Other than the beaches, there are plenty of things to do outside in Colón. The town is very pretty, so wandering around town or eating on a patio in one of their restaurants is a great option. You can also walk along the street lining the river, which has beautiful views of the sandy beaches on both sides of the river. If you´re up for it, there are plenty of nature excursions out to the islands on the river, where there are very few people and a flora and fauna that is quite extensive.

There are also the hot springs of Colón. Colón has multiple hot springs nearby, and located right at the edge of town. However, the one at the edge of town is somewhat dumpy, although still worth a visit. The springs have both inside and outside pools, which means weather is not an issue.

Wondering where to stay? Although Colón is small, there are plenty of hotels from budget to luxury. There are a couple hostels, and if you like camping, there are lots of different campground both in town and nearby.

If you´re camping, make sure to make a fire and do up a BBQ. Colón has some of the best meat we´ve tried in Argentina. Both at restaurants and in the markets.

For an idea of the feel of Colón, check out our video:

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Feel free to comment below with prices you have noticed going up or down, or what your monthly costs are.

EBA Staff

_________________________________________________

It is impossible to give a number on how much you can expect to spend while living or visiting Buenos Aires. It all depends on how you like to spend your money, and how much of it you have to spend. Below are approximate numbers to give you an idea of what your monthly cost of living could be in Buenos Aires. Remember that all prices are in Argentine Pesos. These are current prices as of May 2010. Keep in mind, there is inflation in Argentina of about 2% – 3% every month.

Here is my monthly budget for Buenos Aires – what you can expect to spend in Argentine pesos. For more detailed information, see below.

Monthly Cost of Living in Buenos Aires

Monthly Budget in Argentine Pesos
Apartment	$1,700	(Living in a shared apartment, all inclusive)
Food	$700
Necessities	$200	Things like soap, shampoo, garbage bags, etc.
Transportation	$100	includes the odd taxi ride, but mostly bus and subway
Cell	$60
Entertainment	$1,400	(bars, theatre, clubbing, eating out, etc)
Total	$4,160
Total of what you can expect to  spend converted into major currencies:
US$	$957.22
CAN$	$958.88
EUR €	$725.92
UK ₤	$607.78

Apartments in Buenos Aires

**prices stated are in Argentine pesos**

Variations in cost are because it depends on the location, size, and quality of your apartment. These prices are all based on apartments that you´d find in the most popular neighbourhoods for travellers:  San Telmo, Recoleta, Centro, Barrio Norte, Palermo, Belgrano, Colegiales, Villa Crespo.  Keep in mind though that prices vary depending on which of these neighborhoods you are looking in.  Palermo, Recoleta, Barrio Norte, tend to be the most expensive, with Belgrano right up there as well.

A room in a shared apartment: $ 1350+

**This usually includes internet, phone, cable, condo expenses, etc.

Your own studio apartment, as a temporary furnished rental: $2800 + A decent place will likely cost you around $3100 +

**This usually includes internet, phone, cable, condo expenses, etc.

Your own one bedroom, as a temporary furnished rental: $3000 + A decent place will likely cost you around $3300 +

**This usually includes internet, phone, cable, etc.

Your own studio, renting long term with a garantia: $1800+

**this includes apartment fees (known as expensas). But not things like phone, internet, cable, and electricity.

Your own one bedroom, renting long term with a garantia: $2200+

**this includes apartment fees. But not things like phone, internet, cable, and electricity.

Extras

**prices stated are in Argentine pesos**

Internet: $85 – $145 depending on company and if you can get a special starting offer. This is for 3M high speed cable, DSL or ADSL. Also can depend on the arrangement your building has with the internet company.

Cable TV: $80+

Electricity: $20+  *Much higher if you use electric heat or air conditioning.

Phone: $25+  *$25 gets you a phone line, but you have to pay to make calls to cell phones and of course, long distance.

New cell phone: $140 and up, for an unlocked pay as you go phone (although they are hard to find at that price)

Cell phone monthly payments: $20+  Can be a plan or pay as you go.  $20 would be if you don´t make many calls, only lots of texts.  You can get a decent plan on a smart phone for $80+ pesos per month.

Food

**prices stated are in Argentine pesos**

Food will probably cost you about $600 – $800 pesos a month. If you are very careful about eating cheaply, and don´t eat a lot of expensive meat or chicken, you might be able to keep it between $450 – $600.

Entertainment

**prices stated are in Argentine pesos**

Prices are the usual costs. It can be higher or lower, depending on where you go.

