View source for Central American Spanish

{{Short description|Spanish dialect family}}
{{Infobox language
| name          = Central American Spanish
| nativename    = Español centroamericano
| pronunciation = {{IPA|es|espaˈɲol sentɾoameɾiˈkano|}}
| states        = [[Guatemala]]<br/>[[El Salvador]]<br/>[[Honduras]]<br/>[[Nicaragua]]<br/>[[Costa Rica]]<br/>[[Belize]]<br/>[[Chiapas]] ([[Mexico]])
| speakers      = Native: 42 million
| date          = 2024
| ref           = {{Cn|date=November 2024}}
| speakers2     = L2: 5 million (2024) {{Cn|date=November 2024}}
| region        = 
| script        = [[Latin script|Latin]] ([[Spanish alphabet]])
| agency        = [[Academia Guatemalteca de la Lengua]]<br/>[[Academia Hondureña de la Lengua]]<br/>[[Academia Salvadoreña de la Lengua]]<br/>[[Academia Nicaragüense de la Lengua]]<br/>[[Academia Costarricense de la Lengua]]
| nation        = {{GTM}}<br/>{{ESA}}<br/>{{HND}}<br/>{{NIC}}<br/>{{CRC}}
| iso1          = es
| iso2          = spa<ref>{{cite web|title=ISO 639-2 Language Code search|url=https://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/langcodes-keyword.php?SearchTerm=spa&SearchType=iso_639_2&Submit=Go|website=Library of Congress|accessdate=7 July 2019}}</ref>
| familycolor   = Indo-European
| fam2          = [[Italic languages|Italic]]
| fam3          = [[Latino-Faliscan languages|Latino-Faliscan]]
| fam4          = [[Romance languages|Romance]]
| fam5          = [[Western Romance languages|Western]]
| fam6          = [[Ibero-Romance languages|Ibero-Romance]]
| fam7          = [[West Iberian languages|West Iberian]]
| fam8          = [[Castilian languages|Castilian]]
| fam9          = [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| ancestor      = [[Old Latin]]
| ancestor2     = [[Classical Latin]]
| ancestor3     = [[Vulgar Latin]]
| ancestor4     = [[Old Spanish]]
| ancestor5     = [[Early Modern Spanish]]
| isoexception  = dialect
| dialects      = [[Guatemalan Spanish|Guatemalan]]<br>[[Honduran Spanish|Honduran]]<br>[[Salvadoran Spanish|Salvadoran]]<br>[[Nicaraguan Spanish|Nicaraguan]]<br>[[Costa Rican Spanish|Costa Rican]]
| glotto        = none
| ietf          = es-GT<br>es-BZ<br>es-HN<br>es-SV<br>es-NI<br>es-CR
| notice        = IPA
}}
{{Central America series}}

'''Central American Spanish''' ({{langx|es|español centroamericano}} or {{lang|es|castellano centroamericano}}) is the general name of the [[Spanish language]] [[dialect]]s spoken in [[Central America]]. More precisely, the term refers to the Spanish language as spoken in [[Costa Rica]], [[El Salvador]], [[Guatemala]], [[Honduras]], and [[Nicaragua]]. [[Panamanian Spanish]] is considered a variety of [[Caribbean Spanish]], it is transitional between Central American and Caribbean dialects.

==Phonetics and phonology==
Some characteristics of Central American [[phonology]] include:
* {{IPA|/s/}} at the end of a syllable or before a consonant is pronounced like {{IPA|[h]}} quite often in the three central nations of El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. This is less frequent in formal speech, like TV broadcasts. In the casual speech of some Salvadoran and Honduran speakers, this may also occur syllable or even word-initially.<ref name="Lipski">{{cite book|last1=Lipski|first1=John M.|title=Varieties of Spanish in the United States|date=2008|publisher=Georgetown University Press|isbn=9781589016514|pages=142–149|chapter=Central American Spanish in the United States|author-link=John M. Lipski}}</ref>
* ''j'' ({{IPA|/x/}}), is aspirated; it is soft as the {{IPA|/h/}} in English (e.g.: Yahoo).<ref name="Lipski"/>
* {{IPA|/ʝ/}} ({{Angbr|y}} or {{angbr|ll}}) frequently disappears when in contact with {{IPA|/i/}} or after {{IPA|/e/}}.<ref name="Lipski"/>
* Word final {{IPA|/n/}} is velarized, being pronounced as a [[velar nasal]] {{IPA|[ŋ]}}.<ref name="Lipski"/>
* Both central Guatemala and central Costa Rica have a tendency to [[assibilate]] {{IPA|/r/}}.<ref name="Lipski"/>
* Use of [[seseo]].

Most phonological features of Central American Spanish are similar to [[Andalusian Spanish|Andalusian]], [[Canarian Spanish|Canarian]], and [[Caribbean Spanish|Caribbean]], and most other coastal [[Spanish language in the Americas|Latin American Spanish]] dialects.

