What languages are spoken in Argentina? - Lingoda (2024)

FAQs

What languages are spoken in Argentina? ›

While Argentina's official language is Spanish, Argentina has enjoyed so much international migration that Arabic, Italian, German, English, and French are also spoken—at least in pockets throughout the country. There are also over one million speakers of various tribal languages, including Quecha and Guaraní.

However, it is not the only one: at least fourteen indigenous languages are spoken in Argentina nowadays, while there used to be more than thirty five before the Spanish conquerors arrived.

According to an official cultural consumption survey conducted in 2006, 42.3% of Argentines speak English (though only 15.4% of those claimed to have a high level of English comprehension), 9.3% speak Portuguese and 5.9% speak Italian.

Spanish Language & Argentine Culture

Study Spanish in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires! This cosmopolitan capital is known as the Paris of South America. Take language classes in the mornings at a Cervantes Institute in the very heart of downtown and only a block from the Plaza de Mayo.

While Spanish is the dominant language in Argentina, there are many other languages spoken in Argentina. They include Italian (second most spoken language in Argentina), Quechua (mainly spoken by Bolivian immigrants who settled in Northern Argentina) and Guaraní (mainly spoken in the province of Corrientes).

The most spoken immigrant language, and the second most spoken language after Spanish, is Italian. About 1.5 million people in Argentina speak Italian as their first language. At least 25 million Argentines are said to have some Italian ancestry.

Do you know how to say “hi” in Spanish? Hola (hello/hi) is the most commonly used greeting in Spanish.

Boludo. Boludo can be understood as “dude” when used among friends. However, it can also be used to insult someone you don't know well, like calling them an idiot or fool.

Why do Argentinians say sh? ›

You'll find that most Argentinian Spanish speakers typically pronounce y and ll like the English sh sound. This way of speaking started in less affluent neighborhoods but was soon adopted by the rest of the population, eventually becoming synonymous with the sound of the porteños (people from Buenos Aires).

The locals speak Spanish on the streets, so if you speak English you will be tagged as foreign. In the larger restaurants and shops in tourist areas, especially Palermo SoHo, English will get you by. Many restaurants have English menus. English is taught in the schools.

Argentine Castellano is among the most difficult Spanish dialects, and its vocabulary and grammar are unique to Argentina. With that said, if you really want to become fluent in Spanish, studying Castellano is a surefire way to make that happen.

However, even though Spanish is one of the most widely-spoken languages in the world, plenty of Argentinian schools do offer programs taught in English. But it is Argentina's vivid, lively culture for which it's probably best known internationally.

No, you do not need to understand Spanish to teach English in Argentina. Most language school employers prefer that you speak only English in the classroom. However, some Spanish knowledge can help your stay in Argentina a lot smoother since you'll be able to communicate with the locals better.

The official language of Argentina is Spanish, which is spoken by nearly all Argentinians. Because of Argentina's history, you may find several other languages in Argentinian records. These include Italian, Latin, German, and other European languages.

You might have already guessed that Spanish in Spain and Latin America are very different. But, the Spanish they speak in Argentina is even more so. There are key differences in pronunciation, conjugation, and vocabulary between Argentinian Spanish and the rest of Latin America.