regional spanish
84 posts
- Coche, carro or auto? Spanish words that change by countryCoche, carro or auto for a car, zumo or jugo, ordenador or computadora, móvil or celular, conducir or manejar, and the many words for a bus. Who says which.
- How to ask politely in Spanish: usted, podría and quisieraHow to ask for something politely in Spanish: usted commands, ¿me pasas...?, podría, quisiera, ¿me pones...? and ¿me regala...?, with what each sounds like.
- Moving to Colombia: the Spanish you need in the first six monthsThe words for the visa office, the cédula, a flat with a codeudor, the estrato on every form, the EPS, TransMilenio, the building's vigilante and the WhatsApp to the plumber, in the order a move to Colombia asks for them.
- Arguing and making up in Spanish: disagreeing, calming down and apologising in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to disagree politely, argue without insulting anyone, ask for calm, and make up afterwards, with the words for angry, the phrases to avoid, and what changes between Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Asado and mate in Spanish: the cuts, the grill, the asador and the mate round in Argentina and UruguayWhat to say at an Argentine or Uruguayan asado, the names of the cuts, how done you want it, what to bring, and how the mate round works, with the words and the etiquette of Argentina and Uruguay.
- Asking a favour in Spanish: asking, softening, saying yes or no, and thanking in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to ask a friend, a neighbour or a stranger for a favour, the softeners each country uses, how to accept and refuse politely, borrowing and lending, and how to thank someone properly in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Breaking up in Spanish: ending a relationship, what people say, and what friends tell you in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe verbs for breaking up in each country (terminar, cortar, tronar, dejar), what to say in person and by message, cheating, heartbreak, getting back together, and what friends say afterwards in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Compliments in Spanish: on looks, food, homes and work, and how to reply, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to compliment someone's appearance, cooking, home and work in Spanish, the words for nice and cool in each country, the ones that go wrong, and how people take a compliment in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Earthquakes and storms in Spanish: alerts, warnings, and what to say in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe Spanish for earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and storms, Mexico's earthquake alert, the colour warnings in Spain, Colombia and Argentina, what the official messages tell you to do, and what to say and ask.
- A hospital stay in Spanish: admission, the ward, nurses, visiting, tests and discharge in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe Spanish for being admitted to hospital, talking to nurses and doctors on the ward, pain and medication, tests, visiting hours, discharge papers and insurance, with the words that change between Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Nightlife in Spanish: going out, clubs, the door, drinks and getting home in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe words for going out and for a club in each country, what time people go out, getting past the door, ordering at the bar, dancing, getting home safely and the hangover, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Studying abroad in Spanish: enrolling, classes, professors, exams and student life in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe Spanish for enrolling at a university, exchange programmes, the admin office, subjects and credits, talking to professors, exams and grades, and student life, with the words and grading scales of Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Tapas in Spanish: ordering tapas, raciones and pintxos, and the bar customs of each region of SpainHow to order tapas, raciones and pintxos in Spain, where the tapa comes free with a drink, how pintxo bars in the Basque Country work, the classic dishes, the drinks, paying, and what the barman will say.
- The airport, immigration and customs in Spanish, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaChecking in, security, the questions the immigration officer asks and how to answer them, customs, delays, missed connections and lost luggage, with the word for each thing in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Answering the phone in Spanish: what to say first in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina¿Bueno? in Mexico, ¿diga? in Spain, ¿aló? in Colombia, ¿hola? in Argentina, plus who is calling, asking someone to slow down, messages, wrong numbers, a bad line, and how to end the call.
- Apologising and thanking in Spanish: perdón, disculpe, lo siento, gracias and the reply, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhich apology fits which mistake, how to say sorry for your Spanish, every level of thank you, and the answer you will get back in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Argentine Spanish: the tune, the vos and the Italian in itWhere the melody of Buenos Aires comes from, the second conjugation the textbooks skip, and the words that mean nothing anywhere else. With four native voices.
- At a house party in Spanish: what to bring, when to arrive, how to greet everyone and how to leave in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaAccepting the invitation, what to bring and what it is called, how late to arrive, the kiss rules, introducing yourself, offering to help, the very long goodbye, and the thank-you the next day, with what changes in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- At the bar in Spanish: ordering drinks, rounds, snacks and the tab in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat to call a beer in each country, how to order wine and spirits, who pays for the round, tapas in Spain and botanas in Mexico, asking for the tab, and how to turn down another drink.
