Which variety of Spanish do you think is the best?

[Lucas88]

Spanish is by far my most beloved language. I've been speaking it since I was 17 and have lived in Spain, Mexico and Peru. I love to watch movies in Spanish, listen to Spanish music and read books in Spanish. I even have a collection of Spanish translations of important philosophical works such as those of Nietzsche because I'm convinced that Spanish is a more well-designed language and that they are more beautiful in the noble language of Cervantes. For me, only Brazilian Portuguese and Italian come close aesthetically, although I believe that Spanish edges both of them out due to its more logical morphology.

Spanish is a major world language officially spoken in 21 countries and with over 400 million native speakers and so naturally the language features various regional varieties and often significantly different varieties even within a single country. Although all varieties of Spanish are mutually intelligible when spoken in their standard form, sometimes the differences can be substantial.

Here is a question for the forum's Spanish speakers and learners: which variety of Spanish do you think is the best?


Iberian Spanish



This is the variety of Spanish spoken in Spain. It has its own unique cadence much different from any Latin American variety as well as its characteristic "lisp" or ceceo as it is called in the language. Iberian Spanish also frequently uses the vosotros forms for the familiar second-person plural which affects verb conjugation - e.g., amáis, hacéis, salís. This feature is almost entirely absent from Latin American Spanish.

Typical Iberian Spanish slang includes tío for "dude" (tío normally means "uncle"), mola to mean something is cool, majo which also means cool, mogollón for "a lot", etc. My funniest Iberian Spanish slang expression is en chirona which means "in the slammer" (i.e., incarcerated).

Iberian Spanish isn't my favorite variety of Spanish and sounds a bit masculine when spoken by females, but I grew to appreciate it after living in Spain for so long.


Mexican Spanish



Mexican Spanish has its own peculiar intonation patterns which are immediately recognizable to any Spanish speaker. It sounds quite musical and joyful and is often said to be one of the easiest varieties of Spanish to understand for foreign learners. However, that is only true for the Mexican Spanish spoken throughout the center of the country and much of the south. The Spanish spoken in the north (e.g., Nuevo León) is much more rough and unclear and sometimes difficult to understand. Even my Mexican ex-girlfriend had problems understanding northerners. Imagine norteños as Mexican rednecks for a better idea of the situation!

Typical Mexican slang includes padre for "cool" (padre usually means "father"), chingón - another typically Mexican word for "cool", desmadre for "a mess", platicar for "to speak", chingar for "to have sexual intercourse", la neta for "something that's the best/awesome".

Mexican Spanish is quite weird in many regards. Mexicans often use the subjunctive in places where other Spanish speakers use the indicative. My Mexican ex-girlfriend always used to say things like "no sé si vaya a la fiesta" while most Spanish speakers would say "no sé si voy a la fiesta". Mexican Spanish has a lot of peculiarities.

I generally like the sound of Mexican Spanish although I like certain South American varieties and especially Colombian Spanish more.


Colombian Spanish



This is the Paisa accent of Colombia. Paisa girls speak in a hyperfeminine manner and sound extremely cute even though their accent makes them sound dumb as fcuk. Lol! I actually love this accent. It's really endearing and drives me crazy with lust when it is spoken by a hot Colombian female.

The varieties of Spanish spoken throughout Colombia are generally pleasant and easy to understand. Colombians often say: "El mejor español se habla en Colombia". I believe them. I absolutely love listening to a hot Colombian woman, and not just for the booty either. Lol!


Peruvian Spanish



Peruvian Spanish sounds like a rather "standard" or "neutral" form of Latin American Spanish to me. It's generally easy to understand but spoken a bit faster than Colombian Spanish.

Typical Peruvian slang includes chambear (to work), cachar (to have sexual intercourse), tirar jato (to sleep), chibolo (boy), chimbombo (faggot), calato (naked), cucufato (prudish), chifa (Chinese food), etc.

Peruvian Spanish is pretty good.


Chilean Spanish



Chilean Spanish is strange. Many people say that it is spoken extremely fast and with the worst pronunciation in all of Latin America. Consonants are often omitted, especially s in final position. Intonation patterns are completely different from any other form of Spanish. Chilean women in particular tend to speak in a high-pitched screeching manner.

Typical Chilean slang includes weón (dude), fome (boring), and al tiro (right away).

While I don't find Chilean Spanish too pretty, I'm able to understand it well. I used to have a lot of Chilean friends in Spain.


Rioplatense Spanish



Rioplatense Spanish is the variety of Spanish spoken throughout much of Argentina and Uruguay. It is another outlier known for its Italianesque intonation, its peculiar vocabulary (often from Italian), its pronunciation of ll as "sh" and its use of vos for the second-person familiar along with a special verb conjugation (e.g., vos cantás instead of tú cantas).

Typical Argentinian slang includes che (dude) and boludo (idiot, jackass).

