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Uruguayan Spanish

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Uruguayan Spanish
castellano uruguayo
Pronunciation[espaˈɲol uɾuˈɣwaʝo]
Native toUruguay
RegionRío de la Plata
Native speakers
3,347,800, all users in Uruguay (2014)[1]
L1 users: 3,270,000
L2 users: 77,800
Early forms
Latin (Spanish alphabet)
Official status
Official language in
 Uruguay (de facto)
Regulated byAcademia Nacional de Letras
Language codes
ISO 639-1es
ISO 639-2spa[2]
ISO 639-3–
GlottologNone
IETFes-UY
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Uruguayan Spanish (Spanish: castellano uruguayo), a part of Rioplatense Spanish, is the variety of Spanish spoken in Uruguay and by the Uruguayan diaspora.[3]

Influences

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There is strong influence of Italian and its dialects, particularly Genovese,[4] because of the presence of large Italian communities in the country (for example in Montevideo and Paysandú). The Uruguayan accent differs from the accents of Spain and other Spanish American countries, except for Argentina, due to Italian influence. There are many Italian words incorporated in the language (nona, cucha, fainá ("farinata, chickpea flour crêpe"), chapar, parlar, festichola ("house party"), etc.), as well as words of Italian derivation (for example: mina derived from femmina, or pibe ("child") from pivello). Italian has also altered the meaning of many preexisting Spanish words. For instance, pronto means "soon" in most Spanish dialects, including Argentine Spanish. However in Uruguayan Spanish, pronto instead means "ready", the same meaning as pronto in Italian.[5]

Uruguayan Spanish was also influenced by several native languages. For instance the Uruguayan word pororó meaning "popcorn" originating from the Tupian language Guaraní. Another examples is the word gurí/gurises meaning "kid(s)" which originates from the Guaraní word ngiri, also meaning child.

In the southeastern department of Rocha, as well as along the northern border with Brazil,[6] there is some influence of Brazilian Portuguese, in addition to the Portuguese spoken in northern Uruguay.

Tuteo and voseo

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The variety of Spanish used in Montevideo and the whole southern region of the country exhibits use of the voseo form of address, with the pronoun vos instead of the tú form. In other areas of the country, tú is more commonly used than vos. In some places, tú is used, but with the conjugation corresponding to vos, as in: tú tenés, instead of tú tienes (tuteo) or vos tenés (voseo). Tuteo is much more commonly used in Rocha and in some parts of Maldonado.[7]

The formal pronoun usted is used in very formal contexts, such as when speaking to government authorities.

Vocabulary

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Much of Uruguayan vocabulary overlaps with Argentina under the banner of Rioplatense. However, there are a few deviations in meaning of words and commonly used parlance that distinguishes Uruguayan Spanish from Argentine Spanish. For instance,