- At the dentist in Spanish: booking, saying which tooth hurts, and what the treatments are called in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to book, describe the pain and point to the right tooth, the words for filling, crown, extraction, root canal, cleaning and braces, what the dentist says with your mouth open, and how paying works in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- At the doctor in Spanish: booking, describing symptoms and understanding the diagnosis in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to book an appointment, what reception will ask, how to describe pain precisely, the examination phrases you will hear, the words for tests and prescriptions, and how the health system works for a foreigner in each country.
- At the gym in Spanish: joining, classes, machines and cancelling, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe words for membership, the front desk questions, what the machines and classes are called, how to ask if something is free, the locker room, and how to cancel in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- At the hairdresser in Spanish: saying exactly what you want, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe words for a trim, the sides, the fringe, layers, clippers, the beard and colour, what the hairdresser will ask you, plus the gym and the pool, tipping, and what the shop itself is called in each country.
- At the market in Spanish: asking prices, tasting, choosing fruit and haggling in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat the market is called in each country, how to ask the price per kilo, how to ask to taste, how to pick ripe fruit, where haggling happens and where it does not, and what the vendor shouts at you in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- At the pharmacy in Spanish: saying what hurts, asking for medicine, and what is sold over the counter in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to say I have a headache, a cold, a stomach ache, an allergy, what the medicines are called, doses, prescriptions, and what the pharmacist will ask, with what changes by country.
- At the supermarket in Spanish: aisles, the deli counter, weighing produce and the checkout in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to ask where something is, weigh and label your fruit, order 200 grams sliced thin at the counter, answer the questions at the till, and know that papa, jugo, palta and durazno change names between Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- At the vet in Spanish: booking, symptoms, vaccines and neutering in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to book a vet appointment, describe what is wrong with a dog or cat, ask about vaccines, deworming and neutering, buy food and a lead, and read the street rules, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Opening a bank account and buying a SIM card in Spanish, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe ID they will ask for, the words at the bank counter, prepaid against contract phone plans, topping up, and what Bizum, Nequi, Mercado Pago and CoDi are, with the version for Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Calling customer service in Spanish: the phone menu, the agent and the complaint, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to get past the phone menu to a person, say what is wrong with your internet, bank or flight, give your details, hold, and file a complaint, with the words used in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Calling in sick in Spanish: the message to your boss, the sick note, and going back to work in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat to write or say when you cannot work, how to describe symptoms briefly, what the sick note is called in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina, whether to use tú or usted with a boss, and what HR and your colleagues will say.
- Cancelling plans and being late in Spanish, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to say you cannot make it, postpone to another day, warn someone you are running late, and apologise the right amount, with how late counts as late in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Cinema, museums and tickets in Spanish: box office, seats, discounts and subtitles in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to buy a ticket at the window or online, ask for times and seats, get the student or free-day price, and tell a subtitled film from a dubbed one, with the word each country uses.
- Colombian Spanish: why it is called the clearest, and where that stopsBogotá speaks slowly and says usted to everyone; the coast speaks at twice the speed. The first hour, the courtesy, five Colombias, and what changes. With four native voices.
- Congratulations, condolences and good wishes in Spanish, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat to say at a birthday, a wedding, a new baby, an exam passed and a funeral, including felicidades, enhorabuena, pésame and the toasts, with what changes between Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Dating in Spanish: the first message, asking someone out, and what to call it in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe opening line on an app, how to ask someone for a drink, compliments that do not sound translated, the words for flirting, terms of endearment and when they are too soon, and what to call the relationship, with what changes in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- The delivery driver can't find you: explaining where you are in SpanishBuzzers, floors, flat numbers and landmarks in Spanish, what the driver says when he calls, leaving it with the doorman, tipping, and how addresses are written in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Driving and filling up in Spanish, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat the petrol is called and how you buy it, road signs and tolls, a police stop, parking, and a puncture, with the version for Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Emergencies and asking for help in Spanish: the number, the call and the emergency room in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe emergency number in each country, how to call an ambulance, what the operator will ask, the words for an accident, an unconscious person and an allergy, the emergency room, the police and the fire brigade, and the embassy and insurance words for Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Your first conversation with a Spanish tutor: what to say in the first five minutes, and how to be correctedThe phrases for introducing yourself, saying your level, asking to be corrected, agreeing on tú or vos, splitting the time in an exchange and booking the next session, with what tutors in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina correct first.
- A job interview and a first day at work in Spanish, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe interview questions and how to answer them, tú or usted with a boss, introductions on day one, the office vocabulary, lunch and coffee customs, and the email lines you need in week one.
