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Simple Ecuadorian Spanish (Audiobook)
This audiobook is for anyone traveling to or working in Ecuador who wants a better understanding of the language and culture of this important country. Topics covered include word usage, slang, food, money, and many other core topics to enable you to communicate effectively within Ecuador. Additional vocabulary topics include travel, numbers, color, animals, places, body parts, greetings, manners, questions, verb usage, and many others. This useful guide will make your trip to Ecuador more fun and successful. A variety of instructional techniques are used across ten separate language sessions; this includes songs, games, exercises, learning cognates, sound effects, and other methods to create a memorable and engaging language learning experience. |
An Overview of Ecuadorian Spanish
Native speakers: 17 million.
Ecuadorian Spanish is any of several varieties of Spanish spoken in Ecuador. The three main variants are:
1. Equatorial Pacific Spanish or Equatorial Coastal Spanish
This Spanish variant is classified within the Equatorial Spanish dialect, which extends from the south Pacific coastal Colombia to the northern coast of Peru, crossing the Ecuadorian seacoast. The influential linguistic center of this dialectal region is the port city of Guayaquil.
The most remarkable feature of this variant, is the aspiration of the letter "s" at the end of words or when preceded by another consonant, often being pronounced as a smooth English "h". Likewise, letter "j" is not pronounced as strongly as in other variants [x] but rather smoothly and aspirated [h]. These features are shared with many coastal Latin American Spanish dialects along with Canary Islands.
Thus, this dialect set the phonemical axis of accentual-tonal transition throughout the American varieties of Spanish,[citation needed] which extends geographically from the northern semi-low intonation of Central American and the Caribbean dialects (since only the European variants of Spanish are particularly low-pitched) to the sharp high intonation characteristic of the lands located south, typical of Peru, Chile and Argentina.
Therefore, the variant of Spanish spoken in the Ecuadorian coast and its neighboring western Andean plains, shares many features of both Caribbean dialects of northern Colombia and Venezuela, as well as some southern features of the Peruvian seaboard, making identification of this dialect difficult to the ears of an outsider.
In addition, this variant has incorporated into its lexicon a number of words shared with other dialects of Ecuador which are understood only within the country. These words come mostly from the Andean Spanish dialects of Ecuador, with strong influences from Quichua (Northern Quechua), although the Quechua language had no historical presence in the Ecuadorian coast. This is the case of the Quechua-origin word "ñaño" (brother) which is widespread throughout the country.
Other regions in the Coast tend to speak a very similar dialect to the one spoken in the city of Guayaquil, due to its influence, specially in urban areas. Slight local variations may be found, however.
2. Andean Spanish
In the highlands of Ecuador, a variant of Spanish is spoken, often confused by foreigners with Chilango Spanish—the dialect spoken in Mexico City—due to its similarities. However, it can be subdivided in four dialects:
The Spanish spoken in the Ecuadorian Andes tends to have many idioms borrowed from Quechua, the native language spoken by the indigenous from this region. Words such as ñaño (which is used by many to refer to brother or "bro", while ñaña would mean sister) or choclo (corn) are widely used by people of any ethnicity or social class in this area.
Voseo (the substitution of the second-person pronoun tú for vos) is also very common in this region of the country, used only for informal conversations between friends or relatives.
Word-final /s/ is often voiced to [z] before a vowel or before a voiced consonant (including sonorants), but the latter is also a feature of most other Spanish dialects.
3. Amazonic Spanish
The Amazonian region has a variant similar to the Central Andean dialect, though there are little differences. For instance, the quijo population from the northern areas, use the 2nd pronoun tú but conjugate the following verb with the 3rd person, usted.
Source: Wikipedia
Ecuadorian Spanish is any of several varieties of Spanish spoken in Ecuador. The three main variants are:
1. Equatorial Pacific Spanish or Equatorial Coastal Spanish
This Spanish variant is classified within the Equatorial Spanish dialect, which extends from the south Pacific coastal Colombia to the northern coast of Peru, crossing the Ecuadorian seacoast. The influential linguistic center of this dialectal region is the port city of Guayaquil.
The most remarkable feature of this variant, is the aspiration of the letter "s" at the end of words or when preceded by another consonant, often being pronounced as a smooth English "h". Likewise, letter "j" is not pronounced as strongly as in other variants [x] but rather smoothly and aspirated [h]. These features are shared with many coastal Latin American Spanish dialects along with Canary Islands.
Thus, this dialect set the phonemical axis of accentual-tonal transition throughout the American varieties of Spanish,[citation needed] which extends geographically from the northern semi-low intonation of Central American and the Caribbean dialects (since only the European variants of Spanish are particularly low-pitched) to the sharp high intonation characteristic of the lands located south, typical of Peru, Chile and Argentina.
Therefore, the variant of Spanish spoken in the Ecuadorian coast and its neighboring western Andean plains, shares many features of both Caribbean dialects of northern Colombia and Venezuela, as well as some southern features of the Peruvian seaboard, making identification of this dialect difficult to the ears of an outsider.
