{"id":9718,"date":"2019-08-28T15:38:48","date_gmt":"2019-08-28T19:38:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.pimsleur.com\/?p=9718"},"modified":"2025-11-19T16:06:59","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T21:06:59","slug":"castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/","title":{"rendered":"Should I learn Spain Spanish or Latin American Spanish?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What are the differences between Castilian Spanish and Latin American Spanish? <em>Coche<\/em> or <em>carro<\/em>? <em>Conducir<\/em> or <em>Manejar<\/em>? <em>Bol\u00edgrafo<\/em> or <em>Pluma<\/em>? It\u2019s the notorious language battle royale: Castellano vs Espa\u00f1ol.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Curious language learners might find themselves faced with the question, \u201cShould I learn Latin American Spanish or Castilian Spanish?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, we\u2019re here to help you figure it out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To give you a better idea of HOW the two Spanish dialects differ, let\u2019s go over the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reasons to Learn Castilian or Spanish<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A brief history of the Spanish language<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>5 main differences between Castilian and Latin American Spanish<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to know which one you should learn<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-learn-castilian-or-spanish\">Why Learn Castilian or Spanish?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Castellano vs Espa\u00f1ol 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\u2019s helpful to know about Castellano or Spanish. Or, maybe you\u2019d like to connect with a family member. Whether they\u2019re located in Europe or Latin America can help determine which one is right for you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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 \u2013 including you!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-short-history-of-the-spanish-language\">Short History of the Spanish Language<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn about the history of the Spanish language, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/a-brief-history-of-the-spanish-language\/\">article here<\/a>. It\u2019s filled with adventure &amp; conquest, linguistics &amp; language development, and much more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-castilian-spanish-becomes-the-official-language-of-spain\">Castilian Spanish Becomes the Official Language of Spain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>King Alfonso X (ruler of Castile, Le\u00f3n, 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-spain-doesn-t-only-speak-spanish\">Spain Doesn\u2019t Only Speak Spanish<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>But not without push back\u2026 Even today in Spain, there are four other official languages: Catalan, Occitan (Aran\u00e8s), 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"564\" height=\"414\" src=\"https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/image1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10759\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/image1.jpg 564w, https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/image1-300x220.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 564px) 100vw, 564px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-spanish-language-spreads-to-the-new-world\">The Spanish Language Spreads to The New World<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-latin-american-spanish-today\">Latin American Spanish Today<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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\u2019s Spanish dialect. Today, English has inevitably seeped into vocabulary relating to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/how-ai-for-language-learning-can-help-you-master-a-new-language\/\">technology<\/a>, pop culture, and business, making a much larger impact in Latin America than in Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-differences-between-spanish-and-castellano\">Differences Between Spanish and Castellano<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>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\u2019s take a look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-pronunciation-of-castillian-vs-latin-american-spanish\">1. Pronunciation of Castillian vs Latin American Spanish<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Listen to a European Spanish speaker and a person fluent in Latin American Spanish, and you\u2019ll 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 \u201cC\u201d is pronounced with the \u201cth\u201d sound when it comes before an \u201ce\u201d or \u201ci\u201d. Some even call it the Castilian lisp!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, instead of pronouncing <em>ciudad<\/em> (city) as \u201csee-you-dad\u201d like in Latin American Spanish, it is instead pronounced \u201cthi-you-dad\u201d in Castilian Spanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The letter Z is also pronounced with the \u201cth\u201d sound. Zapatos (shoes) is pronounced \u201csa-pa-tos\u201d in Latin American Spanish and \u201ctha-pa-tos\u201d in Castilian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are other more subtle pronunciation variants as well, but the \u201cC\u201d and the \u201cZ\u201d are a dead giveaway. The more you learn each language, the more you\u2019ll discover the differences between <em>Castellano<\/em> and <em>Espa\u00f1ol<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-pronouns-in-castellano-vs-spanish\">2. Pronouns in Castellano vs Spanish<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to learn one other obvious divergence with <em>Castellano<\/em> vs <em>Espa\u00f1ol<\/em>? Look in the mirror at yourself (well, not literally\u2026keep reading). When addressing