The differences between Spanish from Spain and Spanish from Mexico: Adapt to your surroundings!
Did you know that Spanish is the world's second-most spoken mother tongue? According to the “Anuario del Instituto Cervantes” from 2023, there are nearly 500 million Spanish speakers worldwide. In fact, it ranks as the fourth most spoken language by the total number of speakers. And with more than 23 million people studying Spanish as a foreign language, I’m honored to have a handful of them as students.
One of the most common questions I get from my students here in Poland is: “Karla, if I learn Mexican Spanish, will people from Spain understand me?” And I always reassure them (and you, if you're wondering too): Absolutely, they will!
Spanish, being spoken in so many different countries, does have its variations. But at its core, the base remains the same. Speaking Spanish is a golden ticket to connect with people from a multitude of cultures. Each version of Spanish carries its own flavor, shaped by the unique history of its region. Learning the differences—whether it’s pronunciation, vocabulary, or even grammar—isn’t a case of getting lost in translation. It’s an exciting journey filled with small, quirky facts that make the language even more fascinating. I personally love chatting with fellow Hispanics and discovering new words and slang along the way.
Today, I’d like to share some of the key differences between my native Mexican Spanish and Spanish from Spain. So, whether you're planning a trip to Cancún or to Barcelona, take note of these differences and adapt your conversations to sound like a local!
And speaking of holidays… I would like to invite you to subscribe to my newsletter! By joining, you get a free “Holiday Spanish Survival Kit” which includes a PDF of phrases and verbs that are useful in many situations during vacations, audio recordings of these phrases, as well as electronic flashcards to help you study.
Mexican Spanish vs. Spanish from Spain: What You Need to Know
Jump to:
Pronunciation
“Seseo vs Ceceo vs Distinción”
If you talk with a Mexican and a Spaniard, the first thing you’ll notice is how Spanish from Spain has a more complex pronunciation — rich in sounds that we in Mexico don’t use when speaking. More specifically, with the sounds of the letters c, s, and z.
In Mexico, we keep it simple; but in Spain, the tongue gets a whole workout.
In Spain, you’ll find three types of phonetic phenomena:
1. Seseo
This is when the letters s, c (before e and i), and z sound like /s/ (this sound is formally called by the RAE "fonema fricativo sordo alveolar").
For example: cerveza (pronounced servesa), cinco (pronounced sinko), zapato (pronounced sapato).
Seseo occurs in areas like the Canary Islands and almost all of Andalucía.
2. Ceceo
This is when the letters s, c (before e and i), and z sound like the equivalent of "th" in English (this sound is formally called "fonema fricativo sordo interdental" and it has the symbol /z/ in the RAE's phonetic notation).
For example: sal (pronounced zal), silla (pronounced zilla), sueño (pronounced zueño).
Ceceo occurs in certain areas of Andalucía and southern Spain. Quoting the Real Academia Española:
“A diferencia del seseo, que goza de total aceptación en la norma culta, el ceceo carece de prestigio y los hablantes cultos andaluces tienden a evitarlo en favor del seseo.”
“While seseo is completely accepted in educated society, ceceo lacks prestige, and educated people from Andalucía tend to avoid it in favor of seseo.”
This is a polite way of saying that people find ceceo vulgar.
3. Distinción
Translating literally to "distinguishing," this is the middle ground in pronunciation: when the letter s is pronounced as /s/, and the letters c (before e and i) and z are pronounced like the English "th" sound, or /z/ (according to RAE notation).
For example: cerveza (pronounced zerveza), sal (pronounced sal), sustitución (pronounced sustituzión).
We find distinción in northern and central Spain, including cities like Madrid and Barcelona.
In Mexico, we use seseo all the way! 🇲🇽 So if you’re planning to pack your bags for the Mayan Riviera, you can forget about the /z/ sound and just use /s/ for everything.
You can hear the difference in pronunciation of some of the examples above in my YouTube video, where I talk about this topic. I made the video in Polish for my Polish audience, but you can also find English captions and chapters to jump straight to the pronunciation area:
Vocabulary
In my opinion, the biggest — and most fascinating — difference between Mexican and Spanish Spanish is vocabulary.
