Castilian vs Spanish: The Main Differences Between Castellano and Español

Should I learn Castilian Spanish or Latin American Spanish? Coche or carro? Conducir or Manejar? Bolígrafo or Pluma? It’s the notorious language battle royale: Spain Spanish vs. Latin American Spanish, or Castellano vs Spanish. 

Curious language learners might find themselves faced with the question, “Should I learn Latin American Spanish or Castilian Spanish?”

Today, we’re here to help you figure it out!

To give you a better idea of HOW the two Spanish dialects differ, let’s go over the following:

• Reasons to Learn Castilian or Spanish
• A brief history of the Spanish language
• 5 main differences between Castilian and Latin American Spanish
• How to know which one you should learn

Why Learn Castilian or Spanish?

The Castellano vs Español debate occurs across a wide range of subjects and interests. There are professional reasons to discover the difference between Spanish and Castellano. If your job requires or incentivizes learning Spanish to advance your career, it’s helpful to know about Castellano or Spanish. Or, maybe you’d like to connect with a family member. Whether they’re located in Europe or Latin America can help determine which one is right for you. 

And of course, there are always just cultural factors involved with the difference between Castilian and Latin American Spanish. Learning the correct form of the language (or both!) unlocks previously unknown doors into a world of literary, culinary, or conversational delights! Everyone has unique reasons for wanting to know the distinctions between Castilian Spanish vs Latin American Spanish – including you! 

Short History of the Spanish Language

To learn about the history of the Spanish language, check out our article here. It’s filled with adventure & conquest, linguistics & language development, and much more!

Castilian Spanish Becomes the Official Language of Spain

King Alfonso X (ruler of Castile, León, and Galicia) began standardizing Castilian Spanish as a language. He and his scholars translated an enormous amount of written work from Latin, Arabic, and Greek into Castilian Spanish. He also began to use the language in official government documents and reports.

Almost 400 years later in 1492, after expelling the last of the Moors from Spain, Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon (yes, the ones who funded Columbus) declared Castilian Spanish the official language of Spain.

Spain Doesn’t Only Speak Spanish

But not without push back… Even today in Spain, there are four other official languages: Catalan, Occitan (Aranès), Galician, and Basque (from Navarra), a language so old that linguists presume it is the last descendant of a pre-Indo European language from Western Europe, unlike its neighboring Latin languages.

The Spanish Language Spreads to The New World

In the years following the original discovery by Colombus, Spanish conquistadors flooded the Americas looking for gold and glory. Conveniently, there were scores of unemployed, highly-trained soldiers from the Spanish Reconquista waiting for a new mission. The Spanish language quickly spread to the Americas.

Latin American Spanish Today

Latin America was already rich with indigenous peoples and highly advanced civilizations, like the Inca and the Aztecs, for example. Some linguists estimate that over 2,000 languages have been spoken in the region. The Spanish in Latin America (principally the lexicon) continues to be influenced by a range of different indigenous languages today.

Fast forward a few hundred years and huge waves of immigrants have introduced countless new words and accents to Latin America. One of the biggest foreign influences was Italian immigration into Argentina and its effect on the country’s Spanish dialect. Today, English has inevitably seeped into vocabulary relating to technology, pop culture, and business, making a much larger impact in Latin America than in Spain.

Differences Between Spanish and Castellano

The difference between Castilian and Spanish may seem minor, but even just a little bit of knowledge can tell you whether a person is from Madrid or Mexico City. Let’s take a look.

1. Pronunciation of Castillian vs Latin American Spanish

Listen to a European Spanish speaker and a person fluent in Latin American Spanish, and you’ll quickly discover the biggest Castilian vs Spanish distinction. The most obvious way to tell if someone is from Spain is by pronunciation. In Castilian Spanish, letter “C” is pronounced with the “th” sound when it comes before an “e” or “i”. Some even call it the Castilian lisp!

So, instead of pronouncing ciudad (city) as “see-you-dad” like in Latin American Spanish, it is instead pronounced “thi-you-dad” in Castilian Spanish.

The letter Z is also pronounced with the “th” sound. Zapatos (shoes) is pronounced “sa-pa-tos” in Latin American Spanish and “tha-pa-tos” in Castilian.

There are other more subtle pronunciation variants as well, but the “C” and the “Z” are a dead giveaway. The more you learn each language, the more you’ll discover the differences between Castellano and Español.