- Getting something fixed in Spanish: a phone, a bike, a tap, a lock, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to say what is broken, ask for a quote and a date, the words for parts and labour, the names of the trades, the warranty, collecting the repair, and whether you haggle, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Going to a football match in Spanish: tickets, stands, the words for the game and what the crowd shouts in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to buy a ticket, what the stands are called, club and national team words, the vocabulary of the game, what fans shout, and how to talk about the match afterwards in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Going to a wedding in Spanish: the invitation, the gift, the ceremony and the party, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to reply to the invitation, what to wear, whether to give money or a gift, the words for the ceremony and reception, how to congratulate the couple, and what time the party really ends in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Greetings and goodbyes in Spanish: hello, how are you, tú or usted, in four countriesEvery way to say hello, how are you and goodbye, what the answers are, when to use tú, usted and vos, kisses or handshakes, and what changes between Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Holidays and celebrations in Spanish: what people say and do in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaChristmas, New Year, Reyes, Semana Santa, national days, Día de Muertos and mother's day, with the greeting for each and what to bring if you are invited, country by country.
- Hostels and shared flats in Spanish: the dorm, the kitchen and the housemates in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaChecking into a hostel, the words for bunks, lockers and kitchen rules, how to look for a room, what a housemate is called in each country, the cleaning rota, splitting bills, noise, the deposit and the landlord, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Hotel check-in in Spanish, and everything about the room, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaBooking and arriving, the passport and the deposit, asking for a towel, the wifi password and the air conditioning, what to say when something is broken, Airbnb host messages and checking out, with the words for each country.
- How to ask for the bill in Spanish, and how tipping works in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaLa cuenta, por favor is the easy part. When the bill comes, who brings it, splitting it, paying by card, what to tip and how to say it, country by country.
- How to order coffee in Spanish, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe phrases at the counter, what the cups are called in each country, milk, sugar, to go, the bill, and the small courtesies that make you sound local. Every line with its country versions.
- Invited to dinner in Spanish: what to bring, when to arrive and what to sayThe Spanish for arriving at someone's home, meeting the family, praising the food, taking seconds, the sobremesa and leaving, with meal names and arrival times for Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- A job interview in Spanish: introducing yourself, strengths, salary and contracts in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat to say when they ask you to talk about yourself, how to answer why you want the job, how to raise salary and hours, whether to use tú, usted or vos, and the contract words that change between Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Laundry and dry cleaning in Spanish: the shop, the stain and the washing machine in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat the laundry shop is called in each country, how to ask for washing, ironing and dry cleaning, the words for a stain and a delicate garment, when it will be ready, and the machine and detergent words at home in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Lost or stolen in Spanish: reporting a phone, a wallet or a passport in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to report a theft or a loss in Spanish: where to go in each country, the words for the police report, the questions the officer asks, describing the item, blocking a card, the embassy and lost property.
- Making a complaint in Spanish without sounding rude, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to complain in a shop, a hotel or a restaurant in Spanish: the soft opener, the problem, what you want, asking for the manager, and the official complaint form, with the tone each of Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina expects.
- Meeting your partner's family in Spanish: usted or tú, the kisses, what they will ask, and the words for in-laws in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat to call your partner's parents, how many kisses, what they will ask you about work and family, how to praise the food, what to bring, and the words for every in-law, with what changes in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Mexican Spanish: what it sounds like and what only Mexico saysWhere the softness comes from, the words a visitor hears in the first hour, the -le words, and what the same things are called in four countries. With four native voices.
- Neighbours and your building in Spanish: the porter, the fees, the lift, the noise and the meeting in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to greet neighbours, what to call the porter, what the building fee is called in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina, how to leave a parcel, how to complain about noise politely, and what you will hear in the lift.
- Ordering food in a restaurant in Spanish, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaBooking a table, the waiter's questions, the set lunch in each country, how to order with allergies, how you want the steak cooked, water, sharing and sending a dish back, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- The post office and parcels in Spanish: sending, tracking and collecting in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to send a letter or a parcel, fill in a customs form, track a shipment, collect one with your ID and return an online order, with the words used in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Public transport in Spanish: buses, metro, trains and tickets in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to buy a ticket, load a travel card, ask which stop is yours, ask the driver to tell you when to get off, change lines, and follow the announcements, in Mexico City, Madrid, Bogotá and Buenos Aires.
- Renting a car in Spanish: the counter, the insurance words and the damage check in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat the rental agent asks, the words for excess, deposit and cover, the fuel policy, how to point out a scratch before you drive off, tolls, and returning the car, with the version for Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Renting a flat in Spanish: the listing words, the viewing questions, the deposit and the guarantor in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat piso, departamento, fianza, aval, expensas and administración mean, the questions to ask at a viewing, how deposits and guarantors work, agency fees, and what to say when the boiler breaks, country by country.
