Adapting your Latin American Spanish to Spain

Terms used

• Vosotros — Vosotros is the informal plural "you" used in Spain, with its own verb forms.
• Vos — Vos is the informal singular "you" used in Argentina, Uruguay and other places, with its own verb forms.
• Ustedes — Ustedes is the plural "you" used in Latin America and the Canary Islands, and in formal speech in Spain.
• Coger — Coger is a Spanish verb meaning to take or catch, but it is vulgar in parts of Latin America.

Key rules

• Understanding: Your accent is fine; you only need small changes to a few words and forms.
• Coger: It is normal in Spain, but use tomar or agarrar around Latin American company.
• Plural you: Spaniards say vosotros among friends; ustedes sounds formal.
• Rude words: Avoid polla, coño, joder and follar until you know how people use them.

Will people understand you?

Yes. Spaniards hear Latin American accents all the time, in TV series, in music and from the large Latin American community. Most misunderstandings are small. Some very fast or strong accents, such as parts of the Caribbean, can take a listener a moment longer. Regional slang is the other common snag.

You do not need to change how you sound. You need a few targeted changes, listed below.

Pronouns: vosotros, vos and ustedes

In Spain, people say "vosotros" for an informal plural "you". Learn to understand it and, if you like, use it. It is the form you will hear from friends, colleagues and neighbours.

If you use "vos" (as in "vos tenés"), people will understand you. It sounds foreign, because nobody uses it locally. Argentine and Uruguayan influence means many people recognise it.

"Ustedes" for a group of friends sounds formal or distant to many Spaniards. It can also mark you as Latin American or Canarian. Nobody will fail to understand you, so this is a matter of tone, not of correctness.

Everyday words that change

Some words simply differ. People will usually guess your meaning, but these are worth swapping:

• ordenador (computadora)
• móvil (celular)
• coche (carro)
• piso (departamento)
• zumo (jugo)
• patata (papa)
• billete (boleto)
• aparcar (estacionar)
• conducir (manejar)
• grifo (llave)
• nevera or frigorífico (refrigerador, heladera)
• gafas (lentes)
• melocotón (durazno)
• judías verdes (ejotes, porotos)
• cacahuete (maní)
• fresa (frutilla)
• aguacate (palta)
• bolígrafo (lapicera)
• manta (cobija)
• cazadora (chamarra)

Watch "tortilla". In Spain it is a potato omelette, not a flat bread as in Mexico. For a bus, you may hear "autobús", while you might say "camión" or "colectivo". The comparison table below shows more pairs side by side.

Coger: the word to handle with care

In Spain, "coger" is an ordinary verb. It means to take, grab or catch: "coger el autobús", "coger un resfriado", "coger el teléfono". It is the normal verb for taking transport.

In Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay, Paraguay and parts of Central America and the Caribbean, it is a vulgar word for sex. So you may hear it all day in Spain, and your Latin American friends may wince at it.

Safe choices that work in both places are "tomar" (tomar el autobús), "agarrar" (to grab), "pillar" or "atrapar" (to catch), and "subirse a" (a vehicle). In Spain, "tomar" is fine, though "coger" is more usual. If you are unsure of your company, pick one of these.

Words that are rude in Spain

Some words that are harmless at home are crude in Spain. Avoid these until you know how people use them:

• polla: vulgar for penis, not a hen.
• coño: a vulgar word for vagina, and a very common exclamation.
• joder and follar: crude words for sex. "Joder" is also used to mean annoy, and is everywhere, but it is not polite. For neutral meanings of "follar", use "hacer".
• cojones: testicles, used in many phrases. "Cojonudo" means excellent.
• gilipollas, capullo, mamón: insults.
• mamada: oral sex.
• paja: refers to masturbation in "hacerse una paja".
• maricón and bollera: offensive slurs. "Bollo" is only a bun.
• zorra: an insult for a woman.
• tío / tía: aunt and uncle, but also casual "guy", "woman" or "mate". It is friendly, not rude.

