Not Created Equal: Argentine Spanish & Translation

With a population of over 43 million citizens, Argentina´s Spanish is multicultural and influenced by indigenous languages. Organizations may not realize that not all Spanish is created equal when expanding their business to a Spanish-speaking country.

In my continuing series on Spanish translation & interpreting, we explore Argentina. What are the origins of the Argentine Spanish dialect? What are some key differences to look out for? And, why should you use a professional translation services company when you expand?

Argentine Spanish Origin

There were many indigenous languages in present day Argentina before the Spanish conquered the region and introduced their language to the native population. As a result, native languages heavily influenced the Spanish language spoken in Argentina.

The dialect spoken in the Rio de la Plata Basin area of Argentina is known as Rioplatense Spanish. Elements of the indigenous languages of Quechua, Guarani, and others are sprinkled throughout this dialect.

Diverse dialects of the same language often have a different lexicon for everyday food and objects that are entrenched in the country’s culture.

Here are some notable differences between Rioplatense Spanish and Mexican Spanish:

“Vos” Verb Conjugation

Without trying to get into too much grammatical explanation, here is what you need to know about “vos”.

Argentina picked up the pronoun and verb conjugation of “vos” from the Spaniards when they invaded and colonized the region centuries ago. It is used for the 2^nd person singular pronoun and its corresponding conjugations. (This is the equivalent of “you” in English).

This conjugation is distinct from other Spanish dialects around the world. Specifically, Mexico, Spain, and Peru that strictly use the ¨tú¨ form for the second person singular informal tense. Many Spanish speaking countries have the use of “vos”, but Argentina is one of the few that uses both the pronoun and the verb conjugation of “vos”. Other countries such as Colombia may use the pronoun “vos”, but generally stick to the ¨tú¨ conjugation of verbs.

Why is this important?

If you are a business expanding your product or services to Argentina, your message must be translated properly to effectively reach Argentine consumers. You cannot just get your bilingual coworker who “knows Spanish” to translate the material.

Missing something as important as a verb conjugation will be devastating to profits and efforts to increase revenue.

How do you ensure the right message is received?

Simple Answer

Partner with a professional language services provider that will deliver thorough translation using vetted translators who are native speakers of the specific dialect you are targeting.

These translators are well versed in the cultural nuances of the localized region and thus, can provide the most accurate professional translation services for your expansion project.

The right language service provider will partner you with a Project Manager who will customize the project to fit your needs.

Never accept anything less than a professional translation service that rocks!

Whether the target translation is English to Spanish or any other language to Spanish, your translation partner will support you through the whole process and ensure your Argentine consumers receive the company’s message accurately.