Colombian Spanish: The “Easiest” Spanish Dialect (Phrases Included!)

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Choose your own experience! Start with the temperature level and environment you choose: beach, mountains, plains, tropical, or moderate. Select your favored lodgings, in between outdoor camping, hostels, spending plan inns or high-end hotels. Research study in a modern-day city, unwind and take pleasure in spectacular landscapes, check out unrivaled biodiversity, or select a high-adrenaline experience. Whether you’re enthusiastic about food, fútbol ( soccer), household, or arts, you’ll discover plenty to enjoy in Colombia.

Colombia welcomes tourists to begin their day with a few of the very best coffee on the planet, check out 3 range of mountains, look at over 200-foot-tall wax palms, play tejo, the nationwide sport (comparable to corn hole or horseshoes … however with some gunpowder consisted of!), and acquire a handwoven wayuu handbag in all your preferred colors. Why not purchase an arepa (popular street food made from a corn cake and filling of your option) and chat with the residents utilizing your finest Spanish?

No matter what your schedule, as a visitor in Colombia, you’ll be invited with heat and hospitality. The Spanish you’ve found out will serve you well here, however it will not be long before you’re taking in the unique noises and vocabulary of Spanish in Colombia and what makes it unique. Get a running start with Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion, our natural approach of language direct exposure that will assist you prepare to make memories rather of concentrating on memorization alone!

Why is Spanish spoken in Colombia?

Spanish is an authorities and dominant language in Colombia due to the history of the Spanish language and culture gave the location through colonization. Explorations led by Christopher Colombus reached the east coast of contemporary Venezuela in 1498, when colonists started to pillage the area for its resources, shackling and making use of the native populations, bringing enslaved Africans to the area, and implementing their own language and culture. By the mid-1500s, the location was a nest of Spain.

In 1819, contemporary Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panamá won their self-reliance from Spain as the nation of Gran Colombia By 1903, all 4 countries had actually separated.

Spanish is the main language of the Republic of Colombia today, spoken and comprehended by 99 percent of its population, however it is an ethnically and linguistically varied nation. Over 100 languages are spoken in the nation, consisting of 68 native languages that are acknowledged with main status in their particular areas.

How numerous individuals speak Spanish in Colombia?

Over 51 million individuals reside in Colombia, 99 percent of whom speak and comprehend Spanish as a extra or very first language, utilizing Spanish for education, work, and public life. Colombian Spanish is commonly referred to as “neutral,” “the purest Spanish,” and “the most convenient Spanish dialect to comprehend,” suggesting the pride the Colombian individuals have in their language.

However, that is certainly not to state that there is one particular “Colombian Spanish.” Linguists have actually determined considerable distinctions in approximately 11 various local ranges, consisting of Caribbean, Island, Pacific, Cundiboyacense, Rolo, Llanero and more.

For a student, these distinctions need to just boost, not discourage understanding. The variety of Spanish speakers and the reasonably simple dialect makes Colombia a terrific location to increase efficiency!

What does a Colombian accent seem like?

It is not distinct to Colombia that local distinctions and accents are ideas to where an individual matured. Total, Spanish in Colombia sounds comparable to other Latin American dialects, there are numerous areas within the nation, each with its own vocabulary, accent, and individuality.

Therefore, the Spanish you’ll hear in Cartagena will differ considerably from what you’ll hear in Bogotá, and city accents will differ from those from backwoods. In some locations using vos prevails, however in others it’s virtually non-existent. On the Pacific Coast, Spanish is spoken really rapidly, however the “ Rolos” (a name for some speakers from Bogotá) are understood for speaking gradually, proclaiming, having more of a sing-song tone, and “uptalking” a bit more, with an increasing tone at the end of an expression.

In addition to area, generation, gender, and socio-economic aspects can affect somebody’s accent. The particular regional accent may be apparent for a native speaker, whereas for a student, the majority of the Latin American Spanish dialects from this location sound the exact same. There might be a couple of tips that set Colombian Spanish speakers apart if you’re a cautious listener!

