Let's Speed Up Your Spanish Journey: Helpful Tips Ahead!
What are the disparities between Spanish spoken in Spain and Spanish spoken in
Latin America?
Vocabulary
Depending on which country you find yourself in, you will be confronted with different names or the same objects. For example:
“Bus” Spain: autobús- Colombia: bus- México: camión
Argentina: colectivo
“Apartment” Spain: piso
Latin America: departamento
“Cell Phone” Spain: móvil- Latin America: celular
People often wonder about the differences between Spanish spoken in Spain and Latin America, especially if they’re thinking about learning the language. The first thing to make clear is that while there are some variations, Spanish speakers from different places can still understand each other just fine, whether they’re from Cadiz or Cusco, Salamanca or Santo Domingo. It’s similar to how an American can chat with a Brit or an Aussie in English – they all get what’s being said.
In Latin America, they just call it español (Spanish) because, well, that’s what the Spanish colonizers brought over. But in Spain, it’s called castellano (Castilian), named after the Castile province where the language supposedly started. And in Spain, they don’t really say español because there are other languages like Catalan (or Valencian), Galician, and Basque spoken there too, which are considered part of the Spanish language landscape.
Looking to master Spanish through podcasts? Here's my recommendation list.
Listen to Spanish language podcasts
There are many podcasts available for Spanish language students, such as:
- Coffee Break Spanish: Designed for absolute beginners, this podcast focuses on Spanish grammar and culture.
- News In Slow Spanish: Native speaker hosts discuss current events, then unpack new words and phrases.
- Spanish Obsessed: This podcast shares many useful phrases for conversational Spanish. One of the hosts has a Latin American accent, which can improve your listening skills.
- StoryLearning Spanish: Each episode is a new chapter in a Spanish-language podcast.
- Spanish Course for beginners This podcast recommendation is great for beginners! I really enjoy it because it offers short listening segments, typically lasting around 5 to 7 minutes, covering a variety of topics. This format prevents topics from feeling overwhelming and is perfect for students who are just starting out.
Aim to dedicate 15 to 30 minutes every day to listening to a podcast. You can fit it into your schedule whenever convenient, whether you’re commuting or doing chores around the house. This helps you maintain regular exposure to Spanish for ongoing immersion.
Prioritize actively engaging with the content you’re listening to. This might involve pausing to repeat tricky phrases or summarizing episodes to gauge your listening comprehension.
