{"id":138672,"date":"2023-06-01T04:14:49","date_gmt":"2023-06-01T08:14:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/spanish-dialects\/"},"modified":"2025-04-02T04:22:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T08:22:07","slug":"spanish-dialects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/spanish-dialects\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Spanish Dialects Around the Globe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You likely already know about two major Spanish dialects: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/learn-castilian-spanish\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Castilian<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/latin-american-spanish-phrases\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Latin American<\/a>.\u00a0But there are many others, depending on where in the world the language is spoken.<\/p>\n<p>Loosely speaking, a Spanish dialect is a variation of Spanish that alters the language (its pronunciation, grammar, etc.) but still leaves it mutually intelligible to other Spanish speakers.\u00a0The language is shaped and molded by its environment, creating different dialects in different parts of the world.<\/p>\n<p>[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Spanish Dialects of Spain<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Castilian Spanish\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p>Castilian Spanish represents the majority of the Spanish spoken on the<strong> Iberian Peninsula.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/differences-between-castilian-and-latin-american-spanish\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">differences between Castilian and Latin American Spanish<\/a> are significant.\u00a0For instance, Castilian speakers use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/vosotros-form\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>vosotros<\/em><\/a> in addition to <em>ustedes\u00a0<\/em>(to mean &#8220;you all&#8221;). A second difference is the use of the <em>th\u00a0<\/em>sound when pronouncing the\u00a0<em>z <\/em>or soft\u00a0<em>c <\/em>sound. Of course, some phrases and expressions also have different meanings depending on which side of the ocean you are on.<\/p>\n<p>Based on my own experience of growing up learning Latin American Spanish and then traveling to Spain, this can be difficult to get used to at first, so it is crucial to choose what you learn based on what you will need.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you&#8217;re more interested in Castilian or Latin American Spanish, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/spanish\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FluentU<\/a> language program immerses you in both varieties. <p><strong>FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n<p><\/p> \r\n<p>You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/fluentu-learn-language-videos\/id917892175\">the iOS app<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.fluentflix.fluentu&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=US\">Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p><i><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/2\/NativeAd-Spanish.jpg\" alt=\"FluentU Ad\" \/>\r\n  <p style=\"text-align: center\">\r\n    <button class=\"btn-blue\" style=\"border: none;font-size: 18px;text-align: center;padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;cursor: pointer\">\r\n      Try FluentU for FREE!\r\n    <\/button>\r\n  <\/p>\r\n<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\n<h3>2. Andalusian Spanish<\/h3>\n<p>This dialect is most commonly found in the <strong>southern portion of Spain.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One feature of this variation is that it neutralizes the difference between the sounds produced by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/spanish-lisp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">&#8220;the Spanish lisp.&#8221;<\/a> This aspect of the dialect was carried from the Andalusian region to many parts of Latin America (which explains why the lisp is missing in many Latin American regions).<\/p>\n<p>Andalusian Spanish also tends to drop many letters, like omitting the final\u00a0<em>-s<\/em> from words and the letter <em>d <\/em>from&#8230; pretty much everywhere.<\/p>\n<p>For a more in-depth look at this dialect, check out this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=QNujZfhl6a0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">video about the Andalusian accent<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Murcian Spanish<\/h3>\n<p>This dialect is mostly spoken in the <strong>southern region of Spain.<\/strong> It is similar to Andalusian Spanish with some minor exceptions.<\/p>\n<p>Murcian is considered to be a very rarely used dialect. It seems to be fading into the other dialects of the region, so it is unlikely that you will encounter a speaker of this dialect.<\/p>\n<p>If you are planning to travel to the region, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.murciaturistica.es\/en\/spanish_learning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">find out more about Murcia<\/a> before you go!<\/p>\n<h3>4. Llanito Spanish<\/h3>\n<p>Llanito is commonly known as a combination of Andalusian Spanish and UK English. You read that right! The dialect has a strong base in Spanish, but it frequently borrows words from English, Genoese, Maltese, Portuguese and several other Mediterranean languages.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/2\/spanish-dialects-4.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-50602 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/2\/spanish-dialects-4.png\" alt=\"spanish dialects\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The dialect is used in the<strong> British territory of Gibraltar,<\/strong> and its location on the Iberian Peninsula and status as a British territory is a large reason for the unusual mix of influences it arose from.<\/p>\n<p>This is commonly known as Europe&#8217;s oddest language, so for a closer look at the quirks <a href=\"https:\/\/theculturetrip.com\/europe\/united-kingdom\/articles\/a-brief-introduction-to-llanito-europes-most-quirky-language\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">peek at The Culture Trip&#8217;s guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Spanish Dialects of Latin America<\/h2>\n<h3>5. Rioplatense Spanish<\/h3>\n<p>If you split up the name of the dialect, you will understand where it comes from: the <em>R\u00edo de la Plata.<\/em> The river runs through <strong>parts of Argentina and Uruguay,<\/strong> so both countries use this dialect extensively.