Many people that meet Argentines around the world want to visit this country instantly. There is something about the way they are, which immediately makes you feel as if you have known them for years.

This is probably due to the fact that Argentines, like Brazilians, belong to a collectivist culture. In short, it more or less means that the individual seeks to unite with the community, belonging to the group, harmonious functioning in society - that is to say that family and friends are the more important to them and that they can do much for their own good.

If you are willing to learn Spanish Argentina in an immersive program, these tips can be great help for you. Get yourself ready for discovering an amazing country!

#1. Find a school

Buenos Aires has to be a must in your itinerary, and not only because of the amazing city and attractions it has. Even if you are staying a few days here, you should enjoy Spanish classes in one of the many schools located in center town. The top rated is called Expanish, with more than 12 years on the business. It offers courses in Barcelona and online as well… and that is great !

Whatever is your pick, prefer accredited schools that can take international exams in case you are interested in making it part of your CV.


#2. Completely different verbs: “voseo”

If you learn Spanish, the form of the second person singular in Argentina will surprise you a lot. Argentinians stress the end of the verb when speaking about “you” and make a slightly different conjugation.

This is called “voseo” and it is a variant of the usual “tuteo” in other Spanish speaking countries like Spain. Hablar (to speak) becomes vos hablás instead of tú hablas, comer (to eat) becomes vos comés instead of tú comes, venir (to come) becomes vos venís instead of tú vienes.

#3. Different pronunciation

Argentines pronounce ll (double L) and y as sh in English sheep. So the words llamar (to call, to name), pollo (chicken), gallina (chicken) using just 'sh' - posho / gashina - have a lovely pronunciation! In addition, yo (I) in Argentina sounds different than in Spain (pronounced ‘sho’).

Emphasis is often placed on the last syllable - which makes the sound more dramatic.

#4. Slang expressions

Slang exists in all languages, but Argentines are masters of slang. One of the first words you will certainly hear from an Argentinian is che. Che is used at the start of a sentence to get your attention. So listen carefully! Yes, Argentines love to talk and getting attention, so this is often used.

The charming Argentines are called chamuyeros - meaning they can seduce with words! Other slang terms are morfar, meaning to eat something when we're very hungry, quilombo, meaning confusion and mess, bondi is a city bus. These are words you won't find in traditional Spanish textbooks, but they figure in the top 100 of the most popular Argentinian words.

Do you want more? You are welcome - in Argentina, you must learn Spanish words like: camiseta (t-shirt), the car is not carro but auto, the sidewalk is vereda (not acera). And when you put suitcases in the trunk, useful for travel, pones las valijas en el baúl.

A visit to the supermarket is a great lesson. The "Argentinian" aguacates (avocado) are called paltas. Melocotones (peaches) are called Duraznos , the peanuts are mani and corn is choclo. But the most interesting thing to remember is that the strawberries are not called fresas but frutillas (yes, pronounced by sh!).


#5. Body language

If you land in Buenos Aires, you will meet the “porteño”, a typical resident of this port city. Porteños are a large percentage of the descendants of Italian immigrants, which is why, like Italians, they love to hablar con las manos - speak with their hands! Did you mean "I have no idea"? We use our chin and fingers - from the neck to the person we are turning to - we move the hand with a vigorous movement! Easy!

Because Argentina unfortunately can be not very safe, another typical sign is "Ojo", that is to say the eye - you place your pointed finger under your eye and in this way, for calling the attention of the interlocutor to pay attention to something!