Questions tagged [diferencias-regionales]
Diferencias en vocabulario, pronunciación, uso, etc. de las variedades del español. // Questions addressing any of the many differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, usage, etc. of the varieties of Spanish spoken through Spain, the Americas and the rest of the Spanish speaking world.
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Is there any difference between 'aquí' and 'acá'?
ENGLISH
I've been taught that aquí and acá are completely interchangable.
From personal observation, acá seems to be used more often than aquí in the context of "I live down this road." Example:
...
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40
votes
15
answers
23k
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How to pronounce the consonants "y" and "ll"?
ENGLISH
I have heard y/ll pronounced in two different ways:
[j] (like 'y' in "yellow")
[ʒ] (like 's' in "measure")
Do native speakers use both interchangeably? Or is it pronounced [j] in some ...
- 905
40
votes
6
answers
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What's the difference between "vamos" and "vámonos"?
Español
Cuando estaba estudiando Español, aprendí que let's go es vamos, pero cuando fui a México, lo único que oí era vámonos. Le pregunté a una persona bilingüe allá, pero no supo la diferencia. ¿...
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32
votes
14
answers
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'Vos' vs 'tú' usage by country
I lived for a while in Bolivia, and I noticed some people used "vos" instead of "tú" as the second person familiar singular pronoun. Which countries use "vos" instead of "tú", and are there any that ...
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¿En qué países la palabra "coger" tiene connotaciones sexuales?
En algunos países hispanoparlantes la palabra coger tiene connotaciones sexuales. La RAE indica "Realizar el acto sexual", pero el problema es que es una expresión malsonante, marcada fuertemente como ...
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22
votes
9
answers
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Difference between "computadora" and "ordenador"
Español
Vi un cartel fuera de una tienda que decía: "Computadoras y ordenadores" en un cuadro "cubano" fuera de New York City,
En un principio, creo que ambas palabras significan "computer". Pero, ¿...
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votes
8
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In what ways is the letter “s” (or the /s/ sound) pronounced in Spain?
I’ve heard varying things regarding the varying pronunciations of the “s” sound in Spain. However, no one was willing (or at least, able) to explain these variations to me.
How is the “s” sound ...
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19
votes
5
answers
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¿Se usa 'guácala' fuera de México?
En español mexicano, cuando uno siente algo repugnante es típico usar una palabra onomatopeica: 'guácala' (imita el sonido de vomitar). Es equivalente a decir 'yuck' en inglés.
¿Qué tan común es '...
- 2,141
19
votes
5
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What's the difference between rezar and orar? Are there any other ways to say 'to pray'?
My teacher told me that different religions tend to use different words for "to pray", usually choosing between rezar and orar. Which words are preferred by what religions & in which areas? Are ...
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18
votes
7
answers
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Difference between Spanish and Catalan [closed]
I recently went to Barcelona and found that the people there speak Catalan, not Spanish. Although some words seem to be common in both Spanish and Catalan, the accents appeared to be different.
What ...
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17
votes
7
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¿Dónde se usa "fama" como sinónimo de carnicería? ¿Cuál es el origen de la palabra?
Acabo de ver en Twitter a una persona utilizando la palabra fama como sinónimo de carnicería (donde uno compra la carne):
Crea fama y te sacarán fiada la carne.
En Colombia está bien decir:
Voy ...
- 3,048
17
votes
4
answers
12k
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"Antier" para expresar el día anterior a ayer
Hace unos días mientras me encontraba cambiando de canal en la televisión por cable, escuche una conversación de una película estadounidense doblada al español. Dos personas estaban en un bar ...
- 2,008
17
votes
6
answers
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How prevalent is the phrase "qué padre"?
Here in Mexico, the slang phrase qué padre (or variations such as muy padre, etc) are quite common, with the meaning "how cool".
Is this just Mexican slang, or do other regions use the same phrase?
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17
votes
1
answer
3k
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Difference between -iera and -iese ending of the imperfect subjunctive
There are two forms of the imperfect subjunctve in use, for example,
pudiera, pudieras, pudiera, pudiéramos, pudierais, pudieran
and
pudiese, pudieses, pudiese, pudiésemos, pudieseis, pudiesen
I ...
- 445
16
votes
1
answer
269
views
How can I know if a word or phrase should be avoided due to regional variations?
Say that I want to write some blog posts or news articles in Spanish. Are there any useful resources (e.g. books, websites or guidelines) that one could use in order to write “neutral” Spanish, that ...
- 1,032
15
votes
9
answers
2k
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Are there any words that have opposite regional meanings?
Following in the footsteps of EL&U, are there any words that have opposite meanings in different Spanish-speaking regions?