a person in Latin American Spanish, \u201cyou\u201d can be either <em>t\u00fa<\/em> (informal), <em>usted<\/em> (formal), or <em>vos<\/em> (informal), depending on the context and the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Vos<\/em> is primarily used in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. It is conjugated differently than <em>t\u00fa<\/em> (e.g., <em>vos sent\u00eds<\/em> vs. <em>t\u00fa sientes<\/em>). Spain, on the other hand, does not use it at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Castilian Spanish, you will mostly hear <em>t\u00fa<\/em> and <em>vosotros \/ vosotras<\/em> (second-person plural). <em>Usted<\/em> is rarely heard but can occasionally be used to show esteem, honor, or respect in formal settings, like addressing older people or bosses. <em>Vosotros \/ vosotras<\/em> is not used at all in Latin America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-vocabulary-in-castilian-vs-spanish\">3. Vocabulary in Castilian vs Spanish<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pronunciation and the \u201cyou\u201d pronoun are important variations in two main Spanish dialects. But once you start digging into the dictionary, you\u2019ll really start learning about the deep, distinct differences between Castilian and Spanish. Many vocabulary words in Spain differ from those in Latin America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>*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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>English<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Castilian Spanish<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Latin American Spanish<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Money<\/td><td>Pasta<\/td><td>Plata<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>To drive<\/td><td>Conducir<\/td><td>Manejar<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pen<\/td><td>Bol\u00edgrafo<\/td><td>Pluma<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cake<\/td><td>Torta<\/td><td>Pastel<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Computer<\/td><td>Ordenador<\/td><td>Computadora<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Juice<\/td><td>Zumo<\/td><td>Jugo<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Car<\/td><td>Coche<\/td><td>Carro<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Phone<\/td><td>M\u00f3v\u00edl<\/td><td>Celular<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Potato<\/td><td>Patata<\/td><td>Papa<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-simple-past-vs-present-perfect\">4. Simple Past vs. Present Perfect<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When talking about something that happened recently in the past, for example, \u201cI ate a sandwich today,\u201d Latin America would use the simple past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;\u201c<em>Com\u00ed un sandwich hoy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Castilian Spanish speakers would more commonly use the present perfect, incorporating the auxiliary verb \u201c<em>haber.<\/em>\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<em>He comido un sandwich hoy.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In English, this translates to \u201cI have eaten a sandwich today.\u201d This is a very common verbal tense in European Latin languages, including French and Italian. Even in England, it is more common to ask, \u201cHave you eaten today?\u201d than \u201cDid you eat today?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The present perfect DOES exist in Latin America but it is not commonly used to describe actions that have recently happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-idioms-slang\">5. Idioms\/Slang<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a T-shirt might be a <em>camiseta<\/em> in Spain, a <em>playera<\/em> in Mexico, a <em>remera<\/em> in Argentina, and a <em>polera<\/em> 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: \u201c<em>Qu\u00e9 dif\u00edcil es hablar el espa\u00f1ol.<\/em>\u201d How hard it is to learn Spanish!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-should-i-learn-castilian-spanish-or-latin-american-spanish\">Should I Learn Castilian Spanish or Latin American Spanish?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>OK, it\u2019s 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 <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.pimsleur.com\/2019\/05\/24\/best-places-to-live-and-work-in-the-caribbean\/\">working remotely in the Caribbean<\/a> on holidays? Do you plan on getting your masters degree in Chile, or do you dream of retiring to a Spanish vineyard in <em>La Rioja<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep reading for additional factors to help you decide whether you should learn Castilian or Latin American Spanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-travel-plans-to-go-to-spain\">Travel Plans To Go To Spain?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are enchanted by <em>paella, tapas<\/em>, 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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/learn-spanish-spain-castilian\/\">learn Castilian conversationally<\/a>, you\u2019ll 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\u2026and what the crowds are chanting!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Preparing for a trip to Spain? Here is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/a-weekend-in-barcelona-heres-your-itinerary\/\">weekend travel itinerary for Barcelona<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-want-to-explore-latin-america\">Want to Explore Latin America?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Interested in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/how-to-hike-machu-picchu-in-6-days-trekking-the-inca-trail\/\">hiking Machu Pichu<\/a> 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, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/learn-spanish-latin-american\/\">knowing Latin American Spanish<\/a> will help you navigate your way across the land and connect with knowledgeable tour guides and local families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-no-preference-at-all\">No Preference At All?