Movie: $16 – $25 in a nice theater

Bottle of decent wine: $12 – $20

Bottle of very good wine: $25 and up

1L beer: $4.70 – $8.00

Entrance to clubs: $20 – $50

Entrance to Milongas: $15 – $35

Bottle of beer in bar/club: $10 – $25

Highball or cocktail in bar/club: $15– $40

Entrée in a nice restaurant: $40 – $70

Dessert in a nice restaurant: $12 – $25

Glass of wine in a nice restaurant: $15 – $25

Bottle of mediocre to decent wine in a nice restaurant: $40 – $60

Dinner for two, incl. 1 appetizer, two main courses, one dessert, and a bottle of wine:

*Cheap restaurant:  $125+

*Nice restaurant:  $200 +

Theater: $20 – $250+ Typical price for a broadway-style show is around $100 – $150

Museum: Free – $25

Live music show: $15 – $100+

Transportation

**prices stated are in Argentine pesos**

Taxi: $7.30+ From Palermo to the Obelisk: $40

Bus: $1.10 – $1.75

Subway: $2.50

Train: $0.80-$4.30 (mainly used to go from the suburbs into Buenos Aires).

**prices stated are in Argentine pesos**

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Some interesting facts about Tandil

• Tandil has the second highest per capita earning in Argentina.  It is a very wealthy city, and this shows – the streets are clean, there are many nice houses, and the infrastructure is very good.
• Tandil is known for their picadas, because many of the countries sausages and cheeses come from this region.
• A lot of Argentina’s top athletes are from Tandil, and Tandil is also a very popular place for Argentine and international athletes to come and train.  Tandil is a great city to play sports in, because of their excellent infrastructure, and the result is a fitness orientated culture that has developed in the region.

What to do in Tandil

Tandil is a great spot to spend a couple days, but you could easily spend more time, by taking advantage of everything the city and surrounding area have to offer.

Dique

There is a decent sized lake in the city, created by a dike that was built in 1960.  You can rent canoes, kayaks and row-boats to boat around the lake in.  Some people go swimming, but it is not that common.  Its mainly for people training to be ironmen, triathletes, etc.

There is also a long-path around its perimeter, which is great for jogging, walking or biking.  If you feel like resting, there are many restaurants and cafes on the side opposite the dike.

Sierras

Tandil is surrounded by many large rocky hills, where you can take part in a variety of activities.   There are horseback rides that take you through some of the different spots.  Some are pretty standard, that involve lots of people in a line going up the mountain and then back down.  If this is not what you are looking for, there some other options where you go out with some more freedom, and can do some galloping, cantering, and have a little more control over where your horse goes, and you are able to get away from the more trodden route.

You can easily go trekking through the mountains.  All you need to do is get to the hills, which you can do by renting a bike or taking a remis. They are only about 5 min driving from the city.  You can also get your own private guide to take you trekking, who make sure to take you to the best spots and tell you about the area.

Other things to do in the hills include 4X4, zip-lines, rappelling, and climbing, and all of these are possible very near Tandil.

In the City

Although the city is nice, there isn’t much to do.  There is a history museum, a few decent restaurants and bars, typical spots such as churches, and that is about it.  The city is more about taking advantage of everything outdoors.

The main spot in the city is a very pretty central square, although surprisingly enough, there aren’t any good restaurants right on the square to enjoy the atmosphere. Nearby, you can find restaurants, cafes, and bars, making it a good spot to wander around at night.

Top Spots in Tandil

La Cautiva

Yrigoyen y Las Heras

Tel. (02293) 44-9433

A nice Little bar that often has live music.   People of all ages go to listen and to dance.  Highly recommended for a pleasant evening out on the town.

Carajo Parilla

Saavedra Lamas S/n

(2293) 43-6669

Good barbecued meats, with the best view in the city.  The restaurant has a beautiful patio overlooking the lake, making this an ideal spot for lunch, dinner, or an afternoon snack.  Although the quality of the meat is nothing out of the ordinary, they are cooked to crispy perfection.

Horseback Riding with Gabriel Barletta

Avellaneda 673

(02293) 427725

A true lover of horses, Gabriel is a gaucho not by birth, but by experience.  His horseback rides take you out into the sierras, away from people and into the wild.  He is very knowledgeable about the land, and will tell you all about the flora and fauna of the region.  His passion for what he does is obvious right from the beginning, and he will make sure to take you on a horseback ride you won’t forget.  The evening ride is especially recommended, because after Gaucho Gabriel sings Argentine folk songs while playing his guitar in front of a campfire.