==Voseo==
[[File:Voseo-extension-real.PNG|thumb|left|200px|In this map of ''voseo'' countries, the spread of the dialect is clearly illustrated.]]
The most common form for the second person singular in [[Central America]] is {{lang|es|[[voseo|vos]]}}. However, {{lang|es|usted}} is the dominant second person singular pronoun. {{lang|es|Vos}} is used in Spanish-speaking Central America, with the exception of Panama, among family members, close friends, and in informal contexts. When addressing strangers, {{lang|es|usted}} is used, in a more formal but friendlier environment, {{lang|es|tú}} might be appropriate. The Panamanian department of [[Chiriquí Province|Chiriquí]] and the Mexican state of [[Chiapas]] are two regions were {{lang|es|vos}} is commonly heard. 

Voseo originates in a formal form of address (roughly equivalent to modern ''usted'') that eventually began to be used among peers in Spain. While condemned by [[Antonio de Nebrija]] on the first [[Spanish grammar|Spanish language grammar]] in 1492, the change in usage was slower, as in the Americas it became associated with lower classes or in despective usage to servants and indigenous persons.<ref name='t_Goestenkors'>{{cite thesis  |last1=Goestenkors |first1=Nicole |title=Desarrollo y uso del voseo en Centroamérica |degree=Master of Arts |journal=Research Papers |date=1 January 2012 |url=http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/gs_rp/213 |language=es}}</ref> Scholar Carlos Gagini claims Spaniards that migrated kept the usage as to pretend noble origins.

The use of {{lang|es|voseo}} enjoys low prestige in formal usage and is often considered incorrect. Officially, all of Central America is {{lang|es|[[tuteo|tuteante]]}}, however [[History of Nicaragua (1979–1990)|Sandinista Nicaragua]] adopted {{lang|es|voseo}} as a symbol of nationalism. Educated Costa Ricans are also more comfortable using {{lang|es|vos}}, and negative attitudes towards {{lang|es|voseo}} have been changing as of late.<ref name="Lipski" /> Using '''vos''' between two acquainted males implies trust, while the usage of '''tú''' might be perceived as effeminate; conversely, in a male-female conversation, the usage of '''tú''' can be perceived as respectful and polite.<ref name="t_Goestenkors" />

The [[imperative mood|imperative]] of verbs used with {{lang|es|vos}} is formed formed by dropping the final -R of the infinitive, and then adding an acute accent to the final vowel to retain the stress:

{| class="wikitable" align="center"
!bgcolor="#E0E0FF"|Verb
!bgcolor="#E0E0FF"|Meaning
!bgcolor="#E0E0FF"|'''Vos'''
|-
| ''ser'' || "to be" || ''sos''
|-
| ''ir'' || "to go" || ''andá''
|-
| ''hablar'' || "to speak" || ''hablá''
|-
| ''callar'' || "to become silent" || ''callá''
|-
| ''soltar'' || "to release/let go" || ''soltá''
|-
| ''comer'' || "to eat" || ''comé''
|-
| ''mover'' || "to move" || ''mové''
|-
| ''venir'' || "to come" || ''vení''
|-
| ''poner'' || "to put" || ''poné''
|-
| ''salir'' || "to leave" || ''salí''
|-
| ''tener'' || "to have"  || ''tené''
|-
| ''decir'' || "to say" || ''decí''
|-
| ''pedir'' || "to ask (for)/order" || ''pedí''
|}

The only irregular conjugation in the imperative is the verb '''ir''' and '''ser'''.

The conjugation of the present tense follows the pattern of replacing the final -R of the infinitive with an -S and adding an acute accent to the previous vowel:

{| class="wikitable" align="center"
!bgcolor="#E0E0FF"|Infinitive
!bgcolor="#E0E0FF"|Vos
!bgcolor="#E0E0FF"|Tú
|-
| o'''ir''' || o'''ís''' || oyes
|-
| ven'''ir''' || ven'''ís''' || vienes
|-
| dec'''ir''' || dec'''ís''' || dices
|-
| dorm'''ir''' || dorm'''ís''' || duermes
|-
| sent'''ir''' || sent'''ís''' || sientes
|-
| sal'''ir''' || sal'''ís''' || sales
|-
| conclu'''ir''' || conclu'''ís''' || concluyes
|-
| pod'''er''' || pod'''és''' || puedes
|-
| quer'''er''' || quer'''és''' || quieres
|-
| mov'''er''' || mov'''és''' || mueves
|-
| ten'''er''' || ten'''és''' || tienes
|-
| pens'''ar''' || pens'''ás''' || piensas
|-
| cont'''ar''' || cont'''ás''' || cuentas
|-
| jug'''ar''' || jug'''ás''' || juegas
|-
| cant'''ar''' || cant'''ás''' || cantas
|-
| err'''ar''' || err'''ás''' || erras
|}

Note how the conjugation of '''vos''' presents fewer irregularities compared to '''tú'''.

