# What sort of Spanish should I learn?



## Cosmic Hobo (Feb 7, 2013)

I want to learn Spanish – but should I learn Castilian (Spanish Spanish) or Latin American Spanish?
I plan to do an internship in Latin America (maybe Argentina, Chile, Ecuador or Mexico) later this year, so learning Latin American Spanish sounds the most obvious choice.

On the other hand, Spaniards say that Castilian is the most authentic Spanish, and speaking it would be an advantage if I wanted to live or work in Spain later on.

Or does it make much difference?


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## Hypaspist (Feb 11, 2012)

I've heard that the two are similar enough that you'll be understood no mater where you go in the Spanish speaking world. However, there's not much point in learning Castilian Spanish if you're going to be working in the latin countries. If you just prefer the sound of mainland Spanish, then I guess there's no real harm in learning it. Just remember that pronunciation will be different, Castilian Spanish sounds like it has a spot of Greek influence in some spots to my untrained ears.


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## yet another intj (Feb 10, 2013)

Cosmic Hobo said:


> Or does it make much difference?


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## Lemxn (Aug 17, 2013)

Cosmic Hobo said:


> I want to learn Spanish – but should I learn Castilian (Spanish Spanish) or Latin American Spanish?
> I plan to do an internship in Latin America (maybe Argentina, Chile, Ecuador or Mexico) later this year, so learning Latin American Spanish sounds the most obvious choice.
> 
> On the other hand, Spaniards say that Castilian is the most authentic Spanish, and speaking it would be an advantage if I wanted to live or work in Spain later on.
> ...


I am from Argentina and I can tell you it actually make a difference. 
I strongly recommend you to study Spanish Spanish.

Latin America is huge, even if we all talk Spanish, every country is different. I barely understand people from the countries like Chile, per example. Or center America countries. They have a very slow Spanish. All of them.

Argentina is a good option to learn, our dialect is very much clear and clean. I should warn you that we have a very Italian influence, we basically sing when we talk but we are very sharp with words. 
Another warning: Our Spanish if the fastest.
Just to let you know the good and the bads.

The number of people from Europe and USA studying Spanish in here, it's huge. Of course, Spain has the bigger number.

I hope I did help you.


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## WamphyriThrall (Apr 11, 2011)

First, I'd ask where you live, since that's obviously going to play a part in which turns out to be more helpful. 

Second, the differences aren't all that great, and you'll find just as many variations within any one country as outside. The similarities between, say, Cuban Spanish and Spain Spanish aren't that much greater than those between English from the US and England. If anything, having a standardized orthography brings them closer.

Transitioning from one to the other wouldn't be such a huge deal, once you've gotten that down (I'd advise against studying both at once). Since you said you're considering working in Latin America, I'd go with that. Colombian Spanish is considered more-or-less understandable for other nationalities, and the country has more speakers than Spain, itself (it's telling that the largest numbers of Spanish speakers liv in Mexico, Colombia, and the US). 

Or you can travel to various counties, picking up their styles, and having an accent that sounds acceptable but bizarre! People will try guessing where you're from, and you'll have all sorts of fun with that.


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## greenstone (Jan 16, 2016)

I'm graduating in Spanish in university.

Well, you should learn the Spanish from the place you like the most. It'll keep you motivated.
However, let's say you like Bahamas' Spanish. It'd be interesting for you, but since it is such a small country and it's idiomatic variation is not so difunded, it'd be also useful to learn a variation which is more distributed in the world. 
My advice is: learn the Spanish that is spoken in Spain, but then learn the variations in treatment and vocabulary from Mexico, Colombia and Argentina


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## greenstone (Jan 16, 2016)

> On the other hand, Spaniards say that Castilian is the most authentic Spanish, and speaking it would be an advantage if I wanted to live or work in Spain later on.


As an addendo: 

There's a big debate about what is Spanish. There isn't a more "authentic" Spanish. There's the Spanish that's spoken in Europe, in America and, be surprised, even in the Phillipines. 

Europeans who have exported their languages to younger countries all have the same "the language spoken here is the best" attitude, and it is just a stupid thought. Linguistics does not recognize any variations or languages as being the best. It is a scientific fact. 

If you want to do an internship in a south american country, then it'd be advantageous to learn that country's variation.


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## perpetuallyreticent (Sep 24, 2014)

I don't understand why you want to learn a specific kind. The only difference is some slang, and a small amount of words that are different... but whatever you learn by books or with a native speaker, most people who speak Spanish in general will likely understand.


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## Cosmic Hobo (Feb 7, 2013)

Thanks for your advice, everyone! (Says he, a fortnight later - mea culpa!) I'll learn Castilian to start with, and then head to Latin America.


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## yet another intj (Feb 10, 2013)

Cosmic Hobo said:


> I'll learn Castilian to start with, and then head to Latin America.


Some information and a couple of warnings for the second phase of your plan.


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## dulcinea (Aug 22, 2011)

I don't think it matters much, anyway. Once you've learned one, it's super easy to pick up on the other. Just converse with the natives of whatever country you want to communicate with, and they're always glad to help you learn their language. I never learned any kind of Spanish in school. I took two years or Latin, and two of French, but the District Manager of our store is considering putting me down as bilingual, because when our hispanic worker isn't present, I do most of the translating. I picked up on most of my Spanish at work, by knowing a few words and building my vocabulary through communication. It's the best way to learn any language, I believe.


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## Max (Aug 14, 2014)

I'm learning European Spanish, then Puerto Rican Spanish and gradually integrating over to Portuguese in stages. 
I know it'll work, because I want to learn both but integrate smoothly over.
Just do what works for you. 
And what you wanna achieve from it all in the end.


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## 1000BugsNightSky (May 8, 2014)

I think just learn whatever is most easily available to you. Both are very similar and you may gain exposure to both anyways. If you do have the choice, probably Latin American Spanish since you will be studying there. 

Also,if you'd like extra practice, Duolingo.com is a great resource with a Spanish program which is completely free and easy.


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## Carpentet810 (Nov 17, 2013)

Castilian


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## Angelic Gardevoir (Oct 7, 2010)

My Spanish credentials include "I took three Spanish classes in high school and a refresher in college and I remember some of it to the extent that I could ask where the bathroom is or something," but it's true that dialects can vary a lot. The main difference that I remember between Castilian and Latin American Spanish is that there is a familiar form for the plural "you" that's used in Spain but is not very common in Latin America. (Castilian Spanish uses vosotros for informal situations while say, Mexican Spanish tends to use ustedes in both formal and informal situations.) Each pronoun has their own verbal conjugation patterns. If you're planning to study in Latin America, learning the vosotros forms aren't necessary but it could be useful in other circumstances or just interesting information to know. If you're just starting out, just try to focus on the most standard form of the language and go from there.


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## Gossip Goat (Nov 19, 2013)

Maybe take a basic course in spanish first but depending on where you actually want to go you need to sort of specialize.

You'll be understood for the most part, but you'll definitely experience miscommunication.


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## Asmodaeus (Feb 15, 2015)

Spanish isn’t exactly homogeneous. 

If you’re interested in an internship in Latin America, Chilean, Colombian, Mexican or Peruvian Spanish are reasonable options. Andalusian Spanish is also easily comprehensible all over the Spanish-speaking world. 

Argentinian, Castilian or Caribbean Spanish are only advisable if you’re traveling to those places and sometimes they’re difficult to understand, even for other Spanish-speaking people.


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