Check out our page on hotels and accommodation in Tandil.

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Walking into Expanish, located in the energetic downtown Buenos Aires, I was immediately impressed with the organization and professional facilities. The entire building appeared brand new and decorated with tasteful colors and bright white walls. It was comfortable and inviting, something I believe is important when learning a language.

A student will start his/ her Spanish course with a well-constructed exam to make sure they are properly placed in the correct class. It doesn’t matter if you cannot speak one word of Spanish, as there are classes for all levels.  My teacher was an impressive instructor from the north of Argentina who approached our class with a professional and energetic attitude. Definitely never a dull moment throughout the whole week.

There are a variety of course options suitable to your level and your schedule. One can choose from an intensive Spanish course, business Spanish, one-to-one classes and more. A unique and extremely helpful option this school has is the Expanish Ultimate Spanish Crash Course, designed for those who need to learn the practical things and fast! If you are just passing through quickly and need to learn survival language skills, this course can provide you with a quick jolt of confidence to take on your travels.

Part of learning a language is learning a culture, and although there was an abundance of cultural activities and information throughout the institute, there was one particular thing that could be improved. Walking into the school, I greatly appreciated the staff members extending their hand in a friendly gesture of recognizing that in my culture (USA) we shake hands to greet one another. However, we are in Argentina and the way people greet one-another is with a kiss on the cheek. I think this cultural gesture should be applied to all students no matter where they are from, as this will help them to learn the Argentine culture…and to completely understand a language, you also have to understand the culture behind it.

Neverthless, Expanish has great facilities, friendly staff, and quality teachers.   I would recommend them to any traveler or expat in Buenos Aires who seeks a challenging yet fun environment to grow in your new language and make connections to others from around the world seeking the same common language as yourself.

Info:
Expanish Spanish School Buenos Aires
Email: Contact@expanish.com
Tel. 5411 52523040
URL: http://www.expanish.com/

Ashley Barnes is a freelance writer and photographer living in Buenos Aires.  She is also the co-founder of Somos2Photography.com, a company that specializes in Gay Wedding Photojournalism.

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Features:
197 guestrooms
Spa and Fitness Center
Business Center
Two Bars and Two Restaurants

Rooms include:
Bathrooms with LCD screen, Jacuzzi and shower box.
Butler service.
Flowers and seasonal fruit basket.
Pressing of two pieces of clothing per guest, on the arrival date.
Hermès de Paris toiletries.
Egyptian cotton bed linen.
Wi-Fi Internet.
Direct fax line on request.
Local Newspaper in room

Contact:
Av. Alvear 1891, Recoleta
Tel: 54 11 4808 2100
Reservation Toll Free from USA: 1877 457 6315
Web: http://www.alvearpalace.com
Av. Alvear 1891
C1129AAAA ‐ Buenos Aires,
Argentina
Tel: 54 11 4808 2100
Fax: 54 11 4804 0034
Reservation Toll Free from USA: 1877 457 6315
Web: http://www.alvearpalace.com

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This ship and its story can be visited in Puerto Madero, and is well worth it for anyone interested in boats or history. It is cheap, currently only $2 pesos, and you can walk through the majority of the boat. This is also a great attraction for kids, because you get to go under the surface of the boat, and see what the inside of a large sailing ship looked like.

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When someone thinks about the food in Argentina, beef is always the first thing to come to mind. Argentine´s claim it is the best in the world, and so do many foreigners. My personal opinion? It is excellent, but it is not the best in the world. I have tried steaks that are just as good in North America, where there is also some excellent, high quality beef. However, one of the great things about the beef here is high quality beef is easily accessible, and is not too expensive, especially when compared to other food prices. However, just like anywhere, the more you pay, the better the quality, and there is certainly meat that is not worth eating here.

You will find that Argentine beef is definitely a little different than beef in other parts of the world. First of all, in most parts of the world, the cattle tend to be grain fed. Here in Argentina, they have lots of space and the cattle is generally grass fed. Grass fed cattle usually has less marbling, and grows slower, meaning the beef that you eat is older. However, I´m not an expert on the process of Argentine beef, but somehow, they have beef with lots of marbling, and it is very very tender. Some rib eye and filet mignon steaks here practically dissolve in your mouth, and have a delicious buttery flavor!

