Which south american countries speak spanish

Back then it was populated by Native American tribes who spoke several languages. With time, native inhabitants were driven out or killed by newcomers, and the rest had to learn Spanish to survive. As the states of South America came into being and gained independents from Spain, the cultural connections with the Old World decreased, and the language and cultural differences became more distinctive.

Which countries speak Spanish today? Plus, Puerto Rico - which is not an independent country but a US territory but Spanish is the official language there. The Philippines have the biggest Spanish-speaking community in Asia. Yep, colonization. How many Spanish speakers are there in the world? There are over million Hispanophones, which makes it the second most language in the world.

Chinese Mandarin holds the crown with over million native speakers, the bronze goes out to English with over million native speakers. How many people speak Spanish in Latin America? About million with million of them living in Mexico, making it the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world.

How many people speak Spanish in Europe? Unsurprisingly, Spain is the largest Spanish-speaking country in Europe with over 46 million speakers. Do those who speak Peninsular and Latin American Spanish understand one another?

It is thanks to The Royal Academy of the Spanish Language who keeps a watchful eye on the language usage in governmental and official institutions, guaranteeing its unity and stability.

What are the main differences between Latin American and European Spanish? Though people who speak Spanish can talk to each other without hitting a major language barrier, there are still a few things that can help you tell one dialect from another.

Spanish spoken in the colonies then developed differently, as communications with Spain were limited. Some elements of ancient Spanish were preserved, others abandoned. One of the most prominent examples of this process is the use of the word vos , mostly used in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Originally a plural personal pronoun of the 2nd person, vos is now used as a polite pronoun singular form of the staff of the 2nd person and can be used among friends.

It was commonly used in Spanish when the language reached the far south of America. The use of vos and its distinct conjugation now seems to be increasingly popular in parts of Latin America, where it had previously been used by minority groups, such as Bolivia, Chile, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. The Spanish might just think that you are time traveling and you are coming from the Middle Ages or Argentina. Ustedes is also used in the Canary Islands, but only the Balearics and mainland Spain use vosotros.

English is just behind Spanish, with approximately million native speakers. Spanish is the third most studied language in the world, after English and French. In addition to the million native speakers, just shy of 75 million people around the world speak Spanish as a second language. In the United States, more than 43 million people speak Spanish as a first language about 13 percent of the population , and that number continues to grow.

Additionally, the United States is home to nearly 12 million bilingual Spanish speakers. This makes it the second-largest Spanish speaking country in the world after Mexico , but one study predicts the United States will be the largest by Spanish is the most studied language in the U.

In fact, 50 percent of American college students and more than 70 percent of K students choose to learn Spanish. This is significantly more than the 12 percent of college students and 15 percent of K students who choose French, the second most studied language. With million native speakers, Mexico has the largest population of Spanish speakers in the world.

Spanish is the official language of Mexico, in addition to many countries in Central and South America. Two of the largest Spanish speaking countries in South America are Colombia about 46 million Spanish speakers and Argentina about 41 million Spanish speakers.

Roughly 60 percent of the Latin American population speaks Spanish. Most of the rest of the residents speak Portuguese around 34 percent , and a small percentage speak other languages, such as French, English and various Mayan languages. Bolivian Spanish is very clear but can have some intonations that might make it hard for tourists to understand and ultimately practice with. The interesting part is that English is not widely spoken in many parts of this country so as far as immersion goes Bolivia is a great place to practice your Spanish.

Having over 30 indigenous groups makes it easy to imagine that there are many native languages spoken in the country. Among these languages, you will find Quechua , Aymara, and Chipaya are the most common. Bolivia is famous for the Uyuni Salt flats, the variety of its indigenous population, and Lake Titicaca which it shares with Peru. The country of Argentina is located towards the south of the continent. It has a population of The land of Tango has had recent political instability as well as economic woes making it more difficult to tour than a few years ago.

The Spanish you will hear in this South American country will definitely sound different from other versions spoken throughout the continent. The rhythm of Argentinian Spanish can be compared to Italian, this is due to the high immigration rate the country received throughout the years.

It might not be the easiest place to practice your Spanish but there are several courses you can take in Buenos Aires where you can formally learn this particular pronunciation. While English is the most widely spoken second language in Argentina, it also has some native languages that are spoken in smaller proportions. These would include the Mapuche and Quechua although just like in other South American countries, you can find many more being spoken in tiny communities.

Some of the most notable places to visit during your Spanish-speaking journey in Argentina would be Mendoza for amazing wine, Buenos Aires for the cultural tours, and the Andes to visit the highest peak of the mountain range, Mount Aconcagua 22, feet or 6, meters. While in Buenos Aires you might as well take tango lessons and try some of their version of the Fugazzeta as well as their extraordinary empanadas.

Chile is a country that runs down the South American continent, it is a mere miles km wide if we are going from east to west. You can say this country lies nestled between the Andes mountain range and the plentiful pacific ocean. The country is famous as a mining hub as well as its delicious wines.

Chile is one of the more organized and safe countries you will find in South America. The Spanish spoken in Chile is very fast with increased and decreased changes in intonation that are notable during a conversation. It is clear Spanish however the change in tones might make it difficult to practice your Spanish speaking skills. While Chile uses Spanish as its primary language, there are many native tongues that can be found throughout the country. Some of the more notable places to visit in Chile mainland are Santiago and Valparaiso.

Off the mainland, Chile has the mysterious Easter Island. Ecuador has incredible biodiversity due to the Amazon rainforest. It is located on the western side of South America and has a population of The country is also the access point to visit the enigmatic Galapagos Islands. Moreover, Ecuador offers Spanish-learners affordable, fun, and professional education that promotes language learning in a lively environment.

Ecuadorian Spanish is very clear and easy to understand. There are around 14 languages spoken in Ecuador. In terms of official languages, this South American country has the Kichwa and Shuar as the most popular native tongues spoken. Both of these languages are based out of the Amazon Rainforest and the Kichwa stems from Quechua. Ecuador has access to the Amazon rainforest as well as the Galapagos Islands where Charles Darwin came up with his theory of evolution.

This South American country Paraguay is probably the least visited country by tourists in the continent of South America. However, the people are inviting and the country has a lot to offer for Spanish students such as the Atlantic forest. Paraguayan Spanish might be a bit difficult to comprehend for anyone trying to learn the language. The national language of Paraguay is the Guarani but the official tongue is Spanish.

This results in a combination of the two being spoken in many parts of the country. The national language of Paraguay is the Guarani and it comes from the forest regions that are shared with Argentina and Brazil.