  • Pronto, despite meaning "soon" in Argentine Spanish, means "ready" in Uruguayan Spanish.[5]
  • In Uruguay, kids are referred to as gurises while in Argentina they are referred to as pibes.[5][8] While gurises is not used in Argentina, pibes is still used in Uruguay, however less commonly. Both words are also used to refer to friends affectionately, while pibe has expanded to mean young man.[8] Botija is also used to refer to children.
  • Ta in Uruguayan Spanish means "OK", with a similar ability to communicate a variety of emotions as "OK" has in English.[8] For instance, repetition of the word communicates exasperated comprehension ("Ta, ta" communicating the same emotion as "Ok, ok!"). Emphasis of the word communicates anger ("¡TA!" tantamount to "OK!"; "Enough!"). Sometimes expressed as da.[9]
  • Because of the final /s/ before consonants is often aspirated in Rioplatense Spanish, vos (you) is often shortened in Uruguay to just bo/vo.[9] This is reserved for more casual speech.
  • Brisco, a derogatory term for gay people, isn't commonly used in Argentina however is in Uruguay, along with much of the rest of South America.
  • The phrase a las órdenes is also commonly used in Uruguay. Although literally meaning "at your orders", its meaning is closer to the English phrase "let me know if you need anything" and communicates that the speaker is there for the subject.[8]
  • In Uruguay, the phrase gusto tuyo is used to communicate romantic interest in someone, literally translating to "I like yours". This is in comparison to the more direct me gustas used in much of the rest of the Spanish speaking world or gusto de vos, literally translating to "pleasure of you".[8]
  • ¡Vamo’ Arriba! is a commonly-used expression in Uruguay, the equivalent to the phrase "Let's Go!" in English.[5]
  • ¡Que rica! is another Uruguayan expression. It's an expression of success or, often sexual, pleasure.
  • Pila, literally meaning "battery", is a term used to express a large, excessive, or overwhelming quantity, similar to "a ton" in English. For example, caminé pila ("I walked a ton").[8]
  • Ñeri is an Uruguayan term for an idiot.[8]
  • Merecidas, meaning "deserved", is used in Uruguay as a response to gracias ("thank you"). It expresses that whatever was given that elicited the thanking was deserved by the thanker.[8] A variation of the expression is used by the elder generations in Argentina.
  • Garra Charrua is an expression that translates to "Claw of the Charrúa", an ethnic group indigenous to Uruguay who fought the Spanish conquistadors in present-day Uruguay. It is a nationalistic term used to refer to the tenacity and courage of the Uruguayan people. It is commonly used in regards to football.[9]
  • Salado, while meaning "expensive" in Argentina, has a meaning closer to "incredible" or "grand".[9]
  • Todo bien, directly translates to "all good" in English and is used in the same manner.[10]
  • ¡Divino día! literally meaning "divine day" is the equivalent of "good day!" in Uruguay.[10]

Comparative Vocabulary

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Below are vocabulary differences between Uruguay and other Spanish-speaking countries: Argentina, Paraguay, Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, and Puerto Rico. It shows how Spanish is different in three continents where there are Spanish-speaking countries (Europe, North America, and South America) and in different regions of those continents (Central America, Caribbean, and Southern Cone). Italian and Brazilian Portuguese have also been influential in Uruguayan Spanish and are also included. While people in Uruguay and most of Argentina speak the dialect Rioplatense, there are some notable differences in vocabulary between the two countries, which are bolded.

