Mexican Spanish (Español Mexicano) and European Spanish (Español Peninsular, often called Castellano) are the same language, and speakers understand each other easily. What changes is everyday words, slang, a couple of grammar habits and the accent. Here is what's different, and how No Más Gringo handles each one.
| Difference | Mexican Spanish Español Mexicano |
European Spanish Español Peninsular / Castellano |
On No Más Gringo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday words | carro, celular, jugo, lentes, computadora | coche, móvil, zumo, gafas, ordenador | YesVocabulary rounds use your variety's word |
| Slang | lana, chamba, chela, cuate, ¡qué padre!, ¿neta? | pasta, curro, caña, colega, ¡qué guay!, ¡venga! | YesSlang rounds explain what each word means and where it's used |
| "You all" | ustedes for everyone | vosotros with friends, ustedes for formal | UstedesBoth modes use ustedes, which is understood everywhere. Vosotros isn't drilled yet |
| Talking about today | Preterite: hoy comí tacos | Present perfect: hoy he comido paella | SomePretérito vs imperfecto is drilled in both; the present perfect isn't covered yet |
| Pronunciation | "c" and "z" sound like "s" (seseo) | "c" before e/i and "z" sound like "th" (distinción) | YesSpoken lines use a Mexican or Spanish voice, where your browser has one |
| Everyday life | Pesos, la renta, el camión | Euros, el alquiler, el autobús | YesSentences are set where your Spanish is spoken |
Not sure which to pick? Go with where you'll use it: Mexico, the US and most of Latin America lean Mexican; Spain is European. You can switch any time in the game.
The same thing, a different word. Every pair below shows up in No Más Gringo's vocabulary rounds, matched to the Spanish you pick.
| English | Mexican | European |
|---|---|---|
| car | carro | coche |
| mobile phone | celular | móvil |
| computer | computadora | ordenador |
| juice | jugo | zumo |
| glasses | lentes | gafas |
| bus | camión | autobús |
| straw | popote | pajita |
| swimming pool | alberca | piscina |
| pavement / sidewalk | banqueta | acera |
| flat / apartment | departamento | piso |
| T-shirt | playera | camiseta |
| pen | pluma | boli |
| blanket | cobija | manta |
| corn on the cob | elote | mazorca |
| to drive | manejar | conducir |
| to park | estacionar | aparcar |
| to chat | platicar | charlar |
| angry | enojado | enfadado |
Slang is where the two sound most different, and where textbooks help least.
| English | Mexican | European |
|---|---|---|
| money | lana | pasta |
| work, a job | chamba | curro |
| beers | chelas | cañas |
| buddy, mate | cuate | colega |
| cool! | ¡qué padre! / ¡qué chido! | ¡qué guay! / ¡qué chulo! |
| for real? | ¿neta? | ¿en serio? |
| OK, let's go! | ¡órale! | ¡venga! |
| right now / in a sec | ahorita | ahora |
To talk to a group of friends, Spain uses vosotros (¿Venís esta noche?) and keeps ustedes for formal situations. Mexico uses ustedes for everyone (¿Vienen esta noche?).
No Más Gringo uses ustedes in both modes, which is understood everywhere. Vosotros isn't drilled yet.
For something that happened earlier today, Spain tends to use the present perfect: hoy he comido paella. Mexico uses the preterite: hoy comí tacos.
No Más Gringo drills pretérito and imperfecto in both; the present perfect isn't covered yet.
In Mexico, "z" and "c" before e or i sound like "s", so casa and caza sound alike (seseo). In most of Spain they sound like the "th" in "think" (distinción).
Spoken lines in the game use a Mexican or Spanish voice, where your browser has one.
Prices are in pesos or euros, you pay la renta or el alquiler, and you catch el camión or el autobús.
Game sentences are set where your Spanish is spoken.
Mainly everyday words and slang (carro vs coche, lana vs pasta), how you say "you all" (ustedes vs vosotros), how the recent past is said (hoy comí vs hoy he comido) and pronunciation (seseo vs distinción). Grammar is otherwise the same, and speakers understand each other easily.
Castellano (Castilian) is another name for Spanish. In English it usually means the Spanish spoken in Spain, also called Español Peninsular or European Spanish. Many Latin Americans also call their own Spanish castellano.
Learn the one you'll use most. Mexican Spanish is the biggest variety by number of speakers and the one you'll hear most in the US; European Spanish is what you'll hear in Spain. Either way, you'll be understood in both.
Yes. Mexican films, TV and music are widely known in Spain, and ustedes is understood everywhere. Slang is the part most likely to get a puzzled look.
Yes. Pick Mexican or European Spanish before a fight and change it whenever you like. Words, slang, places and the voice follow your choice.
Pick Mexican or European Spanish, step into the ring, and learn the words and slang people really say. Free in your browser.
Play free nowMore slang on Instagram: @nomasgringo