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The Spanish language is spoken in so many different countries that it has many different variations. For example, Spanish in Spain is not the same as Spanish in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Mexico or the Caribbean. In each of these regions, Spanish has been transformed, changing throughout history and merging with other local dialects, creating new words and ways of using the language.
If we consider that the dictionary of the Real Academia Española has around one hundred thousand words, that many of them do not have the same meaning in all Spanish-speaking countries and that Spanish is a living language, in continuous change, to which new words (neologisms) are being added, having a good reference of vocabulary to consult is essential to avoid misunderstandings.
Logically, the vocabulary of native Spanish speakers is much broader than that of those who, despite speaking it fluently, have learned it as a foreign language.
It is important to remember that there are two types of vocabulary. On the one hand, the active vocabulary, that we use to express ourselves when speaking or writing. On the other hand, the passive vocabulary, the group of words that we are able to understand when we hear or read them.
Frequently, both native speakers and those who study Spanish have a greater passive vocabulary than the active vocabulary. Trying to turn passive vocabulary into active vocabulary is one of the best ways to learn it.
In this online resource of Latino Schools, we want to gather in the same section useful vocabulary that people use in their daily conversations. These words will help you to be able to understand and speak Spanish without problems when you come to visit us in Peru, Ecuador or Bolivia or you decide to study Spanish with us.
We will not limit ourselves only to those words that appear in the dictionary. Among the vocabulary we have selected you will also find less formal expressions that would not appear in most written texts but are common in the everyday use of Spanish.
You already have a good reason to start increasing your vocabulary!
