Did you know that Spanish changes significantly from one country to another? If not, you’re in for a surprise. Not only does the vocabulary change, but the intonation, grammar, and pronunciation can vary from one country to the next. In fact, some native speakers may not even understand other native speakers from different regions.
For example, let’s consider the word “kite.” This little toy that children fly in the air with strings has at least eight different Spanish words used across various countries. Interestingly, most of these words will not be understood outside of a specific region or country. This is similar to how English varies between countries such as England, Australia, and South Africa, or how German varies between Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. However, Spanish has even more variety due to the numerous Spanish-speaking countries and accents.
But don’t worry, you can learn all of this with a little structure and focus. To master the local language and dialects, you should focus on four main areas: pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and intonation. Each Spanish-speaking country can be broken down into these four segments, and from there, you can approach it like you did when you first started learning basic Spanish. Practice, study, and do exercises to get used to the vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and intonation specific to your target region.
Check out our variety of tools to help you learn the specific Spanish you need, whether it’s for travel, work, heritage, or personal interest. We can help you move towards fluency, so get ready to step up your game!
To get started, there are three simple steps to follow.
- First, identify why you’re learning Spanish. Is it for your job, because of your partner, or to reconnect with your heritage? This will help you focus your language learning efforts.
- Second, identify the country or region you want to focus on, based on your reasons for learning Spanish.
- Third, get to work! Start studying and practicing using the resources we provide on the Speaking Latino website. And if you get stuck, don’t hesitate to send us an email for assistance.
By following these steps, you can master the Spanish language.
Resources to Learn Colloquial Spanish and Spanish Slang
As you look to take your Spanish fluency to the next level you need to be aware of the differences that exist from one country to the next in vocabulary, pronunciation, and intonation. The links below will take you to the resources we have available for each country. Choose one to take your next step towards Spanish fluency. Remember, you can always come back here and select a new country.
Check out this mega collection of resources to learn Spanish and Spanish slang by country. This extensive collection of resources to learn Spanish and how to speak Spanish by country save hours and hours of your time on your way to achieving Spanish fluency. Click on any of the following countries to view the full list: