Learning Spanish Language: Spain, Argentina and the rest of Latin America

One question that many people ask when they are about to learn Spanish, is where should I learn Spanish?

Firstly, we must dispel the concept that if you learn Spanish in one country you will not be understood elsewhere. Generally, if you gain a good level of Spanish you will understand all types of Spanish, bar the occasional regional slang word. Therefore, this question has no right or wrong answer, as there are positives and negatives within each country, region and city. You should choose the place that suits your personal needs, why do you need Spanish and where will you use it?

Nevertheless, there are certain centres in the Spanish speaking world that are popular.  

Spain

For Europeans, Spain is the most popular destination. If it is the case you need Spanish language in order to operate in Spain, the Spanish spoken in Spain will be most useful. It is possible to draw a distinction between Latin America and Spain, due to geography. Some slang will only be used in Spain and some words have a different meaning in Spain compared to Latin America. Spanish cities have numerous excellent Spanish Language Schools. Generally speaking you will be perfectly understood in Latin America, but don’t use the verb ‘coger’ outside of Spain. Things to be aware of in Spain are that the national language is from Castile (Castilian) and some other provinces speak another language as their first language. This can be confusing for Spanish Language learning, if you hear languages that are similar to Spanish. Also, the accent in some provinces is hard to understand, but this is an issue in most large countries.

Argentina

Argentina is hugely popular and has many great language schools in its major cities; Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Mendoza have numerous schools. The standard of education in Argentina is high, so people in general will use good grammar in speaking and writing. The country has a wonderful culture. However, you should be aware that the Porteno Spanish (in Eastern Argentina and Uruguay) has an unusual pronunciation, which is somewhat unique. Argentines also use ‘vos’ for you instead of ‘tu’, which again is unique to Argentina and Uruguay. Nevertheless, Argentinean Spanish is understood all over the Spanish speaking world and these issues should not be deterrents, just something to be aware of.

 

Summary  

We have selected two major countries which are popular with people learning Spanish. However, the majority of Spanish speaking countries offer language schools and each have their advantages and disadvantages. Just choose the place that you would like to visit and the type of Spanish that you will use the most. There is no correct place to learn the language, just ensure you choose the place that is relevant to yourself and will be interesting and enjoyable for your visit.