Why is Argentinian Spanish so different? This is a frequently asked question. I feel like most Spanish students panic when they think of Argentine Spanish. That is because most of them were told that Spanish in Argentina is completely different from other variants. In fact, a question that is asked many times is: Will other Spanish speakers understand me if I learn Argentine Spanish?
Argentinian Spanish: Differences with Other Variants
As a teacher and native speaker I can reassure you that everyone will understand you. In fact, if you speak with an Argentinian accent, people will know you learned from an Argentine teacher (this has happened to my students). The Argentinian accent is the easiest one to identify because of our unique pronunciation of ‘y’ and ‘ll’. There are other things like the use of VOS that differentiate us from other countries. These differences are nothing to be scared of. In fact, some of these factors will make things easier for you as a student! Here are 5 reasons why Argentinian Spanish is so different and why it is the best Spanish variant to learn (read until the end).
1)The Argentinian accent is the easiest to identify.
- ‘y’ and ‘ll’ sound like /sh/: yo me llamo Yamila
- sometimes the “s” is aspirated so “vos sos” sound like /vo’ so’/ and “vos tenés que…” /vo’ tené’ que/
- emphasis is on the last syllable which usually sounds stronger as in “tomá”, “comé”, “escribí”.
2)You will need to learn exclusive Argentine Spanish vocabulary.
There are common, basic words that Argentinians say daily but are only understood in Argentina and nowhere else, such as “pileta” (pool) and “heladera” (fridge).
3)Why is Argentinian Spanish so different? It’s because of VOS
If you are dating an Argentinian you probably know by now that in this country people use the pronoun “vos” instead of “tú”. This is nothing to worry about, the conjugation of the verbs when speaking with “vos” is a lot easier. That’s right! I said it! Using “vos” is a lot easier than learning to use “tú”.
When we conjugate any verb in the present tense for the pronoun “vos” we leave the root of the verb as it is. There are no irregularities. Therefore: TENER: tú tienes vs vos tenés. Just add an accent at the end.
4)Argentinians speak informally and use a lot of slang.
The trickiest part after getting used to the accent is understanding the slang. The slang was influenced by Italian immigrants who brought words like “birra” (slang for cerveza, beer) and “laburo” (slang for trabajo, job).
5)Politeness is not our thing.
I am not saying people aren’t polite in Argentina, because we are, but we just don’t sound polite. For example, Argentinians wouldn’t say “por favor, toma asiento” (please, take a seat), they’d say “sentate” (seat down). Therefore, to understand a native and sound more like one it is important to learn how to give commands in Spanish using the imperative mode.
Conclusion: Is Argentinian Spanish worth a shot?
To sum up, why is Argentinian Spanish so different? Because of these 5 reasons:
1. The Argentine accent is unique,
2. Some words are exclusively Argentinian,
3. We use ‘vos’ instead of ‘tú’,
4. Argentinians are more informal than other Spanish speakers, and
5. We use commands a lot.
Therefore, here are 3 great reasons why you should study Argentine Spanish:
- It’s easier to use ‘vos’ than ‘tú’ because verbs will always be regular.
- You won’t need to worry about formalities and politeness when you speak.
- It’s a lot easier for the tongue and mouth to pronounce ‘y’ and ‘ll’ as /sh/. Try saying “cepillo”.
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Learn more about Argentine Spanish
This article from my blog might interest you. Click here. And if you are interested in understanding Argentine Spanish better, here is a resource that might help you:
