Vosotros: The Real Spain Spanish
Not formal, not optional - it's how we talk with friends every day
Latin Americans use "ustedes" for everything. In Spain? That's for talking to your boss or grandmother. With friends, it's always vosotros. Use ustedes with your friends here and they'll think you're being weirdly formal.
Vosotros Conjugation Patterns
habláis
you all speak
↻
¿De qué habláis?
-AR verbs: -áis
coméis
you all eat
↻
¿Qué coméis?
-ER verbs: -éis
vivís
you all live
↻
¿Dónde vivís?
-IR verbs: -ís
sois
you all are
↻
¿De dónde sois?
Irregular but essential
tenéis
you all have
↻
¿Tenéis tiempo?
Daily essential
queréis
you all want
↻
¿Qué queréis hacer?
Making plans
Imperative Commands with Vosotros
Drop the -r from infinitive, add -d. That's it. "Hablar" becomes "¡Hablad!" No irregular forms here - even easier than tú commands.
✓ ¡Venid aquí! (Come here!)
✓ ¡Comed algo! (Eat something!)
✓ ¡Decidme! (Tell me!)
LatAm: Vengan aquí
Quick Reality:
Using "ustedes" with friends in Spain = instant foreigner detection. Not wrong, just... not from here. It's like calling your friends "sir" and "madam" in English.
Spain-Specific Vocabulary
Words that mean something completely different across the Atlantic
Say "ordenador" in Mexico and they look confused. Say "computadora" in Spain and we know you learned Spanish in Latin America. These aren't preferences - they're completely different vocabularies.
Technology & Daily Objects
ordenador
computer
LatAm: computadora
↻
"Mi ordenador no funciona"
Never computadora in Spain
móvil
cell phone
LatAm: celular
↻
"Dame tu móvil"
Always móvil here
coche
car
LatAm: carro/auto
↻
"Aparcar el coche"
Carro = shopping cart here
piso
apartment
LatAm: departamento
↻
"Compartir piso"
Share an apartment
Food & Drink Differences
zumo
juice
LatAm: jugo
↻
"Zumo de naranja natural"
Fresh orange juice
patata
potato
LatAm: papa
↻
"Patatas bravas"
Classic tapa (except Canary Islands)
tarta
layered cake
Mexico: pastel
↻
"Tarta de cumpleaños"
Birthday cake
judías
beans
Mexico: frijoles
↻
"Judías verdes"
Green beans
melocotón
peach
LatAm: durazno
↻
"Melocotón en almíbar"
Peaches in syrup
filete
steak/fillet
Argentina: bife
↻
"Filete de ternera"
Beef steak
Note - Torta Confusion:
In Spain, "torta" usually means a flat bread or sometimes a slap. But be careful: In Mexico it's a sandwich, while in Argentina and most of South America it's a cake! Use "bocadillo" for sandwich in Spain.
Navigation Tip:
If Latin Americans look confused when you say "ordenador" or "móvil," just add the English word - they'll understand. Same when they say "computadora" to you.
Daily Spanish Life
Essential phrases for surviving Spain's unique schedule and customs
We eat lunch at 2:30 PM and dinner at 10 PM. That's not late - that's normal. And no, most of us don't actually take siestas anymore. Only about 16% of Spaniards actually nap. But everything still closes from 2-5 PM because... tradition.
Daily Interactions
¿Qué tal?
How's it going?
↻
Standard greeting
Not really a question
Hasta luego
See you later
↻
Even to strangers
Default goodbye
Ponme...
Give me...
↻
"Ponme una caña"
Ordering at bar
La cuenta, por favor
The check, please
↻
You must ask for it
Never comes automatically
Real Spanish Meal Schedule
This isn't flexible. Restaurants literally won't serve lunch before 1:30 PM or dinner before 9 PM. The kitchen is closed.
Desayuno: 7-10 AM (coffee & toast)
Almuerzo: 11 AM (mid-morning snack)
Comida: 2-3:30 PM (main meal)
Merienda: 5-6 PM (kids' snack)
Cena: 9:30-11 PM (lighter dinner)
LatAm: Lunch at noon, dinner at 7
The Siesta Myth:
Only 16% of Spaniards actually take daily siestas according to recent surveys. It's mostly retirees and young children. Working adults? We're at the office. But shops still close 2-5 PM because everyone's having that long lunch, not sleeping. Big cities like Madrid and Barcelona increasingly stay open all day.
Tapas Culture Essentials
ir de tapas
tapas bar hopping
↻
Multiple bars, one night
Social tradition
ración
shareable portion
↻
Bigger than tapa
For 2-3 people
media ración
half portion
↻
Between tapa and ración
Perfect for 2
pincho/pintxo
small bite on toothpick
↻
Basque Country style
Count toothpicks to pay
caña
small draft beer
↻
200-300ml
Served extra cold
tinto de verano
wine + lemon soda
↻
What locals actually drink
Not tourist sangria
Current Street Spanish Slang
How we actually talk in 2024-2025 - not textbook Spanish
Every sentence needs a "tío" or "vale." It's not optional. And yes, we still say "guay" and "mola" - anyone who says these are outdated doesn't actually live here. Though now we also throw in some English like "cringe" because... internet.
Essential Spain Slang (Still Used Daily)
Vale
OK/alright
↻
"Vale, vale, vale"
Can't say it too much
Tío/Tía
Dude/mate
↻
"¿Qué pasa, tío?"
Not uncle here!
