If you learned Spanish in Mexico, Spain, Colombia, or in a textbook, you probably speak good Spanish… but come to Buenos Aires and suddenly everyone sounds like they’re speaking another language.
Welcome to Argentine Spanish. 😄
The pronunciation, the grammar, the vocabulary, even the rhythm are different. So if you’re:
- An expat in Argentina
- A digital nomad in Argentina working from Palermo or Córdoba
- Retired in Argentina and building a new life here
- Doing business in Argentina
- Being fluent in Argentinian Spanish.
- Or planning a big trip to Argentina
Learning how we really speak will change everything about how you connect with locals.
In this post, we’ll use the “script” from one of my lessons and turn it into a clear guide to:
- The Argentine “sh” sound (Y and LL)
- The vos pronoun (our special “you”)
- How to conjugate regular verbs with vos
- The most common irregular verbs with vos
- How to start sounding more like a local porteño/porteña and less like a textbook student
If you want to Learn Spanish in Argentina, this is one of your first big steps.
Why Argentine Spanish Feels So Different
Argentina Spanish (often called Argentine Spanish or español argentino) is still Spanish, of course. But it has a very unique flavor:
- We use vos instead of tú
- We pronounce Y and LL like an English “sh” or “zh”
- We have our own slang (lunfardo)
- Our intonation is influenced by Italian immigration
That’s why if you arrive speaking very Mexican, Colombian, or “neutral” Spanish, people will understand you… but you won’t sound local, and sometimes you won’t catch what they say.
This post focuses on the first keys to sounding Argentinian:
- A special pronunciation rule
- A special pronoun (vos) and its conjugations
Master these, and your Spanish will already sound much more like someone Living in Buenos Aires, not just visiting for a week.
The Famous “Sh” Sound: Y and LL in Argentine Spanish
In many Spanish-speaking countries, the letter Y and the double LL sound like:
- “Y” in yes
- Or a soft “j” like in some English “you”
How Argentines Pronounce “Yo”, “Llamar”, “Ella”, “Pollo”
- yo (I) → sounds like “yo”
- llamar (to call) → “ya-mar”
- ella (she) → “e-ya”
In Argentine Spanish, especially in Buenos Aires and much of the country, we pronounce:
Y + vowel and LL + vowel like an English “sh” or soft “zh”.
So:
- yo → sho (I)
- llamar → shamar or “sha-MAR” (to call)
- ella → e-sha (she)
- pollo (chicken) → roughly “po-sho”
- lluvia (rain) → “shuvia”
This is called yeísmo rehilado, but don’t worry about the fancy name. Just remember:
If you see Y or LL before a vowel in Argentine Spanish, think “sh”.
A few examples you’ll hear all the time in a trip to Argentina:
- Yo soy de Estados Unidos. → “Sho soy de Estados Unidos.”
I’m from the United States.
- Ella vive en Palermo. → “Esha vive en Palermo.”
She lives in Palermo.
- ¿Me llamás mañana? → “¿Me shamás mañana?”
Will you call me tomorrow?
Pronouncing this correctly is one of the fastest ways to stop sounding like a generic Traveler and start sounding more like an Argentinian local.
Meet “Vos”: The Argentinian “You”
The second big change you must understand is the pronoun for “you.”
In most Spanish classes, you learn:
- tú = you (informal, singular)
- usted = you (formal, singular)
Vos vs. Tú vs. Usted in Argentine Spanish
In Argentina (and Uruguay, and some other regions), we usually don’t use tú in everyday casual speech. Instead, we use:
vos = “you” (informal, singular)
So, in Rioplatense / Argentine Spanish:
- tú trabajas (you work) → vos trabajás
- tú hablas → vos hablás
A few notes:
- In Buenos Aires, Patagonia, and much of central Argentina, vos is the normal casual “you.”
- In some areas (especially parts of the north), people still use tú more, or a mix of tú and vos.
- For formal “you”, we still use usted, like in other countries.
Example:
- Vos trabajás en una empresa. – You work at a company. (informal)
- Usted trabaja en una empresa. – You work at a company. (formal, polite; for clients, older people, etc.)
If you’re an expat in Argentina, a digital nomad in Argentina, or doing business in Argentina, understanding vos is essential. Even if you don’t use it at first, everyone will use it with you.
How “Vos” Changes the Verbs: Regular -AR, -ER, -IR
Now the important part: conjugation.
Just like in English we say:
- I am
- You are
- He is
…and not I is, Spanish verbs also change with the subject.