Many individuals consider the Colombian Spanish accent as clearer and much easier to understand than other dialects, so it is a terrific location to practice your brand-new language. Especially in the capital area of Bogotá, individuals tend to articulate each syllable plainly, making this a terrific location to study and find out. Colombian Spanish speakers take pride in what numerous they think about a understandable and correct Spanish, however that does not imply you will not sometimes hear some dropped consonants, such as a s or a d noise, much like in numerous Latin American dialects.

In words like yo (I) you will hear a j noise rather, as numerous Colombians compare y and ll

Unlike in Spain, you will not hear a distinction in between c/ z and s. This distinction is apparent when you compare the accent of a Peninsular Spanish speaker and a Latin American Spanish speaker stating the word pronunciación The individual with a Latin American accent will pronounce both c seems like an s, whereas the Peninsular Spanish accent seems like th with the tongue in between the teeth.

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What are the distinctions in between Colombian Spanish and Standard Spanish?

There aren’t numerous! With a shared grammar and vocabulary, the Spanish dialects that you are currently acquainted with will be simple to use to Spanish in Colombia, as most of interaction will be equally comprehended. Understanding a couple of particularities of Spanish in Colombia will assist you get in touch with the residents.

Preference for Usted

If you’ve taken a Spanish course, you might have discovered the 5 (yes, 5!) methods to state “you.” Informal vs. official, particular vs. plural, Latin American vs. Peninsular Spanish, and womanly vs. even manly … it’s simple to get puzzled. Despite the fact that it is normally taught that tú is for family and friends and usted is for individuals you do not understand well, the truth is a lot more complex depending upon the culture and area.

You can unwind and still suit while you go to Colombia! Simply select in between usted (for a single person) or ustedes (for more than one). In a lot of the locations of Colombia, it is uncommon for somebody to utilize tú, even with their household and friends. This isn’t to state that you’ll never ever hear tú and even vos, however you will not stick out if you adhere to usted/ ustedes in every circumstance. It is just in Spain or Peninsular Spanish where you’ll still hear the vosotros/vosotras as the casual plural, as this is thought about old in Latin America, perhaps just enduring in scriptural texts and other ecclesiastical speech.

Diminutives

Many ranges of Spanish usage – ito and – ita at the end of a word to make the indicating smaller sized, cuter, more caring, and even negative, making it puzzling for students to capture the precise subtlety and significance of a word. These suffixes are utilized a good deal in Spanish in Colombia, along with – ico and – ica

Sometimes – ico/- ica are even integrated with -ito/- ita for a redundant usage of these suffixes for much more focus, for instance, ahora ( now) ends up being ¡ ahoritica! As for the particular significance, you might often need to request information– does the speaker imply right now, right this minute? Or … at some point quickly?

It is rather distinct to Colombian Spanish that these small suffixes are frequently contributed to verbs, prepositions, and adjectives along with nouns. : the feline is corriendo (running) and the mouse is corriendito (scooting) to get away the parking area is not simply junto a (next to) the home, however juntico a (right up near it) the chocolate caliente

(hot cocoa) is scrumptious, however the

chocolatico calientico

In Peninsular Spanish, when talking about current previous occasions, Spanish speakers from Spain utilize today best, while Latin American dialects consisting of Colombian Spanish usage the basic past (or preterite) rather. This resembles the distinction in between American and british dialects of English.

Latin American Spanish English translation

Peninsular Spanish English translation

Hoy fui al banco.

Today I went to the bank. Hoy he ido al banco. Today I’ve gone to the bank. Esta mañana hice la compra. Today I did the shopping.

Esta mañana he hecho la compra. This early morning I’ve done the shopping.

Me dijo que sí.

He informed me yes.

Me ha dicho que sí.

(right now), indicates instantly

el camello/ camellar

work/ to work las onces treat time around eleven o’clock

parcethe basics You might hear this term in the exact same contexts as “guy, brother, mate.” te caigo I’ll visit, visit you

un catorceDynamic Immersion a favor (actually, “a fourteen.”)

un tombo

a “police” (law enforcement officer)