In addition, this variant has incorporated into its lexicon a number of words shared with other dialects of Ecuador which are understood only within the country. These words come mostly from the Andean Spanish dialects of Ecuador, with strong influences from Quichua (Northern Quechua), although the Quechua language had no historical presence in the Ecuadorian coast. This is the case of the Quechua-origin word "ñaño" (brother) which is widespread throughout the country.
- Guayaquil accent: One of the most outstanding accents of the region is the one from the city of Guayaquil, the largest city in the country. Being an important large city that has grown demographically through immigration, both national and international, many dialectal variations may be found mainly associated with social class, ethnicity and schooling level. In general, the "s" sound is dropped or aspirated when it is at the end of the syllables while women tend to overpronounce the letter "s" by saying a deaf elongated sound, especially in the beginning of the syllables. Among the higher-schooled classes, the tendency is to correct the accent towards a more standard Spanish, as well as to incorporate foreign words -especially from English- into its lexicon. Amongst the lower-schooled people, other variations may be found. There is a group of people who tend to share their intonation with the coastal farmers (known as "montubio"). Another group of people tend to have a stronger intonation, which is generally known as "street language" featured by pronouncing letter "s" as an English "sh" [ʃ], in addition to a series of words in their lexicon that are not always understood by other speakers in the region.
- Montubio accent: This the dialect spoken by the local peasants of the rural areas of the Guayas, Los Rios and Manabi provinces, known as montubio. They tend to emphasize the first syllable of most words and to pronounce both the "s" and the "z" like the sound [θ] (like th in think). This phonological type is called ceceo which is also common in some Andalusian Spanish dialects; while some montubios do not to pronounce the "s" at all at the end of the words.
- Esmeraldas accent: The province of Esmeraldas, on the other hand, presents a very different variant noticeable to the rest of the region, with a strong African component, which closely resembles the accent spoken in the bordering coastal region of Colombia (known there as "Chocoano" dialect). Since this region has a majority of people of African origin, this dialect tends to be a little stronger, featuring both lexical and intonation differences.
- Manabí accent: The accent spoken in the province of Manabí is somewhat similar to the dialect spoken in Guayaquil, though slight variations in intonation and lexicon make it distinct and easily identifiable as a separate variety within the Ecuadorian coastal dialect.
Other regions in the Coast tend to speak a very similar dialect to the one spoken in the city of Guayaquil, due to its influence, specially in urban areas. Slight local variations may be found, however.
2. Andean Spanish
In the highlands of Ecuador, a variant of Spanish is spoken, often confused by foreigners with Chilango Spanish—the dialect spoken in Mexico City—due to its similarities. However, it can be subdivided in four dialects:
- Pastuso Spanish (spoken in the Carchi province, at the border with Colombia and similar to the one spoken at the other side of the border, in the Colombian province of Nariño).
- Chota Valley dialect, spoken only amongst the people of African descent that live in this valley of the province of Imbabura. It is a mix of the Highland Central dialect with African dialects, though different from the one spoken in the Coastal province of Esmeraldas.
- Central Andean, the dialect spoken in Quito and most of the Highlands.
- Morlaco Spanish, the dialect spoken in the city of Cuenca and the surrounding areas (provinces of Azuay and Cañar). Its main feature is the "singing" accent they have, many syllables being stressed where they don't correspond. As in the native languages of the region, the phoneme /r/ tends to be realized as a fricative trill [r̝], akin to the letter ⟨ř⟩ in the Czech language. Plus, this zone has a lot of own idiomatic expressions not used elsewhere in the country.
- Southern Highlander, the one spoken in the province of Loja. This variant is maybe the most neutral from the Highlands region, but with a special feature, known in Spanish as lleismo (the ancient Castillian way of pronouncing ll [ʎ] as opposed to the yeísmo that is widespread in the rest of the Spanish speaking world where the sounds for ll and y are pronounced as y [ʝ]). For instance, the word "pollo" (chicken) would be pronounced "polio".
The Spanish spoken in the Ecuadorian Andes tends to have many idioms borrowed from Quechua, the native language spoken by the indigenous from this region. Words such as ñaño (which is used by many to refer to brother or "bro", while ñaña would mean sister) or choclo (corn) are widely used by people of any ethnicity or social class in this area.
Voseo (the substitution of the second-person pronoun tú for vos) is also very common in this region of the country, used only for informal conversations between friends or relatives.
Word-final /s/ is often voiced to [z] before a vowel or before a voiced consonant (including sonorants), but the latter is also a feature of most other Spanish dialects.
3. Amazonic Spanish
The Amazonian region has a variant similar to the Central Andean dialect, though there are little differences. For instance, the quijo population from the northern areas, use the 2nd pronoun tú but conjugate the following verb with the 3rd person, usted.