"Concha" is a shell in Spain, but vulgar in Argentina and Chile, so the risk runs the other way too. "Pelotas" is fine, while "pelotudo" is Argentine.

Spanish swearing is looser among friends than in formal settings, and it varies by region, age and company. As a newcomer, stay neutral. Useful clean alternatives are "caray", "vaya", "qué fastidio" and "tonto". For medical situations, "pene" and "vagina" are the right words.

What else to use

The comparison table, the warnings and the questions below cover the same ground in more detail.

Spain and Latin American vocabulary side by side

Latin American usage changes from country to country, so the right-hand column shows the most common alternatives, not one rule for the whole region. In Spain, the left-hand words are the safe choice.

Everyday words

Verbs

Food

Words to watch

• Tortilla: In Spain, a tortilla is a potato omelette. In Mexico, it is a flat bread made of corn or wheat. Ask if you are unsure what you will get.
• Coger: In Spain, "coger el autobús" is completely normal. In much of Latin America, the word is rude. Use "tomar" there ("tomar el autobús").
• Vosotros: In Spain, you say "vosotros" for an informal "you" to several people. Latin Americans use "ustedes" for all groups. In Spain, "ustedes" sounds formal.

Latin American usage varies by country, so check which word locals use where you live.

What to watch out for

• Everyday words that sound odd in Spain: Many common words differ and can confuse people: computadora, celular, carro, departamento, jugo, papa, boleto, estacionar, manejar and lentes are not what people say in Spain. A tortilla in Spain is an omelette, not a flat bread. Switch to ordenador, móvil, coche, piso, zumo, patata, billete, aparcar, conducir and gafas. For a group, say vosotros rather than ustedes.

• Coger means different things in different places: In Spain coger is the normal verb for taking a bus or catching a cold. In Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay, Paraguay and parts of Central America and the Caribbean it is vulgar for sex, so the same sentence can sound crude there. Use coger freely in Spain, but choose tomar, agarrar, pillar or subirse a when you are with Latin American company.

• Words that are rude or sexual in Spain: Polla (a hen in Latin America) is vulgar for penis in Spain. Coño, follar, chochete, cipote, paja, mamada and chupar can also be crude or sexual. Gilipollas and capullo are insults, and maricón and bollera are offensive slurs. Joder and cojones are very common but crude. Avoid them in formal settings or with people you do not know. Use caray, vaya, qué fastidio, tonto, hacer el amor or tener relaciones, and pene or vagina in medical settings.

• Words that look innocent but carry another meaning: Tío and tía also mean casual guy or woman, so they are friendly among friends. Cojonudo means excellent, and de puta madre means great, but both are crude. Concha is a shell in Spain but vulgar in Argentina and Chile. In English, cock is rude. Listen to how people use these words before copying them, and do not use them with strangers, bosses or officials.

Frequently asked questions

Will Spaniards understand my Latin American accent?

Yes, Spaniards generally understand Latin American accents, though very strong or fast local accents, such as some Caribbean ones, can take a little more effort. Spaniards hear Latin American Spanish all the time in TV series and music. If someone misses a word, it is usually slang or a vocabulary difference, so rephrase and carry on.

Is it a problem to use vos or ustedes with friends in Spain?

No, you will be understood if you use vos or ustedes, but both mark you as foreign. Vos forms like "vos tenés" sound unusual because nobody uses them locally. Ustedes for a group of friends sounds formal or distant, so people in Spain say vosotros instead.

Is it safe to use coger when I talk with Latin American friends?

Not always, because coger is the normal word for taking a bus in Spain but is vulgar for sex in Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay, Paraguay and parts of Central America and the Caribbean. Spaniards using it abroad are seen as innocent.

Which swear words should I avoid when I first arrive in Spain?

Avoid polla, coño, joder, follar, cojones and gilipollas until you know how they land, since they are crude in Spain even if common among friends. Polla means a hen in Latin America but is vulgar for penis in Spain. Milder options such as caray, vaya or qué fastidio work in any company.