Is spanish in Spain pronounced differently than spanish in Latin America?

Question

My fiance and I are arguing about how spanish is pronounced. He speaks Latin American spanish and I'm trying to explain to him that spanish in Spain is spoken differently. For example gracias in Latin American spanish is pronounced gra-ss-ias. Gracias in Spain is pronounced gra-th-ias. He says that isn't true and it isn't "proper spanish".

:) Enrique S--he is my fiance look for his comment at the bottom of the page. I won the argument. Gotta love him!!

Answer 1

Your right spanish in Spain is very different.Just like English from England and American english.

Answer 2

When Spaniards speak, they use something called a "theta". It's actually the letter Z in Spanish, but they pronounce the letter Z and S in some cases although it was a TH. ie, Conozco is pronounced as "conothco", zapatos is "thapatos".

But yes. The vocab is different and Spaniards use the theta. And actually your fiance is wrong. Spanish spoken is Spain IS proper Spanish! They INVENTED the language! lol. The reason why they use that is partly because it's easier to spell. Latin and Central American Spanish speakers have a hard time spelling words because C, S, and Z are always pronounced the same way. In Spain, S and Z are prounounced differently in some instances (when followed by certain vowels, etc). So it's easier for Spaniards to spell.

"Proper Spanish" depends on the region. To the British, we don't speak "proper English" in America, but it's PERFECTLY normal in this country and they speak awkwardly to us. It's called sociolinguistics! lol.

Answer 3

"Gracias" Is pronounced "gra-see-ahs" in Latin America. It pronounced "gra-thee-ahs in Castile (Spain). There is something called the "Castilian lisp" that distinguishes the Spanish spoken in Spain from the Spanish spoken in Latin America. In Latin America, the "s" sound will sound like "s" to North Americans, but in Spain it will sound more like the "th" sound. This issue only matters if you are going on a trip to Latin America or Spain. Yes, there are two different "Spanish" (maybe more?) dialects in this world. Old World and New World. Which one is the correct one depends on where you are.

Answer 4

The pronunciation of the letter x in casual speech in Spain lenites and can drop the initial k component ending up just like their apico-alveolar s (/s̺/). In Latin America it is pronounced as ks, with a regular lamino-alveolar or dental s, but when an s sound (spelled s or c) In Standard European Spanish the plural of tú is vosotros and the plural of usted is ustedes. In Latin America vosotros is not used, and the plural of both tú and usted is ustedes. This means that speaking to a group of friends a Spaniard will use vosotros and a Latin American will use ustedes. The verb conjugation for ustedes employs a grammatically third person plural form (even though ustedes is semantically second person

Answer 5

It is spoken differently. You are right, gracias in Spain is pronounced gra-th-ias. They also use the vosotros form (2nd person plural.) which latin america never uses. There are a lot of differences.

Answer 6

your absolutely correct. the spanish spoken in Latin America is spoken differently from the Spanish spoken in spain.
in spain, their spanish has that "th" sound, just like you had exemplified with GRA-TH-IAS. this is very very true.

Even a spanish teacher of my sister's is from Spain, born and raised, and he has explained to us that the Spanish in Spain sounds a bit different from the spanish spoken in Latin America.
take care.

Answer 7

Well, even though the Z and C are pronounced different in Spain, there are also big differences among latin american countries (just pay attention to the way tha Uruguaians ans Argentinians pronounce "ll" and "y", as in "cordillera" or simply "yo"). I wouldn't say a right or wrong pronounciation, it's just different.

Answer 8

Every language spoken in different regions of the world will be spoken with its own regional differences. Not only differences in pronunciation, but also differences in vocabulary to express the same message. To suggest that one form of Spanish is better or worse than another form of Spanish is a bit arrogant because each form evolves according to its region and its needs. Likewise, there are many different variants of English spoken around the world, but none is any better or worse than the other. They are simply different.

Answer 9

You are correct on every count. Spanish spoken by people from Spain sound different from spanish spoken by people from other spanish speaking countries. (mostly from South America and Mexico) Not only some pronounciations different, some words are different, and the same words have different meaning, too.

Like wise, different countries have different versions of Spanish also.

Many (most?) Spain Spanish considers every other Spanish incorrect form of Spanish, and seem to look down upon them. I heard this from hispanic colleagues from both sides of the pond. They know it, and they acknowledge it.

Answer 10

Spaniards tend to be arogant like the French over in that area of the world. It just doesn't make sense that a c would EVER make a "th" sound. For me, it will always be pronounced "Gra-Sias!!!!".

Honestly I'm just being a sore loser, but I really have a hard time understanding the c making a "th" sound.
I will report abuse on my own fiance if she does not stop rubbing it in.