We are looking for words that are the same, but have different meanings ...
15
votes
3
answers
4k
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What are the main differences between Spanish in Spain and Spanish in Latin America? [closed]
A good analogy is that the difference is like those in British and American English, but what are those differences exactly? Is Spanish in Latin America a branch from that in Spain?
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3
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Audio maps of Spanish dialects?
Apart from vocabulary differences, the Spanish language has an enormous and fascinating diversity in pronunciation and accents. In my country (Argentina) people from the central inland region have a ...
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15
votes
1
answer
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Are there regions or dialects which use both "tú" and "vos"?
In my experience most places use either "tú" or "vos" for the second person singular intimate/informal pronoun.
But I haven't been to every Spanish speaking country and area. Are there places which ...
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14
votes
8
answers
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¿Cómo se dice regionalmente "coquetear"?
Español
(Pregunta: ¿cómo se dice "to flirt" regionalmente?)
Sé que la forma correcta de decirlo es "coquetear". Sin embargo, en México usamos la palabra "ligar". He oído que en Chile usan la palabra ...
- 241
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votes
5
answers
2k
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How big are the regional differences in the Spanish spoken in different countries?
As a non-native speaker, I have no more difficulty conversing with a Mexican than a Spaniard or Venezuelan or Colombian or vice versa. I realize there are regional variations and differences in verbs,...
- 1,800
14
votes
7
answers
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"s" final en tiempo pretérito indefinido: -aste(s), -iste(s)
Español
La segunda persona singular del pretérito indefinido generalmente termina en "-aste" o "-iste". En muchos lugares, la gente agrega una "s" final a estas palabras (por ejemplo, hablastes en ...
- 17.5k
14
votes
4
answers
3k
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"Iros" instead of "idos" (imperative of verb "ir")
I have heard many times the use of the infinitive instead of the imperative in Spanish with the verb "ir". For example:
Si me queréis, *irse (Instead of: Si me queréis, váyanse) [Famous quote of ...
- 958
13
votes
6
answers
6k
views
Can the term "agua potable" not mean "drinkable water"?
After hearing many sources (news reports, articles, everyday conversations, etc.) use the term "agua potable" when they really just mean "tap water that you still can't drink" I told someone to look ...
- 628
13
votes
6
answers
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How is “pea” translated into Spanish?
Primero mi pregunta en español:
¿Cómo se dice "pea" en español?
Details in English:
Until very, very recently, the only word I’ve ever known for the word “pea” is the word “guisante.” That all ...
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votes
5
answers
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What Spanish term (or terms) work best to describe a glass jar as used for coffee, jam, etc?
A bit earlier in the chat room I mentioned that I needed to buy a new jar of coffee, but that I didn't know how to express that in Spanish.
I want to know a good Spanish word for "jar" in the sense ...
- 5,244
13
votes
5
answers
40k
views
¿Por qué "tío" designa cariñosamente a una persona próxima?
En España es muy común en el ámbito coloquial llamar tío o tía a las personas. Tal y como se comentó en Does using "tío" imply a negative opinion?, no tiene connotación negativa, sino ...
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13
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1
answer
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¿Qué significa "como agua para chocolate"?
I know that "como agua para chocolate" means "like water for chocolate". And I am aware that it is a novel (and there is film made after the novel), which has its origin in Mexico.
But, I heard it ...
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votes
6
answers
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What does the word "pinche" mean?
What does the word pinche mean?
¡Pinche loco!
¡Pinche!
¿Cuál es el significado de la palabra pinche?
¡Pinche loco!
¡Pinche!
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12
votes
11
answers
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What is the difference between frijoles and habichuelas?
My understanding is that they both refer to "beans." But there are several types of beans. For instance, there are round, "starchy" kidney type beans. And there are long, stringy "green" beans. Could "...
- 2,971
12
votes
3
answers
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Enumeración: Mil millón vs. Billón
En inglés, se dice "one billion" para la cantidad 109 (1,000,000,000). Pero en español, he oído la cantidad "mil millones" para la misma cantidad (hasta en los periódicos). Casi nunca he oído la ...
- 2,141
12
votes
4
answers
3k
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How did the words "mataburros" and "tumbaburros" come to mean "dictionary"?
This recent question about irregular plurals led me to a couple of odd and interesting words that apparently mean "dictionary" in at least one sense each:
mataburros
tumbaburros
The connection ...
- 5,244
12
votes
8
answers
10k
views
Definition of 'escuela' and 'colegio'
Spanish has two generic words for school: escuela and colegio. I have heard different explanations for what phases of schooling each word refers to. For example, I've been told that colegio refers ...
