the lisp (Barthelona for Barcelona), and in vocabulary use. Note, however, that pronunciation and vocabulary differences in the Central and South American countries exist as well, and they’re no less extreme than Spain versus Mexico. (Even native Spanish speakers struggle to understand Chileans, for example.)

Which version of Spanish you choose depends on your plans and priorities. In University, they taught Castilian Spanish, so that’s what I learned first. Although I’ve read blog posts and listened to podcasts from Spain, I don’t use vosotros; I live and travel in Central and South America.

If you want to be thorough or have plans to live in Spain, than go for Castilian. If you’re planning a long backpacking trip in the Andes, it’s not going to matter which you choose. You’ll learn “aguacate” in the Mexican Spanish course, and the Bolivians will call it a “palta.” :wink:

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Like @Kaspian said. Very little difference than difference in vocabulary, the informal plural (vosotros/vuestros) rather than just using ustedes. All Spanish countries will pretty much understand the vocabulary. Most Latin American vocabulary seems to be near Spanglish, or maybe that’s just near the US.

You will more than likely find more Castilian Spanish on the internet than Latin American. If you ever play games, it will usually be in Castilian.

I prefer the vocabulary of Spanish than Latin American, but I like the pronunciation of Latin American rather than Castilian.

If you play to visit Spain more (or live near Spain) learn Castilian, else do the Latin American.

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Perhaps that’s primarily in and near the US. Other than a few words borrowed from English, such as “internet,” “jeans” (pronounced “yeens”), whisky, and product names like “iPhone,” I have encountered almost no Spanglish.

Granted, I’ve mostly spent time south of Mexico, but even in Los Cabos, which is near the US and inundated with gringos, the Spanish was only somewhat influenced by English. (The obvious difference was that people used hola instead of buenos días, buenas tardes, and buenas noches. In my experience, not many native Spanish speakers in LA countries use hola; it’s simply too casual.)

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http://cvc.cervantes.es/foros/leer_asunto1.asp?vcodigo=37571

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anexo:Diferencias_de_léxico_entre_países_de_lengua_española; diferencias de lexico

http://www.agorafs.com/diferencias-entre-el-espanol-de-espana-y-america-latina/ ;

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In Castlian you would say “coger el tren” for “take the train”. In Latin American Spanish that would be interpreted as having sex with the train :wink:

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In Spain, your waiter/waitress is a camarero/a.

In Mexico, the word is mesero/a.

If you’re visiting Cuba you don’t have to worry about that, they use coger the same as in Spain. Well, in Villa Clara, at least. :smiley: