How different are the Spanish dialects?

Many Spanish learners seek out specific accents, thinking the differences in Spanish accents are like those between American and British English. While that might be true when comparing Latin American Spanish and Castilian Spanish (Spanish from Spain)—where there are grammatical and pronunciation differences—it’s not the case among most Latin American accents.

Do you wonder how different the Spanish accents are? The chart below will show you some of the general differences among Spanish speaking countries.

As we can see, Spanish from Spain or Castilian Spanish differs from Latin American Spanish in some grammar structures and pronunciation. Now, within Spain there are multiple dialects as well but today we will focus on Latin American Spanish dialects.

You know what I find funny? When students say they want to learn “Colombian”, “Mexican”, or another specific “type” of Spanish, as if each country only had one accent.

I was watching a video on Instagram the other day and thought the woman talking had to be from Lima, her accent sounded like she was from an the upper class district in Lima, the capital city of Peru, no doubt. To my surprise, she was from Panama! How could I get the accent so wrong? Then I went to the comments and found many Peruvians, like me, saying how shocked they were by the similarity between the Panamanian accent and the Limeño accent. Meanwhile, it’s really easy to perceive the differences between the Spanish spoken on the Peruvian coast and the one in the Peruvian Andes. This example illustrates how accents could be strikingly similar across countries and noticeably different within the same country, how crazy is that?

How can a dialect be so different within the same country?

Well, the linguistic landscape could be influenced by other languages spoken in the region. For example, Andean Spanish is affected by quechua, the language spoken by indigenous people who belong to the Inca empire and which is still alive today. It is the most commonly used native language in South America and is spoken in various regions of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and Argentina. In Spain other languages like Catalan, Basque, and Galician coexist with Castilian Spanish, which also adds to the linguistic diversity of Spain.

Once, someone told well-known Colombian actress Sofía Vergara, “You don’t sound Colombian,” to which she replied, “I’m not from Medellin, I’m from Barranquilla”—both cities in Colombia. It’s common for people to associate the Colombian accent with the Medellin accent and few know that the accent in Barranquilla sounds very different from the one in Medellin. Did you think the Colombian singers Shakira and Karol G sound the same? They don’t! Accents can vary within the same country.

The biggest difference in dialects among Latin Countries

As you can see in the chart, Argentinians and Uruguayans have a different dialect, called Rioplatense Spanish (named after the Río de la Plata). They use the “voseo” (the use of “vos” instead of “tú”. While in most Latin countries “you are” is translated to “tú eres”, Argentineans and Uruguayans say “vos sos”.

In both Argentina and Uruguay, much of today’s population can trace their roots back to Italy. So, Rioplatense Spanish has numerous Italian loanwords and expressions, along with an Italian-sounding accent or intonation. Have you ever seen an Argentinian speak? Not heard, but seen? They use the same gestures and hand movements as Italians, it’s hilarious! If you omit the words and just focus on the intonation and body language, you would say Italians and Argentinians are speaking the same language.

What Spanish has the clearest pronunciation?

Peru, Colombia and Mexico. I’m not saying that because I’m Peruvian, this isn’t an opinion, it’s a fact! You can Google it or ask ChatGPT 😉

What Spanish do you teach at WeSpeak?

At WeSpeak Idiomas, we teach Latin American Spanish, and our teachers have neutral accents. In our classes, we teach standard Spanish that can be understood by every Spanish speaker. Nonetheless, we also introduce regional expressions specific to the countries where our students are living.

For example, the universal way of saying ‘what’s up?’ is ‘¿qué tal?,’ which is understood in all Spanish-speaking countries. However, if you want to sound more informal, we’ll teach you that in Mexico, people tend to say “¿qué onda?” or “¿qué hubo?,” in Colombia, “¿qué más?”, and in Perú, “¿qué hay?”. Which one should you use? It’s up to you. I am Peruvian, but I never say “¿qué hay?” or any other colloquial expressions because they’re too informal for my taste and it doesn’t reflect my personality. I always say “¿qué tal?” or “¿cómo estás?”, that’s my personal choice.

At WeSpeak Idiomas, we believe it’s essential to understand all Spanish speakers, not just those from one specific region.

What should you look for in a Spanish class?

If you’re looking for a Spanish class, my advice is to focus on the program’s methodology, the teacher’s experience, and the quality and relevance of the materials.

What about the accent? An accent doesn’t make a teacher more qualified or a student more accurate or fluent in their speech. However, if you are a real beginner, it’d be a good idea to start with a neutral, clear Spanish dialect.

Also take into consideration how widely the dialect is used. For example, the “Rioplatense” Spanish (spoken in Argentina and Uruguay) is only spoken by 10% of total number of Latin Spanish speakers. If you’re moving to Argentina or spending a long time there, then it’d make sense to take lessons with a teacher that speaks that dialect. The same for Castilian Spanish, as it’s only spoken in Spain. Standard Latin American Spanish is spoken more widely across Latin America (Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, etc). If you are going to visit these countries or would like to learn the most widely spoken dialect, the pick the standard accent!

I hope you learned something new about Spanish accents today!