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12
votes
2
answers
3k
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Translation of the phrase "I'm happy."
In the phrase:
I'm happy
Which one of these is grammatically correct to translate the phrase, ser or estar?
Soy feliz
or
Estoy feliz
- 405
12
votes
5
answers
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What is the difference among 'dormitorio', 'recámara', 'alcoba' and 'habitación'?
What are the differences among these words?
dormitorio
recámara
alcoba
habitación
The dictionary says they all mean "bedroom"; I suspect it's a regional/dialectical thing.
What are these words used ...
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12
votes
6
answers
28k
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"Plátano" and "banana", geographical differences?
I don't really speak Spanish, but I do know a few words and phrases here and there, and enjoy furthering what little knowledge I have. So, today I saw, in a Swedish newspaper, a reference to plantains ...
12
votes
2
answers
17k
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Armpit: sobaco vs. axila
"Armpit" in English can be translated as either sobaco or axila in Spanish. Is each term used in different regions, or are they both used across the Spanish-speaking world? What is the difference, or ...
- 17.5k
12
votes
10
answers
4k
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Is "tobogán" an acceptable word for "slide" throughout the Spanish speaking world?
English
I'm trying to learn words to talk to my baby at the playground in Spanish. WordReference.com gives the following as part of its definition for "slide."
slide 2 sustantivo 1. (in ...
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votes
3
answers
789
views
Are there dialectal differences in spelling in Spanish?
In some languages, there are different spelling standards in different major dialects. For example:
British English
American English
colour
color
aluminium
aluminum
Catalan
Valencian
cinqué
...
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11
votes
5
answers
12k
views
Difference between "manejar" and "conducir"
Today's word of the day on spanishdict.com is despacio. There I found this sentence:
A mi hermano le fastidia cuando la gente que quiere manejar despacio conduce en el canal de velocidad.
I ...
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11
votes
6
answers
27k
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Translation of "bowl"
I have heard many different translations for bowl (the dish) in different Spanish-speaking countries. What words are normally used to translate "bowl"? Which is most universally understood? What ...
- 17.5k
11
votes
8
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What are the different words for "beer"?
In Mexico, besides cerveza we call beer the following:
cheve
chela
pisto (anything with alcohol)
bironga
helada
fría
These are used informally.
Are there any other words used to address beer in ...
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11
votes
4
answers
4k
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Why is Argentinian pronunciation different from other countries?
I was watching some Argentinian telenovelas to get used to Spanish language and noticed that there's a different pattern regarding the pronunciation of the imperative command than what Michel Thomas ...
- 213
11
votes
5
answers
36k
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What are the differences between "el mar" and "la mar"?
Another question touched on this issue, but I wanted to ask in more detail. Mar is a noun that can be masculine or feminine. I have heard that there are subtle differences in connotations between the ...
- 17.5k
11
votes
6
answers
5k
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¿"Septiembre" or "setiembre"?
Setiembre is only used in Peru, AFAIK, but I wonder if there are any other countries where setiembre, as opposed to septiembre, is also valid.
RAE links the definition of setiembre to the definition ...
- 3,048
11
votes
5
answers
3k
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Traducción de nombres propios
Cuando era niño me parecía muy divertido leer material escrito en España sobre personajes famosos (históricos o de ficción). Así, George Washington y Luke Skywalker se convertían en Jorge Washington y ...
- 1,560
11
votes
1
answer
944
views
¿Tiene nombre el movimiento de lanzar una moneda con el pulgar?
Me refiero al movimiento de lanzar una moneda con la punta del pulgar para hacerla girar.
En México le decimos volado pero no se si este movimiento o acción en realidad tenga un nombre, y si lo ...
- 3,254
11
votes
3
answers
31k
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¿Cuál es la diferencia entre comer y comerse?
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre el verbo normal comer y su forma reflexiva comerse? Si los significados son iguales, ¿cuál es la diferencia de connotación? Y, ¿se usa el reflexivo de la misma manera en ...
- 17.5k
11
votes
1
answer
22k
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¿Qué significa "tiene mucho down" en la letra de "Woman del Callao"?
Juan Luis Guerra es un artista dominicano, aunque la canción Woman del Callao está dedicada a una (¿la?) mujer del Callao, en Venezuela. El estribillo dice tal que así:
Tiene mucho hot
tiene ...
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10
votes
12
answers
11k
views
What are the origin, meaning and connotations of "gringo" in Spanish?
In the US, "gringo" is usually understood as a disparaging reference to a foreigner (see the Merriam-Webster definition). What exactly does gringo mean in Spanish? Is it neutral, or does it have ...
- 17.5k