With vos, we change the verb endings and the stress.
Regular -AR Verbs (trabajar, hablar, mirar…)
Let’s take the verb trabajar (to work) as an example.
In standard tú Spanish:
- yo trabajo – I work
- tú trabajas – you work
- él/ella trabaja – he/she works
In Argentine vos Spanish:
- yo trabajo
- vos trabajás
- él/ella trabaja
Notice two things in vos trabajás:
- The ending is -ás (not -as)
- The stress is on the last syllable: trabaJÁS
More examples with -AR verbs:
- hablar (to speak)
- tú hablas → vos hablás – you speak
- mirar (to look/watch)
- tú miras → vos mirás – you watch
- estudiar (to study)
- tú estudias → vos estudiás
Pattern to remember:
For regular -AR verbs:
vos + root + -ás
vos trabajás, vos mirás, vos estudiás…
Perfect for Living in Buenos Aires and using sentences like:
- Vos trabajás desde casa, ¿no? – You work from home, right?
- ¿Vos estudiás español? – Do you study Spanish?
Regular -ER Verbs (comer, aprender, hacer…)
Now look at comer (to eat).
Standard tú:
- tú comes → you eat
With vos:
- vos comés – you eat
Again, stress on the final syllable: coMÉS.
More examples:
- aprender (to learn)
- tú aprendes → vos aprendés – you learn
- hacer (to do/make) – this one is a bit irregular in the “yo” form, but with vos it follows the pattern:
- tú haces → vos hacés – you do / you make
Pattern:
For regular-looking -ER verbs in Argentine Spanish:
vos + root + -és
vos comés, vos aprendés, vos hacés…
Sentences you’ll need as a Traveler or expat in Argentina:
- ¿Vos comés carne? – Do you eat meat?
- Vos hacés yoga, ¿no? – You do yoga, right?
Regular -IR Verbs (vivir, salir, recibir…)
For -IR verbs, with vos we typically use -ís.
Example: vivir (to live)
Standard tú:
- tú vives
Argentine vos:
- vos vivís – you live
Other examples:
- recibir (to receive)
- tú recibes → vos recibís
- escribir (to write)
- tú escribes → vos escribís
Pattern:
For regular -IR verbs:
vos + root + -ís
vos vivís, vos recibís, vos escribís…
You’ll use this all the time when you Learn Spanish in Argentina, for example:
- ¿Vos vivís en Buenos Aires? – Do you live in Buenos Aires?
- ¿En qué barrio vivís? – In which neighborhood do you live?
The Music of Vos: Long Vowels and Strong Stress
One thing my students love is what I call the “Italian singing” of Argentine Spanish.
With vos, we often:
- Put the stress on the last syllable
- Hold the vowel a bit longer
Listen to the difference:
- tú trabajas → TRA-ba-jas (more even)
- vos trabajás → traba-JÁS (strong and long “ás”)
- tú comes → CO-mes
- vos comés → co-MÉS
- tú vives → VI-ves
- vos vivís → vi-VÍS
That last syllable gets a bit of intensity, like singing. 🎵
This contributes to why Argentine Spanish sounds passionate and expressive, something you’ll feel immediately if you’re Retired in Argentina or spending longer periods interacting with locals.
The Most Important Irregular Verbs with Vos
Now let’s look at the verbs you actually use all the time in real life: the irregular ones.
I’ll give you:
- yo form (for reference)
- vos form
- English meaning
IR – To go (Argentine Spanish)
- yo voy
- vos vas – you go
This one is the same as the tú form (tú vas), so no big change in pronunciation.
¿Vos vas al banco ahora? – Are you going to the bank now?
Ser – To be (Argentine Spanish)
- yo soy
- vos sos – you are
Vos sos extranjero, ¿no? – You are a foreigner, right?
Vos sos jubilado. – You’re retired.
Very common for expats in Argentina when people ask about your background.
Estar – To be (Argentine Spanish)
- yo estoy
- vos estás – you are
¿Vos estás en Buenos Aires ahora? – Are you in Buenos Aires now?
¿Estás cansado? – Are you tired?
Here you see again the -ás ending and strong final stress.
Tener – To have (Argentine Spanish)
- yo tengo
- vos tenés – you have
Vos tenés reunión hoy. – You have a meeting today.
¿Tenés efectivo? – Do you have cash?
Super useful for Business in Argentina when talking about meetings, money, and schedules.
Hacer – To do / make (Argentine Spanish)
- yo hago
- vos hacés – you do / you make
¿Qué hacés en Argentina? – What do you do in Argentina?
