Which Spanish Dialect Should I Learn?

Have you ever found yourself wondering whether you should focus on Mexican Spanish, Argentinian Spanish, or the Spanish spoken in Spain? You're not alone.

“Which Spanish dialect should I learn?” is one of the most common questions I get, and Greg from Chicago has asked me about it too:

Is it better for me as a learner to expose myself widely to all the different varieties of Spanish and to interact with speakers from many different countries, or is it better to really get a solid grounding in one particular variety and just focus on that?”

It's the kind of question that seems so simple on the surface, yet leaves you overthinking for weeks. Should you spread yourself thin across multiple dialects, or dive deep into one?

Let me share my unique perspective on this Spanish dialect dilemma, based on years of learning Spanish.

If you prefer watching videos to reading, hit play on the video version of this post at the top of this page. Otherwise, here's what you'll discover in this post:

The Spanish Dialect Dilemma: Why This Question Matters

When you're asking “which Spanish dialect should I learn?”, you're really asking about strategy.

Spanish is spoken by over 500 million people across more than 20 countries, and yes, the differences between varieties can be significant.

The pronunciation alone can throw you for a loop. The rolled Rs of Mexican Spanish sound nothing like the soft, almost whispered S sounds of Argentinian Spanish.

Then there's vocabulary – a car is coche in Spain, carro in Mexico and auto in Argentina. Even basic grammar structures can vary.

But here's the thing that most language learning advice gets wrong: they make this choice seem more critical than it actually is.

My Personal Journey With Spanish Varieties

I learned Spanish without ever strategically choosing a dialect, and this natural progression taught me everything I know about handling Spanish varieties. Let me walk you through my journey:

Stage 1: Colombian Spanish (Age 19-20)

My first exposure to Spanish came through my Colombian-French girlfriend while I was living in Paris. She taught me basic words and phrases in Colombian Spanish – my foundation was set without me even realising it.

Stage 2: The Spain Shock

When I travelled to Spain shortly after, I remember arriving and not understanding a word. The accent was so different from Colombian Spanish that it felt like an entirely different language. It was a proper shock to the system.

Stage 3: Canary Islands Intensive (2 years)

Back in London, I met someone from the Canary Islands, and this became my most intensive Spanish experience. We spent nearly two years speaking only Spanish together – this is where I really cut my teeth with the language.

Stage 4: The Argentina Challenge (6 months)

A few years later, I moved to Argentina for six months. Once again, I arrived and didn't understand a word. Different accent, different grammar, different everything. But here's the crucial bit – after five or six months, it became normal.

Stage 5: London's Spanish Melting Pot

Returning to London, I began meeting Spanish speakers from all over the world. This diversity became one of my greatest language learning assets.

“What I learned from that whole saga was that flexibility is absolutely fine, and you will adapt to different varieties of Spanish as and when you need to.”

Olly Richards, Linguist and Author

The Deep vs Wide Principle: Focus Beats Variety

Through my experience and years of teaching languages, I've discovered a fundamental principle that applies whether you're learning to cook, swim, or speak Spanish: you learn more by going narrow and deep rather than wide and shallow.

Think about it this way:

• If you were learning to cook, would you try to master Italian, French, Chinese and Mexican cuisine simultaneously?
• Or would you become excellent at one style first, then expand your repertoire?

The same logic applies to Spanish dialects. When you focus on one variety and truly master it, something magical happens: the other Spanish varieties become much easier to understand and adapt to.

Why Mastery In One Dialect Transfers To Others

Here's the key insight most people miss – if you're at a lower level and constantly switching between Bolivian Spanish, Colombian Spanish, and Peninsular Spanish, you'll struggle with all of them. Your brain is trying to process too many variables at once.

But if you reach a higher level in one dialect first, you develop:

• Strong foundational grammar that applies across all varieties
• Confident pronunciation patterns you can adapt
• Advanced vocabulary that gives you context clues for regional differences
• Cultural understanding that helps you navigate communication styles

“Once you reach a higher level in one of the varieties of Spanish, the rest of them are going to be much easier to understand.”

Olly Richards, Linguist and Author

Which Spanish Dialect Should I Learn? Decision Framework

Instead of agonising over the perfect choice, use this practical framework to help you answer the question, “which Spanish dialect should I learn?”:

1. Follow Your Natural Opportunities

• Do you have Spanish-speaking friends from a particular country?
• Are there local Spanish communities near you?
• Have you booked a trip to a specific Spanish-speaking region?

If yes to any of these, that's your dialect. Real-world practice trumps theoretical perfection every time.

2. Consider Your Goals

• Business: Mexican Spanish (largest Spanish-speaking market)
• Travel: Depends on your destinations, but Mexican or Peninsular Spanish offer good coverage
• Culture/Media: Follow your interests (Argentinian for literature, Mexican for films, Spanish for classical works)

3. Look at Available Resources

Which dialect do you have the best access to through:

• Native speakers for conversation practice
• Quality learning materials
• Engaging content (films, podcasts, books)

4. When in Doubt, Start Anywhere

Seriously. The “perfect” choice doesn't exist, but the choice to start does matter. You can always adapt later.

The Flexibility Principle: How To Handle Multiple Dialects

Here's what I learned from my multi-dialect journey – flexibility isn't just helpful, it's inevitable. Once you start using Spanish in the real world, you'll encounter different varieties whether you planned for it or not.

Here are some practical strategies for dialect flexibility:

• Expose Yourself Gradually: Once you're comfortable with your chosen dialect, start watching films or listening to music from other Spanish-speaking countries. Don't study them formally – just let your ear get accustomed to the differences.
• Focus on Similarities: When you encounter a new dialect, notice what stays the same rather than what changes. The core grammar and most vocabulary remain consistent.
• Embrace the Learning Curve: My Argentina experience was confusion for the first week, then adaptation. This is normal and temporary.
• Ask Questions: Native speakers love explaining regional differences. “How would you say this in your country?” is a great conversation starter.

3 Common Spanish Dialect Mistakes To Avoid

1. The “Just in Case” Trap: Don't fall into what I call “just in case” learning – trying to cover every possible dialect scenario before you've mastered the basics. This usually means you end up learning nothing well instead of something excellently.
2. Paralysis by Analysis: Some learners spend more time researching which dialect to choose than actually learning Spanish. Pick one and start. You can always course-correct later.
3. Ignoring Natural Opportunities: If you have a Colombian colleague who's willing to help you practice, don't dismiss that opportunity because you've decided Mexican Spanish is “better” for your goals.

Which Spanish Dialect Should I Learn FAQ

The Bottom Line On Which Spanish Dialect Should I Learn?

After years of learning and teaching languages, here's my honest advice: choose one Spanish dialect, dive deep, but stay open to natural opportunities for variety.

The truth is, asking “which Spanish dialect should I learn?” is a bit like asking which ingredient you should master first when learning to cook. The answer matters less than the commitment to actually start cooking.

Your Spanish dialect choice should be based on practical factors – available resources, speaking partners, personal interests – rather than trying to optimise for every possible future scenario.

Once you're conversational in one variety, adapting to others becomes a natural progression rather than a mountain to climb.

“There's really no particular advantage to going after a whole bunch of different varieties. You've still got to get to grips with the basic learning of the language.”

Olly Richards, Linguist and Author

The goal isn't to speak every variety of Spanish perfectly. It's to communicate effectively and confidently with Spanish speakers, regardless of where they're from. And that skill comes from depth of practice, not breadth of exposure.

So stop overthinking it. Pick a dialect, find good resources, start speaking, and trust the process. Your Spanish journey is waiting – and it's going to be brilliant regardless of which variety you choose to begin with.

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.