The beef is nearly always cooked on BBQ using different types of charcoal, which gives it a nice smoky taste. They do not season the meat here, other than a little bit of salt. Be prepared for plain beef, there are no steak rubs here! I am quite fine with that, because the beef is so good, and it does have a great BBQ’d flavor. However, if you like a little flavor added to your meat, the beef here is served with Chimi-Churri, which is a mixture of spices, vinager, and oil. It is always served on the side, and is up to you if you want to put it on your steak!

Some of the cuts of beef here are different, so many times there is no exact translation. Here is a list of the most common, in Spanish and English, and I explain what each cut is like.

Ojo de bife (Rib-Eye) – this is my favorite cut of meat. It is usually fairly tender, well marbled, with excellent flavor.Bife de Lomo (Filet Mignon) – the most expensive cut, also the most tender. Should have very little to no fat. Flavor is good, but not as strong as some of the other cuts. In general, one of the best things you can order on the menu. Filets here in Argentina are deliciously tender!

Bife de Chorizo (new york strip loin) – a good Argentine bife de chorizo is prettty hard to beat.  This cut is from the same part of the cow as a strip loin, so you can expect a juicy and very flavorful cut of meat.  There is some marbeling, and if you get a cheap cut, it can be really fatty.

Vacío (flank steak) – this is a delicious cut of meat and it is not available in most parts of the world. It is a thin cut of meat, from the flank, and has a thin layer of fat on both sides. A good quality vacío is tender, flavorful and very juicy, contains no fat (other than the layer surrounding it.   Argentines love this cut (it is a must have at an asado), especially how the outside gets crispy when cooked slowly over coals.  It is also an interesting cut for foreigners because it is usually a cut they have never tried.  It is important to get good quality vacío, or you could end up with a leathery piece of meat, with more fat than anything else.

Asado/Asado de Tira (short/cross cut ribs) – they are served differently than in North America, as the ribs are cut very short. There is not usually a lot of meat around the ribs, but they are quite flavorful. Another staple that is always served at an Argentine asado.

Asado de Costillar (beef rib) – this is not a common cut in Argentine, but if you can find them, they are delicious! The meat is very tender and juicy, and without too much fat. They are usually preferable to the standard asado de tira, because they are far meatier!

Matambre (similar to a flank steak) – a tougher cut, but can be very juicy and flavorful.  It can be found in various thicknesses, and is often served with a layer of fat on one side.  It is similar to a flank steak,  but comes from a part just beside it.  This cut is not usually found in North America.

Colita de Cuadril (rump steak) – this is the tail end of the rump. Great cut, can be done on the BBQ, or makes a great roast in the oven. Flavorful, very juicy, and very little fat.

Bola de Lomo (knuckle) – located just beside the colita de cuadril, this is the most common cut for milanesas and for lomito sandwiches.  It is a decent cut and can be found very cheap in Argentina.  It is juicy, fairly tender, and does not contain much fat.

Tapa de Nalga (top inside round) – Located beside the Bola de Lomo off of the cows leg near the kneecap.  A very cheap cut, it is somewhat tough.  Is mostly used in stews.

Peceto (eye of round) – comes from the very top of the cow’s rump.  This is a great cut usually used for roasts, but is also sometimes cut into medallions to be served as milanesas.  It is a bit tough, but has good flavor and very little fat.

Entraña (skirt steak) – a bit tough, but very flavorful and juicy. This is a fairly common piece of meat for Argentine asados.

Bife Angosto (strip loin) – located along the back of the cow, from the back ribs to the rump. Lots of marbeling, and usually one edge is covered in fat. A cheap option for beef, and usually a bit tough.

There you have it, the major cuts of Argentine Beef. There are still some other cuts, if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I will answer what I can.

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Buenos Aires Sightseeing Tours

Whether you’re walking, biking, or busing, there are plenty of options for Buenos Aires city tours. we recommend some of your options for seeing the sites of Buenos Aires.

Walking Tours in Buenos Aires

BA Free Tour
BA Free Tour offers two separate tours offered daily from Monday through Saturday. Tours are free, but this is slightly misleading as tips are expected. However, this will still be much cheaper than other tours available.

The tour guides are native Argentineans, and they are all trained in tourism. They are very knowledgeable about Buenos Aires, and although they are not native English speakers, they are able to express themselves cleanly. A great option for those who don´t want to spend the extra money for a premium tour.