We use very different words for everyday objects. For example:
Ordenador (Spain) vs Computadora (Mexico) = Computer
Zumo (Spain) vs Jugo (Mexico) = Juice
Móvil (Spain) vs Celular (Mexico) = Cellphone
Patata (Spain) vs Papa (Mexico) = Potato
In Mexico, many words are of Nahuatl origin.
Nahuatl is the ancient language of the Aztec culture, and it’s still spoken today in some communities in central Mexico.
But its influence doesn’t stop there — it has shaped our national identity and even touched the globalized world.
Yes, some of the words you use every day come from Nahuatl!
For example:
Tomato (tomatl)
Avocado (ahuacatl)
Chocolate (xocolatl)
Gum (chicle in Spanish, from tzictli)
Here are some words commonly used in Mexico that come from Nahuatl:
Popote (Mexico) vs Pajilla (Spain) = Straw
Papalote (Mexico) vs Cometa (Spain) = Kite
Cuate (Mexico) vs Amigo (Spain but we also use it in Mexico of course) = Friend
And here are a few unique gems — true Nahuatlismos — that you’ll find rooted deep in Mexican culture:
Tianguis: An open-air market.
Esquite: Corn in a cup sold by street vendors. (You must eat it. Seriously. 🌽✨)
Molcajete: A mortar and pestle made from volcanic rock, used to grind chilis.
Metate: A flat grinding stone used to transform corn into flour.
And so many more that make Mexico’s Spanish rich, earthy, and unforgettable.
Grammar
Another difference you'll notice if you pay close attention to a conversation between a Spaniard and a Mexican?
We Mexicans don’t use the personal pronoun “vosotros”!
Let’s take a look at the Spanish personal pronouns:
Yo – First person singular
Tú – Second person singular
Él/Ella – Third person singular
Usted – Formal second person singular (conjugated like third person singular!)
Nosotros – First person plural
Vosotros – Second person plural, informal (not used in Mexico)
Ustedes – Second person plural, formal
Ellos/Ellas – Third person plural
In Spain, when referring to a group in an informal setting, “vosotros” is used — and, I dare say, it happens most of the time.
In Mexico, we always use “ustedes” — whether we’re talking to our bosses, our closest friends, or elderly people.
For us, "ustedes" isn’t formal; it’s simply the way to address a group.
Curiously, we do maintain the difference between "tú" and "usted" in singular form.
We see "usted" as a mark of respect and formality — but plural? Nah. We keep it simple and sweet.
Fascinating, isn’t it?
Another noticeable grammatical difference lies in the use of past tenses.
While in Spain the pretérito perfecto compuesto tense is common to retell recent events,
in Mexico, we prefer the pretérito perfecto simple.
Example:
Pretérito perfecto compuesto: "Ya he comido." — (I have already eaten.)
Pretérito perfecto simple: "Ya comí." — (I already ate.)
What’s the difference?
Pretérito perfecto simple expresses that the action started and ended — it’s clean, it’s clear, it’s done.
Pretérito perfecto compuesto leaves things open — Did you finish eating? Probably. Maybe not. Mystery lingers.
In Mexico, while we do use the pretérito perfecto compuesto, it’s far less common — Usually reserved for moments when we stress that something happened at some vague, unspecified time.
Example:
"Ya he probado esas galletas, pero no me gustaron."
(I have tried those cookies, but I didn’t like them.)
We know I tried them somewhere in the past, but when exactly? I guess we’ll never know…
Those are just some of the key differences between Spanish from Spain and Spanish from Mexico — and honestly, we've only scratched the surface.
Language is alive, just like the cultures that speak it.
Which Spanish version caught your attention the most?
Would you like me to dive into comparisons between other countries too? I’m all ears.
Make sure to subscribe to my newsletter — the best way to stay in the loop and keep learning without missing a beat.
Ready to take your Spanish to the next level?
Looking to learn with a native speaker from the comfort of your home?
Book a 30-minute Discovery Lesson with me today, and let's start your language journey together! 🌟