The main difference of the [[voseo]] in Argentina is the conjugation of the subjunctive. [[Rioplatense]] Spanish prefers the [[subjunctive]] forms of '''tú''', whereas in Central America, the '''vos''' forms are retained.

The pronoun ''usted'' is used when addressing older, unfamiliar or respected persons, as it is in most Spanish-speaking countries; however, in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras it is frequently used with younger people, and in Honduras between husband and wife, and friends. In Nicaragua, the pronoun is only used among youth during special or formal occasions or when addressing unfamiliar individuals in a formal manner.  It's also used with most, if not all, profanities familiar to the region.<ref name="ReferenceA">Lonely Planet Central America on a Shoestring by Tom Brosnahan, Carolyn Hubbard and Barbara Reioux</ref>

===Pronouns and verb conjugation===
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image: Cartelvosbsas.JPG|thumb|150px|right|This poster for a movie in Buenos Aires shows usage of ''vos'']] -->
As previously mentioned, one of the features of the Central American speaking style is the '''[[voseo]]''': the usage of the pronoun ''vos'' for the second person singular, instead of ''tú''. In some Spanish-speaking regions where ''voseo'' is used, it is sometimes considered a non-standard lower-class or regional variant, whereas in other regions ''voseo'' is standard. ''Vos'' is used with forms of the verb that resemble those of the second person plural (''vosotros'') in Spanish from Spain.

Some people prefer to say "tú" instead of "vos" while conjugating the verbs using the vos forms; for instance: tú cantás, tú bailás, tú podés, etc. This is avoided in Southern Central America, especially in Costa Rica and Nicaragua where is associated with bad education by mixing 2 different pronouns (tú-vos).

The second person plural pronoun, which is ''vosotros'' in Spain, is replaced with ''ustedes'' in C. American Spanish, like most other Latin American dialects. While ''usted'' is the formal second person singular pronoun, its plural ''ustedes'' has a neutral connotation and can be used to address friends and acquaintances as well as in more formal occasions (see [[T-V distinction]]). ''Ustedes'' takes a grammatically third person plural verb. Usted is particularly used in Costa Rica between strangers, with foreign people and used by the vast majority of the population in Alajuela and rural areas of the country.

As an example, see the conjugation table for the verb ''amar'' in the present tense, indicative mode:

{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Inflection of ''amar'''''
|-
! Person/Number || Peninsular || C. American
|-
| 1st sing. || ''yo amo'' || ''yo amo''
|-
| 2nd sing. || ''tú amas'' || ''vos amás''
|-
| 3rd sing. || ''él ama'' || ''él ama''
|-
| 1st plural || ''nosotros amamos'' || ''nosotros amamos''
|-
| 2nd plural || ''vosotros amáis''|| ²''ustedes aman''
|-
| 3rd plural || ''ellos aman'' || ''ellos aman''
|}

:(²) ''Ustedes'' is used throughout all of Latin America for both the familiar and formal. In Spain, it is used only in formal speech for the second person plural.

Although apparently there is just a stress shift (from '''''a'''mas'' to'' am'''á'''s''), the origin of such a stress is the loss of the diphthong of the ancient ''vos'' inflection from ''vos amáis'' to ''vos amás''. This can be better seen with the verb "to be": from ''vos sois'' to ''vos sos''. In [[Spanish irregular verbs#Vowel-alternating verbs|vowel-alternating verbs]] like ''perder'' and ''morir'', the stress shift also triggers a change of the vowel in the [[root (linguistics)|root]]:

{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Inflection of ''perder'''''
|-
! Peninsular || C. American
|-
| ''yo pierdo'' || ''yo pierdo''
|-
| ''tú pierdes'' || ''vos perdés''
|-
| ''él pierde'' || ''él pierde''
|-
| ''nosotros perdemos'' || ''nosotros perdemos''
|-
| ''vosotros perdéis'' || ''ustedes pierden''
|-
| ''ellos pierden'' || ''ellos pierden''
|}

For the ''-ir'' verbs, the Peninsular ''vosotros'' forms end in ''-ís'', so there is no diphthong to simplify, and Central American ''vos'' employs the same form: instead of ''tú vives'', ''vos vivís''; instead of ''tú vienes'', ''vos venís'' (note the alternation).

The imperative forms for ''vos'' are identical to the plural imperative forms in Peninsular minus the final ''-d'' (stress remains the same):

*''Hablá más alto, por favor.'' "Speak louder, please." (''hablad'' in Peninsular)
*''Comé un poco de torta.'' "Eat some cake." (''comed'' in Peninsular)
*''Vení para acá.'' "Come over here." (''venid'' in Peninsular)

The plural imperative uses the ''ustedes'' form (i. e. the third person plural subjunctive, as corresponding to ''ellos'').

