Differences between Canarian Spanish and Mainland Spanish

Gran Canaria is an amazing destination for digital nomads and people that want to learn Spanish. However, it should noted that Spanish spoken in the Canary Islands has a few variations from the one spoken in mainland Spain. The truth is that Canarian Spanish is not a separate language, but a variant of standard Spanish that has some distinctive features in vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. Here, we will explore some of the main differences between Canarian Spanish and mainland Spanish, and give you some tips on how to understand and communicate with the locals.

 

Table of contents

• Vocabulary
• Pronunciation
• Grammar

 

Vocabulary

One of the most noticeable differences between Canarian Spanish and mainland Spanish is the use of some words that are unique to the islands, or that have different meanings from the ones used in the rest of Spain. Some of these words come from the influence of English, Portuguese, or the native Guanche language that was spoken by the original inhabitants of the islands. Here are some examples of Canarian words and their equivalents in mainland Spanish:

• 🇮🇨 Guagua | 🇪🇸 Autobús | 🇬🇧 Bus
• 🇮🇨 Cotufas/Roscas | 🇪🇸 Palomitas | 🇬🇧 Popcorn
• 🇮🇨 Naife | 🇪🇸 Cuchillo | 🇬🇧 Knife
• 🇮🇨 Quinegua | 🇪🇸 Patata | 🇬🇧 Potato
• 🇮🇨 Escachar | 🇪🇸 Aplastar| 🇬🇧 To squash
• 🇮🇨 Trabas | 🇪🇸 Horquillas | 🇬🇧 Hairpins
• 🇮🇨 Tenis | 🇪🇸 Zapatillas | 🇬🇧 Sports Shoes
• 🇮🇨 Machango | 🇪🇸 Tonto | 🇬🇧 Silly
• 🇮🇨 Fisco | 🇪🇸 Poco | 🇬🇧 A small amount
• 🇮🇨 Flee | 🇪🇸 Mucho | 🇬🇧 A lot

These are just some of the many words that you might hear or see in the Canary Islands, but don’t worry if you don’t know them all. You can always ask for clarification, or use a dictionary or a translator app to help you.

 

Pronunciation

Another difference between Canarian Spanish and mainland Spanish is the way some sounds are pronounced.

• The most obvious one is the pronunciation of the letters z and c (before e or i) as s, instead of the th sound in mainland Spanish. This is similar to Latin American Spanish, which was influenced by Canarian Spanish through colonization. For example, cenar (to have dinner) is pronounced “senar” in Canarian Spanish.
• Another pronunciation feature of Canarian Spanish is the aspiration or omission of the final s in some words, such as in las casas (the houses), which can sound like “la casa”. This can also affect the plural forms of some nouns and adjectives, such as in los niños (the children), which can sound like “lo niño”.
• A third pronunciation feature of Canarian Spanish is the use of the glottal stop or the insertion of a y sound between two vowels, such as in agua (water), which can sound like agwa, agya, or agu’a. These pronunciation features can make Canarian Spanish sound more similar to Caribbean Spanish or Andalusian Spanish, which share some of these characteristics.

 

Grammar

Canarian Spanish and mainland Spanish also differ in the use of some grammatical structures.

• One of them is the omission of the word de to show possession, such as in “casa María” (María’s house), instead of “casa de María“.
• Another one is the preference for the preterit tense over the perfect tense to talk about past events, especially those that happened on the same day. For example, “hoy he bebido leche” (I drank milk today) would be more common in mainland Spanish, while “hoy bebí leche” would be more common in Canarian Spanish.
• A third one is the use of some verbs differently than in mainland Spanish, such as in “¡Que hayan suerte!” (Good luck!), instead of “¡Que tengas suerte!“.
• A fourth one is the replacement of the pronoun “vosotros” (you plural) with “ustedes” in almost all situations, even in informal contexts. This is also similar to Latin American Spanish. For example, “ustedes son muy amables” (you are very kind) would be used in both formal and informal situations in Canarian Spanish, while “vosotros sois muy amables” would be used only in informal situations in mainland Spanish.

 

Conclusion

As you can see, there are some differences between Canarian Spanish and mainland Spanish, but there are also many similarities and variations within the islands. The best way to learn and appreciate Canarian Spanish is to visit the Canary Islands and interact with the locals, who are very friendly and welcoming. You will not only improve your Spanish skills, but also your cultural and linguistic knowledge. You will also have a wonderful and unforgettable experience that will make you love the Canary Islands and their people.