<\/p>\n<p>One of the main features of this dialect is the medley of European words that have somehow made their way into it. You may hear words from German, French and English in an everyday Rioplatense conversation.<\/p>\n<p>There is variation even within the dialect, with the regions within it bringing different words and phrases into the language. For a more complete look at the nuances of this dialect, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.staff.ncl.ac.uk\/i.e.mackenzie\/riverplate.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">check out the guide from The Linguistics of Spanish<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Mexican Spanish<\/h3>\n<p>Mexican Spanish is commonly spoken in <strong>Mexico <\/strong>(obviously!) but also <strong>parts of the U.S. and Canada.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The dialect in this region was strongly influenced by indigenous languages: As Spanish settlers introduced the new language to the continent, local inhabitants added words from their own languages into it. Around <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eluniversal.com.mx\/english\/60-indigenous-languages-mexico-may-soon-disappear\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">seven million Mexicans<\/a> speak one of the many indigenous languages of the area, contributing to the exchange of words and expressions between languages.<\/p>\n<p>Mexican Spanish is also sometimes referred to as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Xa_t8n8AalE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8220;Spanglish&#8221;<\/a> due to the many English and English-Spanish hybrid words that have become part of the vernacular.<\/p>\n<p>To learn some fun <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/mexican-slang\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mexican slang, click here.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>7. Caribbean Spanish<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/2\/spanish-dialects-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-50746\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/2\/spanish-dialects-1.jpg\" alt=\"spanish dialects\" width=\"150\" height=\"148\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Caribbean Spanish is <strong>spoken exclusively on the Caribbean islands\u00a0<\/strong>and it closely resembles Canarian Spanish (more on that in a bit) and, to some extent, Andalusian. However, since the Caribbean has seen a hodge-podge of cultures over time, you can also find influences in this dialect from African, English, French and indigenous languages of the area.<\/p>\n<p>Be prepared for some final <em>-s<\/em> dropping and unfamiliar words thrown into the dialogue.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.learnspanishconsalsa.com\/caribbean-spanish-slang-expressions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Use the <em>Learn <\/em><em>Spanish con Salsa<\/em> guide<\/a> to brush up on this dialect before you take a Caribbean vacation.<\/p>\n<h3>8. Andean Spanish<\/h3>\n<p>You guessed it: This dialect is used in the geographic region of<strong> the Andes in western South America.<\/strong> The Andes is one of the longest continental mountain ranges and passes through\u00a0many countries, but the language seems to be relatively consistent throughout its range.<\/p>\n<p>In this region, the final letters of words are often pronounced clearly and the sounds of\u00a0<em>j<\/em> and\u00a0<em>ll\u00a0<\/em>are audibly different, unlike in many other forms of Spanish.<\/p>\n<p>One of the best ways to learn Spanish is through immersion, so if you want to take that approach with this dialect, you can study <a href=\"https:\/\/www.otavalolearning.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Andean Spanish in Otavalo<\/a>, a town in the Ecuadorian Andes that is 2,550 meters above sea level.<\/p>\n<h3>9. Central American Spanish<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/learn-latin-american-spanish-audio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Central American Spanish<\/a> is spoken throughout <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/guatemalan-slang\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Guatemala<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/costa-rican-slang\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Costa Rica<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/panamanian-spanish\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Panama<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/nicaraguan-spanish\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nicaragua<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/honduran-spanish\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Honduras<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/salvadoran-spanish\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">El Salvador<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In this variation of Spanish, you will hear some\u00a0<em>s\u00a0<\/em>sounds morph into\u00a0<em>h\u00a0<\/em>sounds, while some other sounds get dropped altogether (like\u00a0<em>j<\/em>\u00a0and, in certain cases,\u00a0<em>m).<\/em><\/p>\n<p>You can find some more information about the Central American Spanish dialect at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.staff.ncl.ac.uk\/i.e.mackenzie\/centralam.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Linguistics of Spanish<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Spanish Dialects Around the World<\/h2>\n<h3>10. Canarian Spanish<\/h3>\n<p>Canarian Spanish is <strong>spoken only on the Canary Islands.\u00a0<\/strong>Due to its removed location from other Spanish-speaking countries, the dialect has had a chance to evolve and morph into a vastly different variation from traditional Spanish.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/2\/spanish-dialects.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-50752\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/2\/spanish-dialects.png\" alt=\"spanish dialects\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The dialect is closer to Caribbean and Andalusian Spanish than Castilian: it does not use the Spanish lisp or the\u00a0<em>vosotros<\/em> form. It also has a few peculiarities of its own, like differences in word order and tense use.<\/p>\n<p>The people of the islands have added their own set of vocabulary to the language over time. A few of the new words include\u00a0<em>rascado\u00a0<\/em>(drunkenness),\u00a0<em>chachi\u00a0<\/em>(nice) and\u00a0<em>escachar\u00a0<\/em>(to squash). For a complete list of keywords to learn, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.speakinglatino.com\/canarian-spanish-words\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Speaking Latino<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>11. Equatoguinean Spanish<\/h3>\n<p>This particular variation is spoken in\u00a0<strong>Equatorial Guinea in Africa.