What's the difference between Spanish in America and Spanish in Europe?

Question

I can't speak Spanish at all, but I lived in South Florida for a while, and can hear that there is a difference between someone from Cuba or South America speaking Spanish vs someone from Spain. People have told me that it's often hard for American Spanish speakers to understand European Spanish speakers and many American Spanish speakers tell me there's a huge difference in translation. What's the difference? I'm asking because I'm considering learning Spanish.

Update:

How about the gender of words? I know in Florida people use different words pending on the gender of the person they're speaking to. Does this vary as well?

Richard · Accepted Answer

Hey!
First of all, american people can understand european spanish really easy because is the same language but with a different accent.
The principal difference is in the "s", "c" and "z" pronunciation and in some words which are not used by american people specially words like "vosotros", "estáis", "coméis", "sabéis", etc. but an american can understand these kind of variations really good.

I think Spanish from Spain and American Spanish it's like to compare English from England and American English. Each one have its own accent but it's really easy that the other speaker with other accent can understand what the other one wants to say.

About your additional details...
Could you explain it with an example? I can't understand what are u trying to ask

Anonymous · Answer

Is very much like American English, Brittish English, Australian English, Scottish English, Belizian English. All of them are English and when they talk to each other they understand each other. The differences are that they have different pronunciation and every region has different slang and expressions  but they all speak the same language. In Spanish unlike in English all things have gender and adjectives have gender and number. Between Latin American Spanish and Spanish from Spain there are a few conjugations that vary. For example, for "YOU (PLURAL)" we say "USTEDES" and they say "VOSOTROS", but there isn't a great deal of difference in structures. Don't worry about it to much. You'll enjoy it. Learning a new language is a great experience no matter what language you learn. Good luck to you!

Anonymous · Answer

Although there are differences between pronunciation and vocabulary, South American Spanish and Iberian Spanish differ far less than American and British English. The logical choice for someone living in America would be Mexican Spanish.

Jelly · Answer

Good question. My family is from Spain, but we all currently live in New Mexico. The easiest way to describe the difference is that they speak much more formally in Spain. Mexico and South America use more slang words. The difference can be compared to the different dialects in America and Australia, although they are the same language it can be hard for people from the two different countries to understand each other.

? · Answer

the spanish spoke in europe and the spanish spoke in the americas is a different mix of words. kind of like we speak english in the us, as they do in brittain and in australia, and new zealand, but we have a hard time understanding each other at times because we use different words to describe stuff. it the same for cuban spanish vs. mexican spanish, vs salvadorian spanish, vs spain spanish.

What's the difference between Spanish in America and Spanish in Europe?

5 Answers