Argentine Spanish has a distinctive character that sets it apart from the Spanish spoken elsewhere in Latin America. The most notable feature is voseo — Argentines use “vos” instead of “tú” for the informal “you,” which changes verb conjugations. You will also hear lunfardo, Buenos Aires slang rooted in Italian immigration, peppered into everyday conversation. The accent itself carries an Italian-influenced melodic rhythm, and the “ll” and “y” sounds are pronounced as “sh” (so “calle” sounds like “CA-sheh”).
Greetings and Basics
| English | Argentine Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Hello | Hola | OH-lah |
| Good morning | Buen día | bwen DEE-ah |
| Good evening | Buenas noches | BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs |
| How are you? (informal) | ¿Cómo andás? | KOH-moh ahn-DAHS |
| Very well, thanks | Muy bien, gracias | mwee bee-EHN, GRAH-see-ahs |
| Please | Por favor | por fah-VOR |
| Thank you | Gracias | GRAH-see-ahs |
| You’re welcome | De nada | deh NAH-dah |
| Excuse me | Disculpá | dees-kool-PAH |
| Yes / No | Sí / No | see / noh |
| I don’t understand | No entiendo | noh ehn-tee-EHN-doh |
| Do you speak English? | ¿Hablás inglés? | ah-BLAHS een-GLEHS |
| Goodbye | Chau | chow |
Getting Around
| English | Argentine Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Where is…? | ¿Dónde queda…? | DOHN-deh KEH-dah |
| How much is a taxi to…? | ¿Cuánto sale un taxi a…? | KWAHN-toh SAH-leh oon TAK-see ah |
| Bus stop | Parada de colectivo | pah-RAH-dah deh koh-lehk-TEE-voh |
| Subway | Subte | SOOB-teh |
| Left / Right / Straight | Izquierda / Derecha / Derecho | eez-kee-EHR-dah / deh-REH-chah / deh-REH-choh |
| How far is it? | ¿Qué tan lejos queda? | keh tahn LEH-hohs KEH-dah |
| I need to go to… | Necesito ir a… | neh-seh-SEE-toh eer ah |
| One ticket, please | Un boleto, por favor | oon boh-LEH-toh, por fah-VOR |
| Airport | Aeropuerto | ah-eh-roh-PWEHR-toh |
| Hotel | Hotel | oh-TEHL |
Food and Dining
| English | Argentine Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|
| The menu, please | La carta, por favor | lah KAR-tah, por fah-VOR |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favor | lah KWEHN-tah, por fah-VOR |
| Water (still/sparkling) | Agua (sin gas/con gas) | AH-gwah (seen gahs/kohn gahs) |
| Beer | Cerveza | sehr-VEH-sah |
| Coffee with milk | Café con leche | kah-FEH kohn LEH-cheh |
| I am vegetarian | Soy vegetariano/a | soy veh-heh-tah-ree-AH-noh/nah |
| Delicious | Riquísimo | ree-KEE-see-moh |
| Steak (medium rare) | Bife (jugoso) | BEE-feh (hoo-GOH-soh) |
| Empanada | Empanada | ehm-pah-NAH-dah |
| Cheers! | ¡Salud! | sah-LOOD |
Numbers
| Number | Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|
| 1 | Uno | OO-noh |
| 2 | Dos | dohs |
| 3 | Tres | trehs |
| 4 | Cuatro | KWAH-troh |
| 5 | Cinco | SEEN-koh |
| 6 | Seis | says |
| 7 | Siete | see-EH-teh |
| 8 | Ocho | OH-choh |
| 9 | Nueve | NWEH-veh |
| 10 | Diez | dee-EHS |
Emergency Phrases
| English | Argentine Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Help! | ¡Ayuda! | ah-YOO-dah |
| I need a doctor | Necesito un médico | neh-seh-SEE-toh oon MEH-dee-koh |
| Call the police | Llamá a la policía | shah-MAH ah lah poh-lee-SEE-ah |
| Hospital | Hospital | ohs-pee-TAHL |
| I’m lost | Estoy perdido/a | ehs-TOY pehr-DEE-doh/dah |
| It’s an emergency | Es una emergencia | ehs OO-nah eh-mehr-HEHN-see-ah |
| Pharmacy | Farmacia | far-MAH-see-ah |
A few pronunciation tips to keep in mind: Argentine Spanish has a strong “sh” sound where other Spanish speakers use a “y” sound — “yo” becomes “sho” and “lluvia” becomes “SHOO-vee-ah.” The rhythm tends to be more drawn out and melodic than Mexican or Peninsular Spanish. When in doubt, speak slowly and clearly. Argentines are famously warm and patient with visitors making an effort, and even a stumbling “buen día” at a corner kiosco will earn you a genuine smile.
