Sarah Gooding

Editor

Cactus Worldwide Ltd

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Spanish is a very popular foreign language to learn, principally because it is spoken in so many parts of the world.

Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about learning the language :

Are Latin American and European Spanish very different?

The differences between Latin American and European Spanish are no greater than those between British and American English. If you speak one of these varieties, you should be able to understand the other once you’ve got used to it. Within Latin America there are also variations between different Spanish-speaking countries, though they do not usually hinder communication.

One of the most noticeable differences is in the pronounciation of z and c (when followed by e or i), which sound like the ‘th’ in three in Spain, while in Latin America they are both pronounced like the s in Spain. There are also some differences in vocabulary and grammar. There tend to be more differences between Spanish-speaking in informal language than in formal language.

Is the Spanish accent very hard to get to grips with?

Spanish pronunciation is not difficult and most of the sounds are similar to those found in other European languages. The only aspect of it that some learners find difficult is the rolled / trilled r, which you can master with practice.

Will it be easier for me to learn if I already speak French, Italian or Portuguese?

Yes, if you know one of those languages, or related languages such as Catalan, Romanian or Latin, it will be easier for you to learn Spanish. These languages all have simliar vocabulary and grammar, as does English, which has numerous words of French and Latin origin.

Do all Spanish speakers talk very quickly?

Spanish speakers in Spain do tend to talk more quickly then those in Latin America, but they don’t generally talk faster than English speakers – it just seems that way. Spanish has lots of short syllables and Spanish speakers use more syllables per minute on average than English speakers, which has longer syllables. Spanish speakers also tend to omit sounds and run words together more than English speakers, especially in Spain.

What’s the easiest thing about learning Spanish?

Spanish pronunciation and spelling are pretty easy to learn. For English speakers there are also a lot of words that will look and/or sound familiar and which often have the same or similar meaning as in English. This makes learning Spanish vocabulary easier.

What’s the hardest thing?

Learning all the verb conjugations and how and when to use the subjunctive are probably the most challenging aspects of learning Spanish. Learning when to use prepositions like por and para, which are both translated as ‘for’ in English, is also quite tricky.

Do some people in Spain have very strong regional accents?

There are regional accents in Spain, but they are perhaps not as strong as regional varieties of English. The Andalusian dialect of Spanish might be more difficult to understand than other dialects, until you get used to it.