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Haven\u2019t made any special plans to visit either place? If you aren\u2019t making a move to Spain and if you live in North America, you will mostly encounter Latin American Spanish. It\u2019s even taught in schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of that, of the roughly 469 million people who speak Spanish, 90% hail from Latin America and the U.S. You\u2019re much more likely to find someone who speaks Latin American than Castilian Spanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Fun Fact<\/strong>: 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-choosing-the-right-version-of-spanish-to-learn\">Choosing the Right Version of Spanish to Learn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>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 \u2013 it\u2019s a tough choice for many people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/learn-spanish-spain-castilian\/\">Castilian Spanish lessons<\/a> or our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/learn-spanish-latin-american\/\">Latin American Spanish language program<\/a> and start learning today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What are the differences between Castilian Spanish and Latin American Spanish? Coche or carro? Conducir or Manejar? Bol\u00edgrafo or Pluma? It\u2019s the notorious language battle royale: Castellano vs Espa\u00f1ol.\u00a0 Curious language learners might find themselves faced with the question, \u201cShould I learn Latin American Spanish or Castilian Spanish?\u201d Today, we\u2019re here to help you figure <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/\">Read More >><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":29622,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[2411,58,2413,114,1378],"class_list":["post-9718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language-learning","tag-europe","tag-language-learning-2","tag-latin-america","tag-pimsleur-method","tag-spanish"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v26.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Castellano vs. Spanish: Difference Between Castilian and Espa\u00f1ol<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn the differences between Castellano and Spanish, exploring how Castilian Spanish varies from Latin American Spanish in pronunciation, vocabulary, and usage.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Should I learn Spain Spanish or Latin American Spanish?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn the differences between Castellano and Spanish, exploring how Castilian Spanish varies from Latin American Spanish in pronunciation, vocabulary, and usage.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Pimsleur Language Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Pimsleur\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-08-28T19:38:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-19T21:06:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/spain-vs-latin-american-spanish.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"797\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"338\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Madison Rittenhouse\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@pimsleur\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@pimsleur\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Madison Rittenhouse\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Madison Rittenhouse\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/fa7461aaa7d639c8cab6334ef12ec5aa\"},\"headline\":\"Should I learn Spain Spanish or Latin American Spanish?\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-08-28T19:38:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-19T21:06:59+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/\"},\"wordCount\":1764,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/spain-vs-latin-american-spanish.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Europe\",\"Language Learning\",\"Latin America\",\"Pimsleur Method\",\"Spanish\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Language Learning\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/\",\"name\":\"Castellano vs. Spanish: Difference Between Castilian and Espa\u00f1ol\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/spain-vs-latin-american-spanish.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-08-28T19:38:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-19T21:06:59+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn the differences between Castellano and Spanish, exploring how Castilian Spanish varies from Latin American Spanish in pronunciation, vocabulary, and usage.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/spain-vs-latin-american-spanish.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/spain-vs-latin-american-spanish.png\",\"width\":797,\"height\":338,\"caption\":\"spain vs latin american spanish\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Blog Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Language Learning\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/category\/language-learning\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Should I learn Spain Spanish or Latin American Spanish?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"The Pimsleur Language Blog\",\"description\":\"Learning another language doesn&#039;t have to be hard.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Pimsleur Language Programs\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pimsleur_Primary_Logo_Blue_RGB.