Geographic Regions

European Spanish is primarily spoken in Spain, while Latin Spanish refers to the varieties spoken throughout Latin America. This geographic distinction shapes many differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, and usage.

Pronunciation Differences

A key difference is the pronunciation of the letter "c" before "e" or "i" and "z": in European Spanish, it is pronounced like the English "th" in think (a phenomenon called ceceo), whereas in Latin American Spanish, it is pronounced as an "s" sound, known as seseo.

Vocabulary Variations

There are numerous vocabulary differences; for example, the word for "car" is coche in European Spanish, but commonly carro in many Latin American countries. Words like ordenador (computer) are typical in Spain, while Latin America prefers computadora.

Grammar and Usage

The use of the pronoun vosotros (informal plural "you") is common in Spain but mostly replaced by ustedes in Latin America, even in informal contexts. Additionally, some verb forms and tenses, like the present perfect, are more frequently used in European Spanish.

Cultural Influences

European Spanish retains lexical influence from historical languages like Catalan and Galician, while Latin American Spanish incorporates indigenous terms, African influences, and loanwords from English, reflecting diverse cultural histories.

Summary Table

Aspect	European Spanish	Latin American Spanish
Pronunciation	Ceceo ("th" sound)	Seseo ("s" sound)
Vocabulary	coche (car), ordenador	carro (car), computadora
Grammar	Vosotros pronoun usage	Ustedes for plural “you”
Verb Tenses	Frequent present perfect use	More simple past use
Cultural Roots	Influences from regional Spain languages	Indigenous and African loanwords