Central American Spanish (called castellano by the locals) is a myriad of accents and vocabulary. Dropped syllables, forgotten consonants, combined vowels, and local slang all conspire to throw the average traveler into a linguistic knot. Add to this a strong indigenous influence and marked differences between urban and rural speakers, the educated and uneducated, and males and females, and it's enough to make you throw your phrase book out the bus window. This topic is worthy of a book itself, but following are some limited examples of the differences in dialect in both countries.
- In El Salvador, the form of address vos is used instead of tú.
- In both countries, the plural of tu is ustedes as opposed to vosotros.
- B is used like v wherever you go in Central America, but is particularly common in El Salvador and Nicaragua, where las vidas becomes laz bidas.
- In El Salvador, j becomes a weak h or disappears altogether. For example, you should say Meíko instead of Méjico (Mexico).
- Nicaraguans have the habit of dropping the s in connecting words -- such as lo do instead of los dos.
- Members of the rural class like to drop the "g" from some words, as by pronouncing agua as awa, while sophisticated urban dwellers are prone to stressing the "g," as by saying gueso instead of hueso (bone). In El Salvador and Nicaragua, the g is particularly hard in words such as guerra.
It would be helpful to take some Spanish classes before you visit Nicaragua and El Salvador; even a basic vocabulary of 100 words or so can make all the difference when trying to break the ice. You will be especially thankful for a little advance studying if you're stopped by a traffic cop or chatted up by a good looking local. Taking further classes when you get to your destination is a great way of making contact with real people, and you may be surprised how much you can learn in a week with lots of practice.
However, don't get your tongue in a twist over dialects; though Central Americans are fond of laughing at the way their neighbors speak, the truth is they still understand each other and will make allowances for a foreigner with halting Spanish. Most important is not to lisp on the c and z like they do in parts of Spain (that will definitely provoke laughter), and keep rolling your rrrrrs.
Hotel Terms
Aire-acondicionado -- Air-conditioning
Almohada -- Pillow
Baño -- Bathroom
Baño privado -- Private bathroom
Calefacción -- Heating
Cama -- Bed
Cobija -- Blanket
Colchón -- Mattress
Cuarto or Habitación -- Room
Escritorio -- Desk
Habitación doble -- Double room
Habitación simple/sencilla -- Single room
Habitación triple -- Triple room
Llave -- Key
Mosquitero -- Mosquito net
Sábanas -- Sheets
Seguro de puerta -- Door lock
Telecable -- Cable TV
Ventilador -- Fan
Travel Terms
Aduana -- Customs
Aeropuerto -- Airport
Avenida -- Avenue
Avión -- Airplane
Aviso -- Warning
Bus -- Bus
Calle -- Street
Cheques viajeros -- Traveler's checks
Correo -- Mail, or post office
Cuadra -- City block
Dinero or plata -- Money
Embajada -- Embassy
Embarque -- Boarding
Entrada -- Entrance
Equipaje -- Luggage
Este -- East
Frontera -- Border
Lancha or bote -- Boat
Norte -- North
Occidente -- West
Oeste -- West
Oriente -- East
Pasaporte -- Passport
Puerta de salida or puerta de empbarque -- Boarding gate
Salida -- Exit
Tarjeta de embarque -- Boarding pass
Vuelo -- Flight
Emergency Terms
Ambulancia -- Ambulance
¡Auxilio! -- Help!
Bomberos -- Fire brigade
Clínica -- Clinic or hospital
Doctor or médico -- Doctor
Emergencia -- Emergency
Enfermera -- Nurse
Enfermo/enferma -- Sick
Farmacia -- Pharmacy
Fuego or incendio -- Fire
Hospital -- Hospital
Ladrón -- Thief
Peligroso -- Dangerous
Policía -- Police
¡Váyase! -- Go away
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.