Buenos Aires is a fantastic city to visit, but it’s also a great place to learn Spanish. You can always take lessons in a language school or go to language exchange meet-ups. Learning Spanish in Buenos Aires is an exciting challenge, not only for beginners but also for more advanced learners.
You’re probably wondering…
Should I learn Spanish in Argentina?
There are many ways in which you can learn Spanish from zero in Buenos Aires. You can start a three-month course in the city, these courses include classes, tours, certified teachers and the opportunity to meet other people in your same situation. You can also stay with a host family for a while to start learning not only the language but also the lifestyle and culture.
There are online lessons that you can take on learning platforms like Italki, and find teachers from Argentina to learn the basics. You can also ask them for recommendations and use what you learn in the class in your everyday life while in the city.
Find exchange language meet-ups to get the chance to practice Spanish while meeting people from Argentina. You can have a look at these options here. Through these casual meetings, you’ll learn a lot on your own, for example, picking up idioms and slang is an important element of the language which teachers probably won’t teach.
Learn Spanish in Buenos Aires
Whether you need to brush up your speaking skills or can’t speak a word of Spanish you’ll have to start somewhere in any country. Here are a few things to know about the Spanish in Argentina:
1 – Italian Influence
Argentinian Spanish is very much influenced by the Italian immigrants and their settlement in Buenos Aires, especially. So if you have studied Spanish in school or some other way it’s probably from Spain or Mexico, you’ll notice the differences when you hear the Argentinian.
2 – Differences with other languages
In Argentina, we use the word “vos” instead of “tú” when we refer to you (singular – one person). The letters s,z, and c are pronounced like “s” as in “sister”. Another difference in pronunciation is the letters “ll” and “y”, they are pronounced like “sh” as in “shower”, and this is a very marked difference with other accents.
3 – Lunfardo
Lunfardo is a part of the language that was the result of the combination of the immigrant languages of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and was created in order to communicate.
For this reason, there are words that people still use up to this day, but that are only heard in Argentina. This might make understanding a little bit difficult. However, if you are immersing yourself in the culture, you’ll definitely get them and there are more chances that you’ll remember them.
4 – Buenos Aires City
Living in the city will make things easier since many people speak English too. Even though some will struggle with their English skills, they will definitely help you in case you need to. There are also many foreigners so employees can speak English better in case you start as a beginner.
On the other hand, it is true that in fewer tourist areas people will only speak Spanish, so it depends on where you stay in Buenos Aires.
You’ll come into contact with hundreds of native speakers a day – and this will help you with your conversational skills in real situations. You’ll also be immersed in the culture which is the best way to learn any language!
5 – Speaking Spanish in other provinces
With Argentines being used to tourists from all over the world, you will find that people are open-minded and very welcoming. You can also speak Spanish and English in other provinces in Argentina, especially in tourist cities places like Mendoza, and Salta, because they are used to foreigners and they also provide services for tourists from all over the world.
Final Thoughts
If you want to travel to Argentina there will be many opportunities to learn the language and practice to improve your fluency. However, if you don’t have any interest in learning the language, that’s fine too. You can still meet foreigners and digital nomads and if you stay in the city, it will be easy to communicate in English.
In my opinion, as a language teacher, it’s always a good idea to learn a language (no matter what level you get to) and use it! You can make friends, learn a new culture, get fluent in the language and make your experience of living in Buenos Aires more memorable and special!
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