Notes from Spain

When I took my recent trip to Marbella, Spain, I took plenty of notes from Spain and wrote down any differences between European Spanish and Colombian Spanish.

Here are 6 things I noticed:

1. In Spain, they say “planta” in order to say “floor” as in “I live on the 2nd floor.” But in Colombia and other parts of Latin America, they say “piso.”

En la segunda planta de mi casa están los cuartos.
En el segundo piso de mi casa están los cuartos.
The bedrooms are on the second floor of my home.

By the way, “planta” is also the Spanish word for “plant.”

How To Say Waiter In Spanish

2. In Spain, they say “camarero” in order to say “waiter.” But in Colombia, they say “mesero.” Actually in Colombia you are more likely to hear a waiter called “chico,” “joven,” “caballero,” or “señor” – depending on the waiter’s age and the age of the person calling the waiter. And in Colombia you are more likely to hear a waitress called “chica,” “niña,” or “señora” depending on her age and the age of the person calling her.

How To Say Juice In Spanish

3. In Spain, they say “zumo” in order to say “juice.

” But in Colombia and other parts of Latin America, they say “jugo.

”

Me encanta el jugo de naranja.
Me encanta el zumo de naranja.
I love orange juice.

How To Say Potatoes In Spanish

4. In Spain they use the word “patatas” in order to say potatoes, unlike in Latin America where the word “papas” is used to say potatoes.

5. And of course, the accent in Spain was very different from the accent of Latin America. Instead of using the “S” sound for “C” when it comes before E or I, they use the “TH” sound as in the English word “thin.” So the word Spanish “ciudad” (city) sounds more like “thiudad.”

6. And instead of using the “S” sound for Z at the beginning of a word, they use the “TH” sound.

In Colombia and other parts of Latin America the word “zorro” (fox) has an “S” sound at the beginning of the word. But in Spain it has a “TH” sound making the word sound more like “thorro.”

By the way, Marbella, Spain is a coastal city in the south of Spain and it is a very beautiful city. During this time of the year there is a lot of “turismo” in Marbella. Not too many Americans were there but lots of people from the U.K. and other parts of Europe and even Australia. The food was “muy deliciosa” in Marbella.