Argentina Languages

By Nili Larish

Spanish is the official language in Argentina, though some travelers, even those fluent in Spanish, may find it initially difficult to understand as Argentines speak it with a distinct Italian lilt. Argentines also use the ‘vos’ form instead of the much more common second person form of ‘tu,’  used in most other Spanish-speaking countries.

There are several secondary languages spoken in Argentina. Some are the product of Argentina’s indigenous roots, others the result of European immigration. Indigenous languages spoken in the south include Mapuche and Quechua, while in the northeast Corrientes province, Guarani is considered the second official language.

European immigration is evident in the Welsh spoken in Patagonia and the large German communities around Cordoba and Bariloche. There are also large communities of Koreans, Chinese and Iranians in Argentina.

Furthermore, the country’s capital, Buenos Aires, has its own thorough set of slang vocabulary, lunfardo.

In major tourist destinations like Buenos Aires and Patagonia, it is not common to see signs and menus written in English, making it a more gringo-friendly country than many of its neighbors.