Vos hacés home office. – You work from home.
Poder – Can / to be able to (Argentine Spanish)
- yo puedo
- vos podés – you can
¿Podés hablar más despacio? – Can you speak more slowly?
¿Podés pagar con tarjeta? – Can you pay by card?
Poner – To put (Argentine Spanish)
- yo pongo
- vos ponés – you put
Ponés tu firma acá. – You put your signature here.
Useful in banks, rentals, contracts for anyone Living in Buenos Aires or managing paperwork during a trip to Argentina.
Venir – To come (Argentine Spanish)
- yo vengo
- vos venís – you come
¿Cuándo venís a Argentina? – When are you coming to Argentina?
Venís seguido a Buenos Aires. – You come to Buenos Aires often.
Salir – To go out / to leave (Argentine Spanish)
- yo salgo
- vos salís – you go out / you leave
¿Salís hoy con tus amigos? – Are you going out with your friends today?
Mañana salís temprano. – You leave early tomorrow.
Decir – To say / tell (Argentine Spanish)
- yo digo
- vos decís – you say / you tell
¿Qué decís? – What are you saying? / What do you think?
Vos siempre decís la verdad. – You always tell the truth.
How to Practice ‘Vos’ and Sound More Argentinian
I know, it’s a lot. New sounds, new pronouns, new conjugations. But if your goal is to really Learn Spanish in Argentina, not just survive as a tourist, this is foundational.
Here’s how to practice:
- Pick 5–10 common verbs you use in your life
(trabajar, vivir, tener, ir, hacer, poder, comer, hablar, salir, venir) - Write them in a mini table:
- yo
- vos
Example with vivir:
- yo vivo – I live
- vos vivís – you live
- Say them out loud, exaggerating the stress and the “sh” sound where needed:
- yo llamo → “sho shamo”
- vos trabajás → trabaJÁS
- vos venís → veNÍS
Phrases You’ll Actually Use When Living in Buenos Aires
- If you’re a digital nomad in Argentina:
- Yo trabajo online y vos trabajás en una oficina.
- If you’re retired in Argentina:
- Ahora yo vivo acá y vos vivís en otro país.
- If you’re doing business in Argentina:
- ¿Vos venís a la reunión mañana?
From “Tourist Spanish” to “Argentine Spanish”
There’s a huge difference between:
- Speaking “ok” Spanish that works in many countries
- And speaking Argentine Spanish that makes people say:
“Che, hablás re bien, ¿eh?” (Wow, you speak really well, huh?)
If you want to really integrate:
- Build friendships
- Date locals
- Start a business in Argentina
- Or simply enjoy the city like someone Living in Buenos Aires, not just passing through
…then focusing on Argentine pronunciation + vos is the perfect first step.
Learn more with this video:
How I Can Help You Speak Argentinian Spanish
If you’re serious about traveling, moving to Argentina, or just finally learning the language that you’ve always wanted to speak — I’m here to help.
I’m Nicolas Gonzalez Miño, Argentine Spanish teacher, owner of the YouTube Channel “Spanish with Nico”, the founder of Spanish Mindset Academy – Learn Argentinian Spanish and the author of Mini Stories to Learn Spanish for Beginners, available on Amazon. Also, I have 2 podcast Argento Podcast, & Argentine Spanish from Scratch where I teach real Argentinian Spanish and slang.
In my YouTube Channel “Spanish with Nico”, with +1500 subscribers, I teach Spanish language and our dialect -Argentinian Spanish- and I explain everything about Argentinian history and culture.
In my 1:1 programs, you can learn Argentinian Spanish from scratch, for traveling / living / business & finally REACH FLUENCY in Argentine Spanish.
Start learning Argentinian Spanish right now and be free in ARGENTINA!
👉 Ready to start?
Check the links below to join the Spanish Mindset Program, get the book, or contact me directly on here.
Click here for more details for: 1:1 PROGRAM.
Click here for more details for: 1:1 PROGRAM.
Click here for more details for: 1:1 PROGRAM.
📌 Ready to Learn More?
👉 Argentine Spanish 1:1 Programs: https://spanish-mindset.com/solo-lessons/
📘 Argentine Spanish Full guide: Argentine Spanish: The Definitive Beginner’s Guide (1 hr )
💬 Join my Community: ARGENTINA | Spanish with Nico
📩 My YouTube Channel, Spanish with Nico.
Learn Argentinian Spanish: Slang & Culture | Spanish Mindset 