American English Uruguay Argentina Chile Paraguay Colombia Mexico Costa Rica Puerto Rico Spain Brazil Italy Ref.
apartment apartamento departamento departamento departamento apartamento departamento apartamento apartamento piso apartamento appartamento [5][11]
apricot damasco damasco damasco damasco albaricoque chabacano albaricoque albaricoque albaricoque damasco albicocca
artichoke alcaucil alcaucil alcachofa alcachofa alcachofa alcachofa alcachofa alcachofa alcachofa alcachofra carciofo
avocado palta palta palta aguacate aguacate aguacate aguacate aguacate aguacate abacate avocado
banana banana banana plátano banana banano plátano banano guineo plátano banana banana
bean poroto poroto poroto poroto frijol frijol frijol habichuela judía/alubia feijão fagiolo
bell pepper morrón morrón pimiento locote pimentón pimiento chile dulce pimiento pimiento pimentão peperone
boiler caldera pava calefón calefón calefón bóiler calefón caldera caldera caldeira caldaia
bra soutien corpiño sostén corpiño brasier brasier brasier brasier sujetador sutiã reggiseno [12]
butter manteca manteca mantequilla manteca mantequilla mantequilla mantequilla mantequilla mantequilla manteiga burro
car auto auto auto auto carro carro carro carro coche carro macchina [13]
clothespin palillo broche pinza pinza gancho pinza prensa pinche pinza prendedor molletta [12]
corn on
the cob		 choclo choclo choclo choclo mazorca elote elote mazorca mazorca espiga de
milho		 pannocchia
earring caravana aro aro aro arete arete arete pantalla pendiente brinco orecchino [5]
gas station bomba estación de servicio bencinera el surtidor bomba gasolinería bomba gasolinera gasolinera posto de gasolina stazione di servizio [5]
grapefruit pomelo pomelo pomelo pomelo toronja toronja toronja toronja pomelo toranja pompelmo
green bean chaucha chaucha poroto verde chaucha habichuela ejote vainica habichuela
tierna		 judía verde vagem fagiolino
to lock trancar cerrar con llave chapar cerrar con llave ponerle seguro cerrar con llave poner llave ponerle seguro cerrar con llave trancar chiudere a chiave
panties bombacha bombacha calzón bombacha calzón calzón calzón panty braga calcinha mutande
pastries biscochos facturas pasteles pasteles pasteles pan dulce tortas pasteles repostería pastelaria pasticcini [13]
pea arveja arveja arveja arveja arveja chícharo guisante guisante guisante ervilha pisello
peach durazno durazno durazno durazno durazno durazno melocotón melocotón melocotón pêssego pesca
peanut maní maní maní maní maní cacahuate maní maní cacahuete amendoim arachide
pineapple ananá ananá piña piña piña piña piña piña piña abacaxi ananas
popcorn pop / pororó pochoclo cabritas pororó crispetas/
maíz pira		 palomitas palomitas
de maíz		 popcorn palomitas pipocas popcorn [5]
sandwich[I] refuerzo sánguche sánguche sánguche sánduche torta sandwich sánduche sándwich sanduíche tramezzino [5][13]
sneakers championes zapatillas zapatillas championes tenis tenis zapato tenis tenis zapatillas/ playeras tênis scarpe da ginnastica [5]
soft drink refresco gaseosa bebida gaseosa gaseosa refresco gaseosa refresco refresco refrigerante bibita [5]
straw pajita pajita bombilla pajita pitillo popote pajilla sorbeto pajita canudo cannuccia
strawberry frutilla frutilla frutilla frutilla fresa fresa fresa fresa fresa morango fragola [13]
sweet
potato		 boniato batata camote batata batata camote camote batata boniato batata doce patata dolce [5]
swimming
pool		 piscina pileta piscina pileta piscina alberca piscina piscina piscina piscina piscina [14]
transit bus ómnibus colectivo micro colectivo autobús camión autobús guagua autobús ônibus autobus [5][13]
t-shirt remera remera polera remera camiseta playera camiseta t-shirt camiseta camiseta maglietta
  1. ^ Refers to the type of sandwich made with sandwich bread, not a sandwich made with a roll or baguette known as a sub sandwich which has a distinct word in Italian and many Spanish dialects.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Spanish → Uruguay at Ethnologue (21st ed., 2018) Closed access icon
  2. ^ "ISO 639-2 Language Code search". Library of Congress. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Rioplatense Spanish".
  4. ^ Meo Zilio, Giovanni (1963–64). "Genovesismos en el español rioplatense". Nueva Revista de Filología Hispánica. T. 17, No. 3/4 (1963/1964) (3/4): 245–263. JSTOR 40297676.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Richards, Olly. "The Complete Guide To Uruguayan Spanish". StoryLearning. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  6. ^ D. Lincoln Canfield, Spanish Pronunciation in the Americas (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1981), p. 89.
  7. ^ Weyers, Joseph R. (3 September 2014). "The Tuteo of Rocha, Uruguay: A Study of Pride and Language Maintenance". Hispania. 97 (3): 382–395. doi:10.1353/hpn.2014.0087. ISSN 2153-6414. S2CID 144945948.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h "The Insider's Guide to Uruguayan Slang: What You Need to Know". Listen & Learn. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d "Uruguayan Slang Terms". Live Lingua. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  10. ^ a b Higgs, Karen A (14 March 2017). "Expressions you'll only hear in Uruguay". GURU'GUAY. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  11. ^ "How To Say "Apartment" In Spanish". mostusedwords. 18 June 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  12. ^ a b Garcia, Kevin. "Argentina Spanish and Uruguay Spanish: the difference". Spanish With Kevin. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d e "10 words with different meanings in different Spanish countries". Lingoda. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  14. ^ Pepper. "Kitchen Sink? How to Correctly Say Swimming Pool in Spanish". Professor Pepper. Retrieved 14 December 2024.


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