When I get a request for a quote on a translation, I am sometimes asked “what kind of Spanish I speak”, as if every country in Latin America speaks a different version of the language.
Microsoft has probably played a part in promoting this perception with its Microsoft Office Language Options screen. (yikes!)

If I ran a translation agency and saw that screen, I’d be very concerned about hiring the right person for the job as well, specially in the case of a medical or legal document.
I’ve written this post to help clarify some common misconceptions about the Spanish language.
Key Differences
The biggest difference between Spain and Latin America’s Spanish is in pronunciation.
For instance, the letter “z” is pronounced differently in Spain than in Latin America.
In Spain, it is pronounced like “th” in the English word “think” while in Latin America, it is pronounced like the letter “s”.
You can hear the difference in these sample sound files: Spanish Pronunciation Sound of the letter Z
The letter “c” in some cases is also pronounced as a Spanish “z” as in the word “cocido” (cooked).
If I travel to Spain and say “zapato” (shoe) without making the Spanish ‘z’ sound I will be perfectly understood. They’ll just know I’m not from Spain.
Word usage and colloquial words
In Spain the word “ordenador” (from the French ordinateur) is used to refer to a computer while in Latin America we use the word “computadora” (as in computer).
I don’t use the word “ordenador” in my normal speech but I’m familiar with it and will use if I’m writing for a Spanish audience.
When you learn English as a second language, you’ll find few textbooks teach words like guys and gals or chicks and dudes. Those slang words you naturally pick up later from listening to other people.
Normally, you would not use such colloquial words in standard business communications, so for all practical purposes those word variations are neutral or irrelevant.
I never use the word “chamaca” (girl) in my regular speech but I am familiar with the word and its meaning as I am familiar with other slang words from various Latin American countries and Spain.
Unlike British and U.S. English, there are (to my knowledge) NO SPELLING VARIATIONS between Spanish from Spain and Latin America.
If you find one please write to me and I’ll correct the above sentence with the words in question and give you full attribution.
Choosing a Translator
There are always exceptions but in general, if someone has been raised and educated in a Spanish speaking country, then there’s a good probability they speak proper Spanish.
On the other hand, if someone was raised in the U.S. or some other non-Spanish speaking country, even if Spanish is their native language it is likely they will not have mastery of the Spanish language. (The exception to the rule would be someone who has pursued advanced studies in linguistics in that language).
It is true that many immigrants from Cuba, Puerto Rico and Mexico have distorted the Spanish language as a result of living and working in the U.S. for decades. However, the majority of educated people living in those countries speak proper Spanish.
One can not ignore the influence and role of media (TV, movies and radio) in a person’s knowledge and mastery of a language.
Spanish speaking attorneys and media personalities living in the U.S. can often be heard on Spanish TV saying “La Corte” (The Court) instead of “El Tribunal” and “ticket” as in traffic ticket instead of “multa”.
Children raised in the U.S. who watch Spanish TV will probably not learn the proper Spanish words for traffic ticket or legal court, unless someone takes the time to teach them properly.
Conclusion
To summarize, If you’re trying to learn Spanish as a second language or if you’re concerned about hiring an English-Spanish translator from “the wrong country“ just remember:
More than 90 percent of the lexicon is the same in Spain and in Latin America and the differences are well known by most Spanish speakers.
The biggest difference among the various Spanish speaking countries is in their pronunciation (not spelling) and the use of slang words.
British vs. American English
The differences between British and American English are much more pronounced than those between Spain and Latin America’s Spanish when you consider the vast number of spelling variations, a situation that thankfully, we don’t have in Spanish.
We will explore these differences in our next post.
Lisette is an online marketer, copywriter and English-Spanish translator.