2. Pronouns in Castellano vs Spanish

Want to learn one other obvious divergence with Castellano vs Español? Look in the mirror at yourself (well, not literally…keep reading). When addressing a person in Latin American Spanish, “you” can be either tú (informal), usted (formal), or vos (informal), depending on the context and the country.

Vos is primarily used in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. It is conjugated differently than tú (e.g., vos sentís vs. tú sientes). Spain, on the other hand, does not use it at all.

In Castilian Spanish, you will mostly hear tú and vosotros / vosotras (second-person plural). Usted is rarely heard but can occasionally be used to show esteem, honor, or respect in formal settings, like addressing older people or bosses. Vosotros / vosotras is not used at all in Latin America.

3. Vocabulary in Castilian vs Spanish

Pronunciation and the “you” pronoun are important variations in two main Spanish dialects. But once you start digging into the dictionary, you’ll really start learning about the deep, distinct differences between Castilian and Spanish. Many vocabulary words in Spain differ from those in Latin America.

*DISCLAIMER: This is just ONE way to say some of these words. Vocabulary changes across dialects. Let us know in the comments how you say it in YOUR dialect!

4. Simple Past vs. Present Perfect

When talking about something that happened recently in the past, for example, “I ate a sandwich today,” Latin America would use the simple past.

 “Comí un sandwich hoy.”

Castilian Spanish speakers would more commonly use the present perfect, incorporating the auxiliary verb “haber.” 

“He comido un sandwich hoy.”

In English, this translates to “I have eaten a sandwich today.” This is a very common verbal tense in European Latin languages, including French and Italian. Even in England, it is more common to ask, “Have you eaten today?” than “Did you eat today?”

The present perfect DOES exist in Latin America but it is not commonly used to describe actions that have recently happened.

5. Idioms/Slang

Colloquialisms vary not only between Spain and Latin America but also among Latin American countries. Slang words and even everyday vocabulary differs greatly among Latin American countries.

For example, a T-shirt might be a camiseta in Spain, a playera in Mexico, a remera in Argentina, and a polera in Chile. These regional differences are one of the factors that make Spanish so fun but at the same time so tricky! There is even a catchy song written about it: “Qué difícil es hablar el español.” How hard it is to learn Spanish!

Should I Learn Castilian Spanish or Latin American Spanish?

OK, it’s time to get into the main factor in the Castilian Spanish vs Latin American Spanish debate. The type of Spanish you choose to learn depends on your interests and priorities. Are you planning on working remotely in the Caribbean on holidays? Do you plan on getting your masters degree in Chile, or do you dream of retiring to a Spanish vineyard in La Rioja?

Keep reading for additional factors to help you decide whether you should learn Castilian or Latin American Spanish.

Travel Plans To Go To Spain?

If you are enchanted by paella, tapas, bullfighting and flamenco dancing, and have always dreamed of dissecting the micro-cultures of historic cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, and Granada, then Castilian Spanish will help you blend in with the locals and make your cultural experience richer. 

Once you learn Castilian conversationally, you’ll be able to order authentic Spanish cuisine at a restaurant, shoot the breeze (about the breeze) with a local Spaniard about the weather, or even attend a football game and actually understand what the announcer is saying…and what the crowds are chanting!

Preparing for a trip to Spain? Here is a weekend travel itinerary for Barcelona.

Want to Explore Latin America?

Interested in hiking Machu Pichu or learning more about the Mayan Civilization? If you have a real interest in the history, terrain, and cuisine of the countries in Latin America, knowing Latin American Spanish will help you navigate your way across the land and connect with knowledgeable tour guides and local families.

No Preference At All?

Haven’t made any special plans to visit either place? If you aren’t making a move to Spain and if you live in North America, you will mostly encounter Latin American Spanish. It’s even taught in schools.

On top of that, of the roughly 469 million people who speak Spanish, 90% hail from Latin America and the U.S. You’re much more likely to find someone who speaks Latin American than Castilian Spanish.

Fun Fact: After Mexico, the U.S. ranks among the top 5 countries of Spanish speaking populations in the world, surpassing many Latin American countries like Peru and Venezuela.

Choosing the Right Version of Spanish to Learn

There are seemingly endless factors in play when discussing the difference between Spanish and Castellano. And those reasons can make your ultimate choice a bit confusing. Castilian vs Spanish – it’s a tough choice for many people. 

Here’s an easy choice when it comes to learning Spanish: Pimsleur! No matter which dialect you choose, learning a new language will open up millions of doors for you and will allow you to connect with more of our human family.

Check out our Castilian Spanish lessons or our Latin American Spanish language program and start learning today.