- Residency and paperwork in Spanish: the immigration office, appointments and documents in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat the immigration office is called in each country, how to get an appointment, the names of the documents, how to ask what is missing, what the clerk will say, and how to get a copy or a certified translation, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Saying no to food and drink in Spanish, without offending anyoneHow to refuse a second helping, a shot, a round or a mate in Spanish, the insisting that comes first, allergies and vegetarian and I don't drink, and what changes in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- School and teachers in Spanish: enrolling a child, talking to the teacher and reading the report in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to enrol a child, what the school levels are called in each country, how to address a teacher, what happens at a parents' meeting, and how to read homework, marks and reports in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Setting up electricity, water and internet in Spanish, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe utility words country by country, how to contract a service, give a meter reading, handle the installer visit, pay a bill, report a power cut, dispute a charge and cancel, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Shopping in Spanish: asking the price, sizes, bargaining and paying, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaEvery phrase for a market, a clothes shop, a supermarket and a pharmacy counter: how much, too expensive, do you have it in another size, can I try it on, I'll take it, the receipt. With what changes by country.
- Small talk in Spanish: how are you, the weather, work, family, and how to keep it going, in four countriesThe questions people actually ask a stranger, the answers that sound natural, the filler words, how to react, how to change the subject and how to leave. With what changes between Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Spanish in Spain: the th, the vosotros and why nobody says pleaseWhere the Castilian th came from, the four ways of saying you, the perfect tense for today, and the directness that sounds abrupt to Latin American ears. With four native voices.
- Talking to children and dogs in Spanish, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat adults say to kids, how children address adults, the words for kid and teenager in each country, dog commands, asking to pet a dog, and what a mutt is called in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Taxis, ride apps and asking for directions in Spanish, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHailing a taxi, saying where you are going, the meter, the fare, tipping, the apps, and every phrase for asking and understanding directions, with what changes by country.
- Teasing and jokes in Spanish: how to tell when you are being wound up in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow teasing works in each country, the words that mark a joke, how to give it back, what not to joke about, the nicknames people give you, and how to say you did not get it.
- Telling the time and making appointments in Spanish: the clock, the dates, cita or turno, and being late in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to say the time, where the 24-hour clock is used, when the afternoon becomes the evening, dates in day-month order, booking and changing an appointment, what the receptionist says, and how late is late in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- WhatsApp and texting in Spanish: greetings, abbreviations, voice notes and what to write to a landlord in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow people open and close a message, the short forms like q, xq, tb and ntp, jaja versus jeje, voice note etiquette, group chats, being left on read, and how the register changes between a friend and a landlord in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- When you don't understand in Spanish: what to say after the second repeat, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaThe full toolkit for not understanding: cómo, mande, perdón, no entendí, más despacio, what to say when you got the words but not the point, and how people in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina react to a learner.
- Writing a formal email in Spanish: openings, closings and the whole body, in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaHow to open, write and sign a formal email to a landlord, a school, a company or an official, with the phrases for a request, a complaint, a cancellation and a follow-up, and what changes in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Wrong order or overcharged in Spanish: fixing it at the table in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and ArgentinaWhat to say when the dish is wrong, the item is wrong, the bill is too high or the change is short, the receipt words in each country, what the staff say back, and how a correction is handled in Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
- Spanish in Spain and Latin America: the differences that matterCompare pronunciation, vosotros, ustedes, vos and everyday vocabulary. Choose useful Spanish for your circumstances while learning to understand other varieties.
- Spanglish: how English and Spanish meet in conversationSwitching between English and Spanish is not evidence of broken language. Learn how switching differs from borrowing, and what matters when you use either language.
- What usted means in Colombia and SpainUsted can express respect, distance or familiarity, depending on the speakers and setting. Compare its grammar and social uses without relying on a national rule.
- Why Caribbean Spanish can sound fast to a learnerUnfamiliar consonant patterns can make Caribbean Spanish difficult to follow. Learn what to listen for and how to use a transcript to understand a passage.
- Mexican Spanish is not one accentA voice from Mexico City will not prepare you for every speaker in Mexico. Hear regional examples and learn how to approach unfamiliar pronunciation and vocabulary.
- Understanding Rioplatense Spanish: sounds, vos and everyday wordsGet familiar with Spanish from the Río de la Plata: the sounds of ll and y, common vos forms and regional vocabulary, with recordings to help you listen.
- Is Colombian Spanish easier to understand?A Colombian voice may be a useful listening model, but Colombia has many varieties of Spanish. Learn what makes a particular recording easier to follow.