More Info: http://www.bafreetour.com

Buenos Tours
Alan, an expat from the UK, started Buenos Tours a few years ago, and it has become one of the premium walking tours of Buenos Aires. Although one of the more expensive walking tours, they are some of the best, and all tour guides are very well informed and most importantly, native English speakers!

More info: http://www.buenostours.com

Wine Tours in Buenos Aires

Wine Tour Urbano
There aren´t many “wine tours” per say in Buenos Aires, although there are plenty of options for wine tastings. The closest you will find to a wine tour in the capital is called “Wine Tour Urbano.” Every season, they team up with different shops in one of Buenos Aires’ most popular neighborhoods (usually Palermo or San Telmo). You are given a glass, and go from shop to shop where they serve you different wines.

It is a fun, social event and will provide you a great opportunity to learn more about Argentine wine. The organizers speak English and Spanish, as do most of the shop owners.

For more information: http://www.winetoururbano.com.ar/

Buenos Aires Tours by Bus

Tourist Bus
Tour Buenos Aires in an open-topped double decker bus that stops at various points of interest in the city of Buenos Aires. Between stops, you can listen to information about the city as you pass by the city’s landmarks. You can get off the bus at any of their stops, and get back on any of the following buses, which come by every half hour.

This is a great way to see the city while learning more about it. The information about the landmarks isn´t as good as what you get on an organized tour, but still helps you gain a better understanding of Buenos Aires. It also makes it easy to get around to the different landmarks, without having to worry about taking taxis or buses.

You can buy tickets at any of the city’s tourism offices, online, or on the bus itself. It is an expensive service, but if you plan on going all over the city in one day, it is worth it, especially if you’re not comfortable taking a taxi.

More info: http://www.buenosairesbus.com/english/index_eng.htm

Tours of Attractions

Most of Buenos Aires’ major attractions offer tours, and there is nearly always an option for tours in English. The tours in English are often offered less frequently, and depending on the attraction, may not be available every day. To make things even more complicated, times and days that tours are offered are always changing….which is why you should contact the attractions in advance.

We recommend you do tours of the attractions as much as possible, especially for the cemetery, the MNBA, the MALBA. You will gain a far greater appreciation for them, and learn much more about Buenos Aires. A visit to these attractions without a tour is a totally different experience.

Buenos Aires Bike Tours

This is a great way to see a lot of Buenos Aires without ever taking a taxi or bus. There are plenty of places where you can rent bikes in BA, and most of these places offer organized bike tours of Buenos Aires.

La Bicicleta Naranja
They offer four different tours throughout the city, and if you prefer to go on your own, they have their own maps that they give out with suggested circuits. The also offer GPS service, which is great for those who don´t know their way around the city.

They have two rental locations, one in San Telmo and one in Palermo, meaning there is probably one close to you.

More info: http://www.labicicletanaranja.com.ar

biketours.com.ar
They offer a nice selection of tours, including a full day trip out to Tigre and San Isidro. They meet right by the San Martin statue in the Plaza San Martin, and provide you with everything you need, including rain wear and even a bottle of water.

Art Tours in Buenos Aires

Artists Atelier Tour
En exclusive tour that gives you the chance to meet some of Buenos Aires’ top contemporary artists, in their own studio.

The tour meets at the Galeria de Arte 5006, followed by a visit to 3 or 4 studios where you meet with the artists. Tours are never more than 10 people, meaning you can really meet and converse with the artists. After visiting the studios, the tour ends with a cocktail reception back at Galeria de Arte 5006.

The tour is one of the most expensive you will find ($100 US) but this can be used towards the purchase of art from the gallery.

More info: http://www.arttour.com.ar/

Graffiti Tours
If you are looking for something a little different, Graffiti Mundo offers street art tours, where they take you around Palermo and talk about the different works of Graffiti and the artists that put them there.

More info: http://graffitimundo.com

Self Guided Tours of Buenos Aires

If guided Buenos Aires day tours are not your thing, you may want to try some self guided tours.

BUE.gov.ar
The government of Buenos Aires Aires has put together 18 different circuits, accompanied by a small pintable guide with information about the points of interest. 12 of these circuits are supported by “cellphone audio guides.” This means you dial a number on your cellphone, and it will talk about the point of interest you select. If you have an ipod, you can download the audio information, and listen to the points of interest through your headphones.

