Perú, like in the wide variety of food that it offers, also has different regional accents. People in the Highland areas, people in the north, people in the south and people from the Jungle each have their own accent.
Peruvian Accent in the Highland Areas
Emphasis on the S: One main characteristic is that the letter “S” is emphasized in all the highlands, especially in the rural area.
If we consider the way it sounds, the way people talk in this area is slow, and with a strong accent. There is some change among the vocals ”e” and “o.”
Gender: Another characteristic of the accent in the Highland areas is the confusion with articles. For example: Esa es su casa del Gilberto. instead of Esa es la casa de Gilberto.
Abuse of diminutives: Another common characteristic is the abuse of the diminutives -ito and -ita. For example : Instead of saying Aquí no más, people usually say Aquicito nomás.
The Way Peruvians Speaks in Lima
Some people say that the accent in the capital is neutral, that it does not have a distinctive sound. Many people hold the opinion that the Peruvian accent, especially from Lima, and the Colombian accent, have the clearest, easiest to understand Spanish.
The main characteristics of this Peruvian accent are
1. The vowels are pronounced in a clear way and with the same duration.
2. The difference between the “RR” and “R” are pronounced clearly.
3. The letter “D” is sometimes pronounced like the “T”.
Peruvian Accent in the Jungle
Confusion with F and J. One typical characteristic is the confusion between the letters “f” and “j”. For example, instead of saying San Juan, many people say San Fan.
Grammar: Another characteristic of this area is the change in the grammar. For example, instead of saying Los amigos de Juan, you can hear De Juan sus amigos.
Common Throughout Perú
The use of pues and nomás: Many Peruvians, not only in the Highlands, use pues especially. For example: Dile nomás pues, Ya pues. Ya pues is a common phrase in many parts of Perú, that means “come on!”
Therefore, when you come to Perú, you will have a great experience, because not only you will listen to a wide variety of accents, but also you can go to different types of regions and enjoy the different kinds of food that Perú has. To read more about Perú, check out our previous articles here.
Check out these other Peru Spanish Slang Word articles.
Featured photo creadit: IMG_2028 by staypuftman, on Flickr