Vocabulary differences in Spain and Latin America [closed]

Question

There are many questions on the Internet from people, wondering if they should learn Spanish from Spain vs Spanish from Latin America. There are many factors, but since I live in Europe I decided that it is wise to follow general advice and study version from Spain (castellano), to use it in my speaking and writing with natives in Europe. Due to this, I watched and analyzed (by paying attention to the use of phrases, intonation, etc.) several movies and series from Spain ("La Víctima Número Ocho", "Contratiempo", "El Desconocido").

But the thing is that I am studying Spanish not only to talk with natives from Spain, but also to obtain advantages of Spanish being very global language. I don't want to limit myself only to content from Spain, because there is so much of interesting content in Latin America, as well. Books, movies, articles on different topics. Initially I thought of consuming Latin American content only after I learn one dialect - castellano (to have sort of base when dealing with Latin American content). But now I decided to consume input and learn from all countries.

Basically, right now my goal is to be understandable by native speakers in Europe (in writing and speaking) and at the same time to strive to increase my ability to understand content from both Latin America and Spain.

I am already quite aware of the main differences in grammar between Spanish in Spain and Latin America, at least what to pay attention to. Of course, it varies country by country, but in general:

• use of vos vs tú,

• use of ustedes vs vosotros,

• use of pretérito indefinido vs pretérito perfecto

• loísmo vs leísmo

• preference for reflexive verb forms for verbs of movement in Latin America: venir vs venirse, entrar vs entrarse, etc.

SO, by knowing this, I think I have less chances of learning "incorrect" grammar to be used in Spain, even if I consume and learn from Latin American content. So, these differences in grammar doesn't concern me much. Besides, to me they seem not too difficult learn. For example, as I already now "vosotros" conjugation, swapping it for "ustedes" when in Latin America doesn't seem so difficult for me. Maybe when you already have habits, it is more difficult to swap, but still I think quite easy to adjust if needed.

I am also somewhat aware of different pronunciation, like yeísmo in Rioplatense dialect for for “y” and “ll” and tendency in dropping "s" and "d" (especially in Carribean). Other differences in pronunciation between natives from Spain and other Latin American countries are not so dramatical, at least for my ears. So, differences in pronunciation doesn't concern me too, as long as I pay attention to the most drastical differences.

Different slang/colloquialism doesn't concern me either, because I use WordReference to distinguish between slang in Spain and Latin America. Example below.

Eso mola - used in Spain. https://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=molar

While in Mexico different word with same meaning would be used https://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=chido

As you can see, there is symbox "ES" or "MX" and you just need to use the one where you live now. And usually you learn slang on-the-go by living in that area. So I now avoid learning any slang in advance, maybe a couple of slang words from castellano dialect, for fun.

What concerns me more is the difference in the use of non-slang words and phrases to describe the same object or issue (like differences in UK vs US English). For example, from "La Víctima Número Ocho":

Vamos justo de tiempo = we are in a hurry

https://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=ir%20justo%20de%20tiempo

As you can see, there is no any regional symbol (unlike with slang example of "mola" above), so I assume this phrase is universally understood in Latin America too. Correct?

There are other phrases I learnend from movies from Spain. Would, for example, these prhases be understood in Latin America?

Tener a bien

Muerto de hambre

Tener fe

Tener una vida por delante

Hacer caso a alguien

Echar la bronca

Merecer la pena

Salirse con la suya

Seguir el rollo

Tomar el pelo a alguien

SO, the problem is that when I watch Argentinian or any other Latin American movie, I can see many interesting uses of words, phrases, etc., which I would like actually to memorise and to use later in speaking with natives from Europe. But subconsciously I am a bit afraid to learn something I will not be able to use here.

In regards to this, questions:

1. If I used these phrases above from Spanish movies, would I be understood in Latin America? Are these phrases really are universal, according to WordReference?
2. Question connected with the question above - can I rely on WordReference when translating any phrase from Latin American movie that if it doesn't show any regional symbol (unlike in case of "molar") that it can be used in Spain and be understood?
3. Maybe the main question - is it really safe to learn such kind of chunks of words and individual words from Latin American movies to use later in Spain, to be understood by people?