Personalized Tours to Buenos Aires

Are you looking for someone to plan and arrange your trip for you? EntreArgentina is a tour company that organizes custom tours in Buenos Aires and throughout Argentina. The company is run by an Expat who has lived and explored Buenos Aires for two years, and they offer an on-call bilingual tour guide who can help you whenever you need it. They know the city inside and out, making this is a great option for those who want to organize the perfect trip to Argentina.
More info: Buenos Aires Tours

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The lagoon is surrounded by a long road, where you will find people doing all kinds of sports – walking, jogging, roller-blading, biking, playing roller-hockey (yes, roller hockey in Buenos Aires!), or just wandering around.   The path is 1.7 km long, and is marked every 100M, making it a great place to go running.  You can rent bikes and rollerblades, so those that don´t have their own can still take part in the activities.

There is also plenty of grass, so it is ideal to lie in the sun or have a picnic.  The park is full of beautiful trees, including palm trees, and is very picturesque.  Should you feel like eating something, the road is lined with parillas, and mini-kiosks.

If all of these weren´t reason enough to go, there is also the Eduardo Sivori museum with a little café in the back.   The museum is usually free, although they will sometimes charge up to $2 pesos depending on what the exhibit is.   The exhibits are always rotating, and are a combination of paintings, sculptures, and drawings, usually with a modern art style.

Bottom Line: One of the nicest parks in the city.  If you want to spend some time in the sun, this is the place to go.

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Argentine Castellano, or better said, caste-SH-ano, is significantly different from all other forms of Castellano (which means the Spanish language).    If you have come here to learn Spanish, be aware that there are many differences, and you will be learning a Spanish that differs a lot from Spanish spoken in all other countries.  That being said, it is still the same language, so it is not a bad thing to learn it here.

There are two major differences in Argentine Castellano that distinguish it from the Castellano spoken in other countries.  These differences are the intonation, and the accent.

1- Intonation – the main reason the Argentine intonation is so different is because of the use of the Vos form.

Vos should not be confused with Vosotros.  In Argentina, when speaking using the 2nd person singular form, they use “Vos” instead of using “Tú” as is used in all other forms of castellano.  This Vos form is conjugated differently.
-  When using Vos, the stress comes on the last syllable of the verb, and for this reason, an accent has to be added.  Ex. Vos hablás – Tú hablas.  Vos cumplís – tú cumples.  Vos comés – tú comes.
-  The Vos form does not do the stem changes that the Tu form does  Ex.  Vos almorzás Tú almuerzas.  Vos querés – Tú quieres.  Vos pedís – Tú pides
**Important note – this difference only exists in the present.  The past, future, subjunctive, are all the same as the Tú form, although they still say Vos.  Ex. Vos fuiste

Commands - also change the intonation of Argentinian castellano.  A normal Tu (informal) command from castellano spoken in other countries has the stress on the 2nd to last syllable (assuming no direct or indirect object pronouns are used):  calla, manda, come, escribe.  In the Vos command form, similar to the present conjugation of verbs, the stress is on the last syllable: callá, mandá, comé, escribí.   Of course, most commands usually have a pronoun attached, so here are some comparison examples of how the commands change.

Other Countries    Argentina
mándamelo               mandámelo
ábrelo                        abrilo
cómelo                      comelo

The other thing to note with argentinian commands, is that they don´t have any irregular commands.   The ones that are irregular in other forms of castellano are regular in argentine.

Other Countries    Argentina
di                               decí
ven                             vení
haz                             hacé

Notice that with the Argentine command form, all you need to do is drop the r, and add an accent.  Really, it is easier than the tú commands.

The location of the stress of the vos form makes a big change in the intonation when speaking Spanish.  However, the intonation is also different here because of the countries Italian roots.  Remember, nearly half the population has Italian roots, and at one point, there were a large amount of Italian immigrants in Argentina.  If you´ve ever heard someone speak Italian, you know their intonation goes way up, and way down, various times in one sentence.  The argentines speak someone like that, way more so than Spanish speakers from other countries.

2- Accent – The Argentine accent is significantly different, namely the “shh” sound.  In Castellano, a “ll” o “y” make a “ye” sound.  This varies from country to country.  For example, in Columbia in is more of a “je” sound.  Here in Argentina, and more specifically Buenos Aires, it is a “sh” sound.  Hence, what you would pronounce “caste-YA-no” in Spain, here is pronounced “caste-SHa-no.”  The verb llegar in Spain is pronounced “Yay-gar” and here is pronounced “Shay-gar.”

So there you have it.  You now know why Argentine Spanish sounds so much different, and now you know how to speak proper Argentine Next step is to learn the Argentine slang and expressions!

Questions….comments?   Let me know!

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