Source: Wikipedia
Ecuadorian Spanish Learning Books
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Ecuadorian Slang Words
This is an essential resource for anyone looking to improve their understanding of Ecuadorian Spanish and immerse themselves in the local culture. The book is organized in a user-friendly format, with mandala pages dedicated to Ecuadorian slang, including popular expressions, idioms, and regional variations. Each entry provides an explanation of the meaning of the slang word or phrase, as well as examples of how it is used in context. In addition to being an informative resource, Ecuador Slang Words is also a fun and engaging read, offering readers a unique insight into the rich and diverse Ecuadorian culture. Whether you're a language learner, a traveler, or simply someone with an interest in the Spanish language and Latin American culture, this book is sure to broaden your horizons and deepen your understanding of the Ecuadorian people and their language. |
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Spanish Slang Ecuador
This book contains over 3000 unique slang words and phrases from Ecuador's vast lexicon, many of which are not found in standard Spanish dictionaries. Those who who already have a firm command of the Spanish language will find it to be useful in their understanding and communications with Ecuadorians. Readers are advised that some of the words and phrases included in the book may be found to be offensive and not politically correct. Care should always be taken by anyone when first learning certain slang words and phrases in conversations with others. Spanish Slang Ecuador will undoubtedly provide you one of the keys to unlocking the unique, complicated, and intricate culture of Ecuador, the "Jewel of the Andes". |
Ecuadorian Spanish Language Courses
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1-on-1 Spanish tutoring at italki
One-on-one language tutoring at italki is hands down the most efficient way to reach language fluency. That's why it is the most popular platform today for learning a language online. You can practice conversational skills under different real-world scenarios with a native speaker tutor of your choice who provides you with undivided attention and customized lessons that cater to your learning needs and interests. Whether you’re at home, at the airport, or at your local park, you have complete access to learning Ecuadorian Spanish or any other language you want with a native speaker from any country of your choice. SPECIAL OFFER: Get $10 italki credits by joining via this link. |
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Spanish Uncovered: The World’s First StoryLearning Spanish Home Study Course
This new, science-based language learning method was invented by polyglot language expert Olly Richards, who has authored more than a dozen best-selling language books available in bookstores around the world and on Amazon.com. This was the method he used to learn eight languages, and is the exact same method he has been using to help thousands of students learn Spanish. The course comes in both Castilian and Latin American versions, which means that it works for you whatever variety of Spanish you're learning. Find out more! |
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Baselang's Real World 1-on-1 Spanish tutoring
This top-rated program offers UNLIMITED 1-on-1 Spanish tutoring where you can take as many online Spanish classes as you want, on a daily basis if you wish, with their professional teachers from all around Latin America for a monthly flat rate. Baselang's classes are specifically tailored to your level, from zero to advanced. Don't miss this amazing opportunity! |
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Preply
Preply is a global online language learning platform designed to promote faster learning with one-on-one online tutors. It connects language tutors with millions of learners from all over the world. You can choose from thousands of Spanish teachers from any country of your choice available in the platform. Book a lesson with a private Spanish teacher today and start learning. Not entirely happy with your tutor? No worries, Preply offers free tutor replacement till you're 100% satisfied. |
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Apple Language Spanish Course in Ecuador
At Apple Language's Spanish schools in Ecuador, students learn Spanish in mini-groups of just 5 students per class, offering each student lots of personal attention. You can combine your Spanish course with a trip to the incredible Galapagos Islands, or to the Amazonian rain forests – both part of Ecuador! Also, you can learn at one of its schools in Ecuador or divide your Spanish course between its three schools in Ecuador, or study at its Ecuador language schools and at another of its schools in Latin America. |
Ecuadorian Spanish Learning Podcasts
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Ecuadorian Spanish Phone Conversations
This site contains hundreds of natural phone conversations on a broad range of topics, recorded by Ecuadorian native speakers at normal conversation speed. Perfect for improving your listening skills. Courtesy of Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. |
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Podcast on Ecuador by Lengalia
Listen to native speakers from Ecuador telling interesting facts about their country, culture and language in Ecuadorian Spanish accent. |
Ecuadorian Spanish Learning Blogs
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29 Ecuadorian Slang Words To Sound Less Like A Tourist
An excellent blog article on Ecuadorian Spanish slang by Baselang. With Baselang's UNLIMITED 1-on-1 online Spanish tutoring you can take as many online Spanish classes as you want with their professional teachers for a monthly flat rate. Don't miss the opportunity! |
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103 Ecuadorian Slang Words to Give Vim and Vigor to Your Spanish
A great blog article on Ecuadorian Spanish slang by FluentU. |
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Ecuadorian Slang Terms
An awesome blog article on Ecuadorian Spanish slang by Live Lingua. |
1-on-1 Ecuadorian Spanish Lessons at italki
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italki is the most flexible and affordable language learning platform that connects students with the most dedicated teachers around the world for 1-on-1 online language tutoring through video chat. At italki, you can choose an experienced Ecuadorian Spanish teacher for your personal tutor based on your goals and interests.
Here is a step-by-step instruction to find a native Ecuadorian Spanish teacher at italki:
Good luck and enjoy your lesson! |
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