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pimsleur_Primary_Logo_Blue_RGB.png\",\"width\":340,\"height\":150,\"caption\":\"Pimsleur Language Programs\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Pimsleur\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/pimsleur\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/pimsleur\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/pimsleur\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/fa7461aaa7d639c8cab6334ef12ec5aa\",\"name\":\"Madison Rittenhouse\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/32905155b4b4694d706560eded6d0310607b5b84c6418daa0c512d0488a35163?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/32905155b4b4694d706560eded6d0310607b5b84c6418daa0c512d0488a35163?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Madison Rittenhouse\"},\"description\":\"Madison has a degree in Latin American Economics and a Certificate in Latin American Studies. Her passions include learning languages, teaching, and writing, with the intention of bolstering cultural awareness and respect amongst international communities. Originally from Miami, she has worked and studied in seven different countries, and currently resides in sunny Lisbon, Portugal.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/author\/madison-rittenhouse\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Castellano vs. Spanish: Difference Between Castilian and Espa\u00f1ol","description":"Learn the differences between Castellano and Spanish, exploring how Castilian Spanish varies from Latin American Spanish in pronunciation, vocabulary, and usage.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Should I learn Spain Spanish or Latin American Spanish?","og_description":"Learn the differences between Castellano and Spanish, exploring how Castilian Spanish varies from Latin American Spanish in pronunciation, vocabulary, and usage.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/","og_site_name":"The Pimsleur Language Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Pimsleur","article_published_time":"2019-08-28T19:38:48+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-11-19T21:06:59+00:00","og_image":[{"width":797,"height":338,"url":"https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/spain-vs-latin-american-spanish.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Madison Rittenhouse","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@pimsleur","twitter_site":"@pimsleur","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Madison Rittenhouse","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/"},"author":{"name":"Madison Rittenhouse","@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/fa7461aaa7d639c8cab6334ef12ec5aa"},"headline":"Should I learn Spain Spanish or Latin American Spanish?","datePublished":"2019-08-28T19:38:48+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-19T21:06:59+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/"},"wordCount":1764,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/spain-vs-latin-american-spanish.png","keywords":["Europe","Language Learning","Latin America","Pimsleur Method","Spanish"],"articleSection":["Language Learning"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/","url":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/","name":"Castellano vs. Spanish: Difference Between Castilian and Espa\u00f1ol","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/spain-vs-latin-american-spanish.png","datePublished":"2019-08-28T19:38:48+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-19T21:06:59+00:00","description":"Learn the differences between Castellano and Spanish, exploring how Castilian Spanish varies from Latin American Spanish in pronunciation, vocabulary, and usage.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/spain-vs-latin-american-spanish.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/d3brn974kg3172.cloudfront.net\/2019\/08\/spain-vs-latin-american-spanish.png","width":797,"height":338,"caption":"spain vs latin american spanish"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/castilian-spanish-vs-latin-american-spanish\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog Home","item":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Language Learning","item":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/category\/language-learning\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Should I learn Spain Spanish or Latin American Spanish?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/","name":"The Pimsleur Language Blog","description":"Learning another language doesn&#039;t have to be hard.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Pimsleur Language Programs","url":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pimsleur_Primary_Logo_Blue_RGB.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Pimsleur_Primary_Logo_Blue_RGB.png","width":340,"height":150,"caption":"Pimsleur Language Programs"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Pimsleur","https:\/\/x.com\/pimsleur","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/pimsleur\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/pimsleur"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/fa7461aaa7d639c8cab6334ef12ec5aa","name":"Madison Rittenhouse","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/32905155b4b4694d706560eded6d0310607b5b84c6418daa0c512d0488a35163?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/32905155b4b4694d706560eded6d0310607b5b84c6418daa0c512d0488a35163?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Madison Rittenhouse"},"description":"Madison has a degree in Latin American Economics and a Certificate in Latin American Studies. Her passions include learning languages, teaching, and writing, with the intention of bolstering cultural awareness and respect amongst international communities. Originally from Miami, she has worked and studied in seven different countries, and currently resides in sunny Lisbon, Portugal.","url":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/author\/madison-rittenhouse\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9718"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9718\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29623,"href":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9718\/revisions\/29623"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}