Argentina: Language

The official language of Argentina is Spanish – it is advisable to learn what you can before visiting…. it will make your trip so much more enjoyable!

You may find it slightly difficult to understand the spoken dialect at first, as the language is usually spoken with a distinct accent and a strong Italian rhythm. However, most people quickly become comfortable to the differences and are able to overcome these.

When visiting Argentina, many establishments display signs in written English and you may find menus in the English language in restaurants. However, unless you are in a well known tourist area, it is very possible that the staff will have no knowledge of the English language- having a language phrase book on hand is helpful!

Few key phrases to know:


1. Hola, como estas? (Ola, coe moe s tas?) Hello, how are you? This phrase is a nice one to know, even if you don’t speak another word of Spanish.

2. Bien, gracias. (bee in, grah see us) Fine, thank you. The response to the previous question.

3. Comida. (coe meeda) This means food.

4. Aqua. (ah gua) Water is a good word to know. Always make sure that you get it in a bottle so that you avoid pathogens that can live in the tap water.

5. Cerveza. (sir baysa) You can drink top quality beer at rock bottom prices in many Latin American countries.

6. Por favor. (poor favv or) Please. Used at the end of sentences, as in “Mas aqua, por favor.”

7. Mas despacio, por favor. (mahs day spah cio) Please speak more slowly. This is one of the phrases that comes in particularly handy if you are trying to have a conversation with someone as opposed to saying a word or two and pointing..

8. De donde eres? (day doen day air s)This means “Where are you from?” You will probably be asked this a lot. If you ask it, it is a nice way of showing interest while being able to understand the answer, which will usually simply be the name of a city.

9. Hotel. This one is easy, because it is the same in Spanish. Just remember that the h is silent. (otel)

10. Restaurante. (rest au ron tay) This one is also easy to remember!

Happy Traveling…..Adios Amigos! ( Goodbye, Friends)

Check out the Argentine National Anthem below. You can hear the Spanish Language sung (start at 1:05), see it in sign language and read English subtitles.