As for the subjunctive forms of ''vos'' verbs, most speakers use the classical ''vos'' conjugation, employing the ''vosotros'' form minus the ''i'' in the final diphthong. However, some prefer to use the ''tú'' subjunctive forms like in Paraguay.

*''Espero que veas'' or ''Espero que veás'' "I hope you can see" (Peninsular ''veáis'')
*''Lo que quieras'' or (less used) ''Lo que querás'' "Whatever you want" (Peninsular ''queráis'')

In the [[preterite]] form, an ''s'' is often added, for instance ''(vos) perdistes''. This corresponds to the classical ''vos'' conjugation found in literature. Compare Iberian Spanish form ''vosotros perdisteis''. However, the trailing 's' is deemed incorrect and a ''faux-pas'' in educated use of 'vos'.

Other verb forms coincide with ''tú'' after the ''i'' is omitted (the ''vos'' forms are the same as ''tú'').

*''Si salieras'' "If you went out" (Peninsular ''salierais'')

===Usage of tenses===
Although literary works use the full spectrum of verb inflections, in colloquial Central American Spanish (as well as many other Spanish dialects), the future tense has been replaced by a verbal phrase ([[periphrasis]]) in the spoken language.

This verb phrase is formed by the verb ''ir'' ("go") followed by the preposition ''a'' and the main verb in the infinitive. This is akin to the English verbal phrase ''going to'' + infinitive verb. For example:

*''Creo que descansaré un poco'' → ''Creo que voy a descansar un poco''
*''Mañana me visitará mi madre'' → ''Mañana me va a visitar mi madre''
*''Iré a visitarla mañana'' → ''Voy a ir a visitarla mañana''

The [[present perfect]] (Spanish: ''Pretérito perfecto compuesto''), just like ''pretérito anterior'', is rarely used; so, it's replaced by simple past.

*''Juan no ha llegado'' → ''Juan no llegó todavía''
*''El torneo ha comenzado'' → ''El torneo comenzó''

==Lexicon==
There are also many words unique to Central America.

For example, ''chunche'' or ''chochadas'' can be used to mean "thing" or "stuff."{{citation needed|date=March 2008}}

In Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, ''chucho'' means dog. In the same three countries, money is called ''pisto'', a term derived from the Spanish dish pisto.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hondirectorio.com/slang.htm |title=Honduras slang |access-date=2008-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529211633/http://www.hondirectorio.com/slang.htm |archive-date=2010-05-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, ''plata'' (lit. "silver") is a common slang word used to mean "money" in all Central American countries except Belize.

Also, local words can vary by country and even department:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Colloquial Terms That Vary By Country<ref name="ReferenceA" />
!English term
!Nicaragua
!Guatemala
![[Jutiapa Department|Jutiapa]], 
[[Jutiapa Department|Guatemala]]
!El Salvador
!Honduras
!Costa Rica
!Panama
|-
|children
|''chavalo/a, cipote/a, chigüín''
|''patojos''
|''cipotes''
|
|''cipotes, güirros, chigüín''
|''güilas, carajillos''
|pelaítos
|-
|corner store
|''venta, pulperia''
|''tienda, bodega''
|''tienda, bodega''
|''tienda''
|''pulpería'' (''trucha'' in the north)
|''pulpería, abastecedor''
|''tienda''
|-
|soda / pop
|''gaseosa''
|''agua''
|''gaseosa''
|''gaseosa, soda''
|''fresco''
|''gaseosa, refresco, fresco''
|''soda''
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Language}}

*[[Spanish dialects and varieties]]
*[[Guatemalan Spanish]]
*[[Salvadoran Spanish]]
*[[Honduran Spanish]]
*[[Nicaraguan Spanish]]
*[[Costa Rican Spanish]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://buscon.rae.es/dpdI/SrvltGUIBusDPD?lema=voseo REAL  ACADEMIA  ESPAÑOLA DICCIONARIO PANHISPÁNICO DE DUDAS]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110710201136/http://www.es-xchange.com/2006/12/04/el-voseo/ History of Voseo]  
*[https://www.phil.muni.cz/rom/bartos85.pdf Lexicon of Nicaraguan Spanish]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100114050719/http://nicaliving.com/node/1757 Dropping of ''S'' in word endings in Nicaragua]
* [https://www.learnspanishtoday.com/learning_module/QA.htm voseo in El Salvador]

{{Spanish variants by continent}}
{{Languages of Guatemala}}{{Languages of El Salvador}}{{Languages of Honduras}}
{{Languages of Nicaragua}}{{Languages of Costa Rica}}

[[Category:Central American Spanish| ]]