\u00a0<\/strong>In fact, it is the only country in Africa with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/equatorial-guinea-spanish\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Spanish as the official language<\/a>!<\/p>\n<p>Equatoguinean closely resembles the Spanish of the Iberian Peninsula and uses <em>vosotros<\/em> and\u00a0<em>ustedes\u00a0<\/em>interchangeably. However, it is also strongly influenced by the native African languages of the area, as well as French, Portuguese and even German. As a result, pronunciation is pretty different from other places around the world, sometimes even using a French-like\u00a0<em>r<\/em> sound.<\/p>\n<p>To hear this dialect in action, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=UC8n8iKD0MI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here&#8217;s an interview<\/a> that delves into the Spanish used in Equatorial Guinea, along with some fun cultural facts about the country.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>A Brief Note About Catalan<\/h2>\n<p>You might be surprised to not find Catalan on the list above. This is because <strong>Catalan is not a dialect derived from Spanish. <\/strong>It is actually an entirely separate language from Spanish.<\/p>\n<p>Many people mistakenly think that Catalan is a dialect of Spanish because it is spoken in Spain, but that is not the case.<\/p>\n<p>There are certainly some similarities due to their proximity to one another, but Catalan comes from Vulgar Latin and developed on its own with heavy influences from Spanish, French and Italian. <a href=\"https:\/\/bigthink.com\/strange-maps\/a-map-of-lexical-distances-between-europes-languages\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Its lexical distance<\/a> from Italian is the same as from Spanish.<\/p>\n<p>If you are interested in learning more about Catalan, there are some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Tobv2lu2exI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">useful YouTube resources<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><lite-youtube videoid=\"Tobv2lu2exI\"><\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>So, which dialect should you learn?<\/p>\n<p>The easiest thing to do is to learn how to speak Spanish in the dialect that you are most likely to use. Do not choose a specific dialect that you will never have the chance to actually speak.<\/p>\n<p>Good luck!<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>And One More Thing\u2026<\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\nIf you want to learn Spanish with authentic materials but need a little extra support, then <a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">you need to know about FluentU<\/a>.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nFluentU lets you consume the same content as native Spanish speakers, but with tools to make it easier to pick up the language while you watch. You\u2019ll <strong>learn Spanish as it\u2019s actually spoken by real people<\/strong>, unlike programs that use scripted content.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1234 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/FluentU-interactive-subtitles-on-youtube-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"learn-spanish-with-videos\" width=\"600\" height=\"390\" \/><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nYou can <strong>bring our learning tools directly to YouTube or Netflix<\/strong> with the FluentU Chrome Extension, or check out our curated video library full of clips that cover a wide range of topics, as you can see here:\r\n<\/p><p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1234 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/2\/Spanish-1.jpg\" alt=\"learn-spanish-with-videos\" width=\"320\" height=\"568\" \/><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nFluentU brings native videos within reach with <strong>interactive subtitles<\/strong>. You can tap on any word to instantly see its meaning, an image, and its audio pronunciation. Click on the word for additional examples and to add it to your flaschards.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-19339\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/2\/Spanish-2.png\" alt=\"learn-spanish-with-interactive-subtitled-videos\" width=\"320\" height=\"569\" \/><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nTo reinforce what you've learned, you'll <strong>complete engaging exercises<\/strong> and see more examples of the key words from the video. FluentU keeps track of the vocab you\u2019re learning, and gives you extra practice with difficult words.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1236 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/2\/Spanish-4.jpg\" alt=\"learn-spanish-with-music-videos\" width=\"320\" height=\"568\" \/><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nStart using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. <a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You likely already know about two major Spanish dialects: Castilian and Latin American.\u00a0But there are many others, depending on where in the world the language is spoken. Loosely speaking, a&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":555,"featured_media":252665,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"11 Spanish Dialects Around the Globe | FluentU Spanish Blog","description":"Different types of Spanish are spoken all over the world. There's Castilian Spanish as spoken in Spain, Latin American Spanish with its many dialects, and even Spanish variations in Africa. Check out our list of the 11 most common Spanish dialects, their unique characteristics and helpful resources for learning them!"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[590,606],"tags":[],"coauthors":[760],"class_list":["post-138672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spanish","category-spanish-language"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138672","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/555"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138672"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138672\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":253451,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138672\/revisions\/253451"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/252665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=138672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=138672"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=138672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}