Guay
Cool/awesome
↻
"Tope guay"
Super cool
Mola
It's cool
↻
"¡Cómo mola!"
How cool!
Flipar
To freak out/be amazed
↻
"Vas a flipar"
You'll be amazed
Currar
To work
↻
"Voy a currar"
Going to work
Pasta/Pavos
Money/bucks
↻
"No tengo pasta"
I'm broke
Joder
Damn/holy crap
↻
"¡Joder, qué calor!"
Damn, it's hot!
Note: In Argentina means "to screw around/bother"
WhatsApp & Text Slang (All Spanish Speakers Use This)
xq / pq / pk
porque (because/why)
↻
"xq no vienes?"
X replaces "por"
q tal
qué tal (how's it going)
↻
Drop vowels constantly
Universal greeting
tqm / tkm
te quiero mucho
↻
I love you lots
Friends & family
ntp
no te preocupes
↻
Don't worry
Reassurance
jajaja
hahaha (laughter)
↻
NOT "hahaha"
Spanish uses J sound
k / q
qué (what)
↻
"k haces?"
What are you doing?
dnd / dnde
dónde (where)
↻
"dnd stas?"
Where are you?
tb / tmb
también (also)
↻
"yo tb"
Me too
msj
mensaje (message)
↻
"t mando msj"
I'll text you
WhatsApp Reality (Spain & All Latin America):
Nobody uses SMS anywhere in the Spanish-speaking world. Everything is WhatsApp. Voice messages are huge - people send 2-minute audios instead of typing. Young people drop vowels constantly: "sts?" (estás?), "vns?" (vienes?), "gnl" (genial). And remember: "aja" means "I see/I agree" NOT laughter.
Spain vs Latin America: Critical Differences
Major differences that actually matter in conversation
We're more direct. They dance around saying no. We use tú immediately, they stick with usted longer. We say exactly what we think. Different worlds, same language.
The "Coger" Disaster:
In Spain: "Voy a coger el autobús" = I'm going to take the bus. Completely innocent, used constantly.
In Mexico/Argentina/Most of LatAm: Same phrase means something VERY vulgar (sexual). Use "tomar" there instead. This is the #1 mistake that will get you laughed at.
In Mexico/Argentina/Most of LatAm: Same phrase means something VERY vulgar (sexual). Use "tomar" there instead. This is the #1 mistake that will get you laughed at.
The Famous Spanish "Lisp" (It's Not a Lisp!)
The Truth About the TH Sound:
It's NOT a lisp - it's called "distinción." We pronounce Z and C (before E/I) as TH like in "think." S stays as S. So "gracias" = "graTHias" but "si" = "si." This is standard in Central and Northern Spain. Southern Spain (Andalucía) often drops it. And no, it's not because some king had a speech impediment - that's a myth!
Gracias
Spain: graTHias
↻
CI = TH sound
LatAm: graSias
Cerveza
Spain: therVETHa
↻
CE and Z = TH
LatAm: serVEsa
Cinco
Spain: THINko
↻
CI = TH
LatAm: SINko
Plaza
Spain: plaTHa
↻
Z always = TH
LatAm: plaSa
More Critical Vocabulary Differences
These aren't subtle - using the wrong one immediately marks you as foreign:
Spain: conducir (to drive)
LatAm: manejar
Spain: enfadado (angry)
LatAm: enojado
Spain: billete (ticket)
LatAm: boleto
Spain: gafas (glasses)
LatAm: lentes/anteojos
Reality Check:
Southern Spain (Andalucía, Canary Islands) often sounds more like Latin America - no TH sound. Don't worry about perfect pronunciation - context saves everything. But know the differences so you understand everyone.
Spain Cultural Navigation
Social rules nobody explains but everyone expects you to know
Two kisses, right cheek first. Stand closer than you're comfortable with. Interrupt freely - it shows you're engaged. Be 15 minutes late. Touch people when you talk. This is normal here.
Essential Cultural Rules
Dos besos
Two kisses greeting
↻
Right cheek first (their right)
Air kiss with cheek touch
Sobremesa
After-meal lingering
↻
Can last 2+ hours
Sacred social time
El puente
Bridge holiday
↻
Long weekend
Everything closes
La hora española
Spanish time
↻
15 min late = on time
30+ min needs a text
Social Navigation Essentials
Quedar
To meet up
↻
¿Quedamos a las 8?
Meet at 8? (really 8:15)
Terraceo
Terrace drinking culture
↻
Outdoor social life
Year-round tradition
Botellón
Street drinking gathering
↻
Young people in plazas
Pre-party tradition
La marcha
Nightlife energy
↻
"Hay mucha marcha"
Good party scene
Madrugada
2-6 AM timeframe
↻
Peak party hours
Clubs just getting started
El vermú
Sunday vermouth
↻
Pre-lunch tradition
With olives and chips
Business Hours Reality Check
This confuses everyone. Here's what actually happens:
Small shops: 10-2 PM, 5-8 PM
Restaurants: 1:30-4 PM, 9-11:30 PM
Banks: 9 AM-2 PM only!
Supermarkets: Often open all day
Survival Tips:
Always greet shopkeepers when entering ("Buenos días"). Never put money directly on the counter - hand it to them. Interrupting shows engagement, not rudeness. Personal space is much smaller - get used to people standing close.
Ready to Sound Actually Spanish?
"Vale tío, now you know the real differences. Stop sounding like a Latin American textbook and start sounding like you actually live in Madrid. The streets are waiting." - Alejandro