Should I learn Spanish (Latin Amer) or Spanish (Spain)?

Question

Hi everyone, I apologize in advance for my ignorance...I want to learn Spanish spoken in Mexico and the US, do I want to be learning Spanish (Latin American) or Spanish (Spain)? Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

Wow - I consider your question a good one...but a "loaded" one. Their are numerous "classes" and by that I mean social classes and styles in speaking "spanish". My parents spoke Castilliano, which is considered "upper crust" spanish and it is readily recognized by other "spanish"-speaking people's as such.

How do I know this? Well, for e.g., I had college roommate from Puerto Rico, and college sweetheart I met THRU her, from Puerto Rico, and college professor from Cuba who's "spanish" class I was in. Each had an opportunity (well, quite a few opportunities, truth be told) to "speak spanish" with my Mom and my eldest siblings who came to USA with my parents. Each of those PR and Cuban people remarked on my Mother's Castilliano versus their espanol...

As an born-in-the-USA American, it is only because of my parents and 2 eldest sibling's linguistic interactions with my friends, teachers, boyfriends in life over 40 years, that I have any insights into the multitude of layers, and the attendant "snob factors" and "class distinctions" that are existent within the spanish speaking cultures - and which are tipped off by the type of spanish that any one of them is speaking!

Since you wish to speak with Mexicans in spanish readily familiar and comfortable to them, I'd suggest you try and find a mexican instructor of spanish to take classes with/from.

If you're looking to take courses online or via CD or DVD, you likely have found they are generally limited to the 2 choices you mention. (Hence, your posting the question - I bet!) But remember, the spanish spoken in Costa Rica, or Nicaragua etc., is NOT going to be exactly that which will be used by the Mexicanos...but its likely to be "the closest" to suit your purposes, in contrast to Spanish (Spain) which is quite possibly...or...probably "castilliano".

Answer 2

If you learn to speak spanish correctly you will be understood anywhere you go, Latin America or Spain. Every country has a different accent when speaking, but spanish is spanish. After you learn spanish you will most likely pick up words used in different countries, but that's really just slang.

Answer 3

You would do just fine learning Latin American Spanish, why? thanks to TV, Mexican shows are watch all over Latin America, so are Argentine shows, Venezuelan, Colombian and Chilean shows, Also cable TV in every country carries broadcasts from other Latin nations and from Spain too, I am Mexican and understand perfectly what is said in the Spanish network, also understand the same the Argentine shows and Venezuelan or Colombian, whatever you choose you will be understood, don´t worry, we all know what the others speak like...I almost forgot the thing changes if you learn Spanish spoken in the U.S. because it is like a bad copy of the real thing since a lot of Spanish spoken in the US is like a hybrid they convert the words to Spanish literally not using the real translation for instance they tend to say things like kekes ( cakes ) instead of pasteles and yarda ( yard ) instead of patio or jardin and dar para atras ( give back ) instead of devolver, I know I went to college in L.A. and I had to learn the translation to the Spanish spoken there and most of Latin American people have never heard those expression or words

Answer 4

If you'r going to Spain, Their Spanish. otherwise Latin American Spanish!!

Answer 5

Basically you would be studying exactly the same language, the main difference is the accent, and the local native words from the indian languages spoken in Latin America that are not used in Spain.
If you are in America, and going to stay there, have a latin american teacher.
Anyone in Spain will understand you perfectly.
And you needn't apologize for your ignorance, on the contrary it is a pleasure to read your question, it shows you are very interested in what you are going to study...
Bienvenido al mundo en español!!!

Answer 6

Spanish is Spanish, you will be learning the same language, vocabulary, and grammar...the difference is accent. (This question is sort of like someone asking do I want to learn English spoken in Boston, or in Georgia). While there will be a few vocabulary differences, the accent is the biggest change. In Spain, c's and z's are pronounced like a th. Yes, it sort of sounds like a slight lisp. Also, in Spain, there is a vosotros verb form that is used that is not used in Latin America. Vosotros is simply the plural form of a familiar you. We do not have this in English, it's like "you all" or "y'all." ;-) The distinction between Spain Spanish and LA Spanish is not even as strong as the difference between British and American English.

Well, back to your question...if you want to speak the Spanish spoken in Mexico...you should learn LA Spanish! :-D Buena Suerte!

Answer 7

You'd want to learn Latin American Spanish. Spain's dialect of Spanish is called Castillian.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

spanish is a language way more unified than english.

spanish-speaking countries have academies that work together so that nobody deviates too much.

you shouldnt worry about this. just let yourself be exposed to spanish regardless of its origin.

later, when u become proficient, you may to decide what accent or what colloquialisms you want to use. that will depend on things u cant control now (perhaps meeting a boyfriend or girlfriend from a particular country)

or u may move to california qhere most spanish-speakers have a mexican background or to florida where the predominant background is cuban.

or you could just dont worry about this and speak the way you like. to use the sounds u feel comfortable using and use the colloquialism you like.

or you could just have your own spanish. the one you like and you feel comfortable using if u find u cant relate to one culture more than another and u like all the same.

good luck

Answer 10

Well it is not really the same. that would be like learning U.S English and British English. I recommend to learn Latin American Spanish. It is true that in each country there are little variations, but you{ll be able to communicate all the way from Mexico to South America...

Answer 11

Learn latin american Spanish (between us no one understands spains...not even themselves)