I admit that I don't like Rioplatense Spanish. I find its intonation somewhat ugly and the constant sh instead of ll irritating. However, Rioplatense is still Spanish. I still prefer it over British English which is just hideous and downright awful.


Caribbean Spanish



Caribbean Spanish consists of various varieties spoken in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba and the Caribbean costal regions. It is spoken fast and the final s and other consonants are often omited. Many people consider the Caribbean varieties hard to understand.

I actually like Caribbean Spanish. I've known Puerto Rican and Dominican women. It sounds sexy.


@E Irizarry R&B Singer, @zacb, @MrPeabody, @publicduende, @kangarunner, y otros extranjerifelicistas de habla hispana

[zacb]

I only really have experience with Mexican and Colombian Spanish offhand, but Panamanian Spanish seemed a tad bit more difficult than both. Overall I like Colombian Spanish , but that is not really comparing to a lot. I am hoping to get to Costa Rica or Paraguay this year and maybe can get more insight on this.

[publicduende]

The varieties of Spanish spoken throughout Colombia are generally pleasant and easy to understand. Colombians often say: "El mejor español se habla en Colombia". I believe them. I absolutely love listening to a hot Colombian woman, and not just for the booty either. Lol!

That's what I heard, too. Apparently, to native Spanish speakers, Colombian Spanish sounds the clearest. Which is why the most coveted spot to set up an outsourced Hispanophone call center is a large city in Colombia.

Again, I am not a native speaker but, to me, the weirdest Spanish accent is the Argentinian.

[fschmidt]

From these videos: I may be biased, but I like Mexican Spanish best. It's clear to me. I hadn't heard Peruvian Spanish before but it sounds just like Mexican to me. The Colombians here speak so simplistically, it just doesn't sound intelligent. Chilean Spanish is understandable but a little weird. Spanish from Spain is perfectly understandable but I don't like the lisp. Argentine Spanish often confuses me with its Italian words. And Caribbean Spanish is my least favorite, too fast and not pronounced clearly.

[Lucas88]

From these videos: I may be biased, but I like Mexican Spanish best. It's clear to me. I hadn't heard Peruvian Spanish before but it sounds just like Mexican to me. The Colombians here speak so simplistically, it just doesn't sound intelligent. Chilean Spanish is understandable but a little weird. Spanish from Spain is perfectly understandable but I don't like the lisp. Argentine Spanish often confuses me with its Italian words. And Caribbean Spanish is my least favorite, too fast and not pronounced clearly.

I chose that video with the Paisa girls just to show off the cute sociolect of Spanish that they speak. But not all Colombians speak like that, not even in Medellín. Lol!

Here is a video of Colombian Spanish spoken in a more normal manner:



I personally think that the average Colombian knows how to express himself/herself better than the average American or Brit. There are smart people in Colombia's rapidly developing cities. Colombia even has a Go association!

https://www.colombiago.org/

[fschmidt]

I chose that video with the Paisa girls just to show off the cute sociolect of Spanish that they speak. But not all Colombians speak like that, not even in Medellín. Lol!

Here is a video of Colombian Spanish spoken in a more normal manner:

That's better. Sounds pretty close to Mexican Spanish.

[Lucas88]

Honduran Spanish







Honduran Spanish is also said to be an outlier within the Hispanophone world. I watched a few Honduran movies with my Mexican ex-girlfriend and she described the accent as a strange mixture of Mexican and Cuban Spanish. Lol! That would make sense since Honduras is a Central American country east of Guatemala and with Caribbean influence.

Honduran Spanish has some peculiar features. Like Rioplatense Spanish, voseo predominates. For example, tú caminas becomes vos caminás. Moreover, in the imperative the stress accent shifts to the final syllable of the verb. For example, calla becomes callá. Also the first-person plural possessive nuestro is often replaced with de nosotros (e.g., el hijo de nosotros).

I like Honduran Spanish. To me it sounds unique but at the same time isn't too strange like Rioplatense Spanish. I enjoyed hearing the accent when I watched Honduran movies such as El Regreso de la Llorona and El Paletero.


Equatoguinean Spanish



Yes, for those who didn't know, there is one African country where Spanish is spoken natively - Equatorial Guinea. This might interest @WilliamSmith!

To me, Equatoguinean Spanish sounds extremely close to Iberian Spanish in terms of its pronunciation. However, I've read that substandard forms can include some very strange features. For example, articles (el, la, los, las) may be omitted and distinction between the indicative and subjunctive may be lost.

I don't really have much of an opinion with regard to Equatoguinean Spanish. When spoken well it simply sounds similar to Iberian Spanish but when it is spoken in its substandard forms it is obviously not very pleasing.

[Lucas88]

All the Accents of the Spanish Language




Here in this video is a series of simple sentences spoken in each variety of Spanish with some regional slang and even grammatical differences.

Interesting video.


Another video with sample of different national varieties of Spanish (includes some cute girls)