I am really asking this all because I don't know how much natives from Spain and Latin America understand each others use of particular words (carro vs coche as example).

I, of course, red about this issue myself. And liked the response from Stephanie S in this link: https://www.fluentin3months.com/forum/specific-language-questions/should-i-learn-european-spanish-or-latin-american-spanish/

Seems like it is not a problem at all. But I am also interested in obtaining feedback here.

Answer 1

I have to fully agree with Stephanie S's answer you link. I am a native from Spain and I often have interactions with Latin American speakers. My experience is that there is no problem understanding each other. Many times, if one uses a regional word or expression that the other one does not know, its meaning will be clear from the context. Sometimes it will not, in which case the person who does not understand will ask about the meaning, and then both will joke about the difference. This happens seldom in any case.

It is nice that you want to be prepared for conversation with speakers from any dialect, but keep in mind that slang and colloquial phrases often vary across regions that are much smaller than countries, and also vary in time. It is impossible to learn the colloquial speech from every region in advance. The natives definitely do not do it, there is no need for learners to do it either. As Stephanie S says, it is much more realistic that you just use any expressions that you learn and like, and then you will naturally pick up the colloquial speech of the people in your environment.

Answer 2

As a Mexican native I can tell you that we understand Spanish people pretty well, except for slang words, of course, and when they (or we) have a thick accent. Like you mentioned there are words or phrases that are very different but context will give you the meaning. In my experience, non-slang words that are usually different between countries are the ones that describe clothes, for example, in Mexico we say "playera" while in Argentina they say "remera" and in Spain they say "camiseta", in Spain they say "zapatillas deportivas" while we say tenis, for us, a zapatilla is something designed and word by girls or women.

Thanks to the internet and Netflix more and more people are familiar and know the meaning of Spanish slang. I work as a teacher and almost all the students in the school have watched "La casa de papel" and "Élite" and have a good understanding of the slang words used in those shows.

Now, regarding your list, in MExico: Tener a bien. It's understood but not that common

Muerto de hambre. The same

Tener fe. The same

Tener una vida por delante: The same

Hacer caso a alguien: The same

Echar la bronca. We would say "echar bronca" or "echar pleito"

Merecer la pena. Some people use it but is more common to say "valer la pena"

Salirse con la suya. The same

Seguir el rollo. It's understood but we would say "seguir la corriente".

Tomar el pelo a alguien. The same.

For your second question, I think wordreference is a good place, I use it a lot, especially the forum when I have a doubt.

Answer 3

The following comments are from my perspective as a native speaker of English as I sense that other respondents write from that of native speakers of Spanish.

I learned Spanish in the version spoken in Spain with something like the pronunciation of northern Spain. I learned self taught, I have never taken a formal course. I have subsequently spent some time in South America both working and as a tourist. I would have to say that I have never experienced any serious issues understanding or being understood in South America. Of course there have been occasions when a word comes up which I do not understand and which sometimes they cannot translate into the Spanish I know. One example was the Chilean waitress who could not explain palta to me since she did not know I would call it aguacate. It tasted good just the same. I have also been teased in a friendly way for sounding like a European.

That is all from the point of view of someone whose goal is to communicate everyday without worrying too much about correctness. If your goal is to be a professional translator or a teacher then you do need to avoid mixing idioms too much but that does not seem to be your aim.

Answer 4

No se fije tanto en los modismos de cada país, eso se va dominando con el tiempo.

Incluso para nosotros los nativos hablantes de español, nos sorprendemos de las particularidades de modismos que cada país ha desarrollado, pero eso no impide la comunicación.

Considerando que los países de América que hablan español nativamente son el 89% del total de hablantes (unos 410 millones vs solo 47 millones en España), es mejor seguir con el habla de Latino América y no el de España.

Conque domine el uso del "usted" es suficiente para sostener una conversación.

Prefiera escuchar las películas que tenga el audio en "español neutro", que es más o menos como se habla en Bogotá y lo que Ud. puede escuchar de los presentadores de noticias de los noticieros que en Colombia se emiten desde Bogotá. La segunda opción es "español mexicano", aunque he encontrado películas con esta opción que en realidad es "español neutro" o casi neutro.

Lo cierto es que está en camino de aprender un rico idioma, adelante!