What is the secret?

[tomdesigns]

When I go to Uruguay I understand everything and talk fluently with them. After almost 3 years in Argentina I am still having a hard time understanding everything they say in spanish here. They talk to really fast.. mumble and mix words and drop things like the sound of an S all the time. For example donoma which is dos no mas.. Thoughts, Ideas or secrets to understaning spanish in Argentina?

 

[Roxana]

There are "regionalismos". For instance, in Rosario people usually dont spell the last "S" of the word, as the example of donoma you mentioned above.

Does it happen to you in Cuyo or patagonia too, or only Corrientes and Buenos Aires?

 

[steveinbsas]

In the south of Prov Bs.As. (Punta Alta y Bahia Blanca) , I usually understand almost everyone.

When I don't, I simply ask them to speak more slowly.

That usually works.

 

[PhilipDT]

I find the accent of the Uruguayos to be fairly similar to that of educated portenos. Not the same but similar

 

[John.St]

There are "regionalismos". For instance, in Rosario people usually dont spell the last "S" of the word, as the example of donoma you mentioned above.

Does it happen to you in Cuyo or patagonia too, or only Corrientes and Buenos Aires?

Cuyo: Dopeso, frutisjas, cabasjo, nocreoquetengoalgo, etc.

Funny thing is, that Argentinos claim that Chilenos have a horrible Spanish - when I am in Chile I find it much easier to understand Chileno than Argentino - neither language is Spanish (which is the language of Spain) but languages using several Spanish words, adding/changing to a lot of locally invented words: Gafas - anteojos - lentes. Pierna de pollo - muslo - trutro, etc.

 

[Roxana]

gafas & pierna de pollo are old spanish spoken words, spoken in most cities near the andes mountains and some caribbean places, on my own experience. I find that the chilenos, generally speaking, dont use so much neologisms as most argentinians do and they are also more polite in their speech (small lunfardo included) if they just meet you.

I would like to translate into English a quote, is this the right place to ask for it?
"No aclare porque oscurece" (Atahualpa Yupanqui)

 

[AkBill]

Chilean spanish is the worst of the worst imo, I hate it. I still meet chileans who i cannot understand at all which hasnt happened to me in any other spanish-speaking country for about 3 years.

Then there is that awful word 'po' they add after everything.. si po, no po, vamos po, ya po. Whenever I landed in santiago the first time i hear the word po a shiver goes though my body

 

[wineguy999]

Funny, as I hang out with mostly Argentinos in ARG and in Houston, I find it more and more difficult to understand Mexicanos and Tejanos - but no trouble with Spaniards.

 

[Hache]

An anecdote:

A little (in size) fella approaches me and says: "tenumaepabondiá?" Looking very confused, I said "come again?" He replied "sitenumaepabondiá". I stared at him, totally perplexed. Then he said "ná", and left.

One guy next to me told me the guy wanted a coin he needed for taking the bus: "tenés-una-moneda-para-bondiar". Bondiar was the lunfardo word for bus bondi turned into verb, something the guy spontaneously came up with. I could have figured it out if the guy just said it slower, but he left as fast as he talked, and he didn't give me the chance to ask that. BTW, I'm a local.

Don't let things like that frustrate you, and follow Steve's advice.

 

[AngelinBA]

I love listening to people from Cordoba speak Spanish, I find that I can't understand them, not so much for the accent but because I get lost in the melody of their speech and realise I haven't been listening to the words.