Español boliviano
Spanish (Bolivia)
Romance
Bolivian Spanish is the variety of Spanish spoken by ~9-10 million Bolivians (including L1 and L2 speakers across the country). Phonologically it follows Andean Spanish patterns found throughout the Andes (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia). Major characteristics: (1) Phonetics — /ɣ/ (voiced velar fricative) for g/w; /β/ (voiced bilabial fricative) for b/v; /ð/ (voiced dental fricative) for d; /ɾ/ (alveolar tap) for r; variable rhotics depending on position and region. Quechua and Aymar [Provisional - limited documentation; pending native-speaker verification.]
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Spanish (Bolivia)
Water
agua
/aɣwa/
Fire
fuego
/fweɣo/
Sun
sol
/sol/
Moon
luna
/luna/
Mother
madre
/maðɾe/
Father
padre
/paðɾe/
Eat
comer
/komeɾ/
Drink
beber
/beβeɾ/
Love
amor
/amoɾ/
Heart
corazón
/koɾason/
Tree
árbol
/aɾβol/
House
casa
/kasa/
Dog
perro
/peɾo/
Cat
gato
/ɡato/
Hand
mano
/mano/
Eye
ojo
/oxo/
Hello
hola
/ola/
Thank you
gracias
/ɡɾasjas/
One
uno
/uno/
Good
bueno
/bweno/
Words compared
Compared with related Romance languages
| Meaning | Spanish (Bolivia) | Spanish (Nicaragua) | Spanish (Uruguayan) | Spanish (Costa Rica) | Spanish (Ecuadorian) | Spanish (Mexico) | Spanish (Colombia) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | agua /aɣwa/ | agua /aɣwa/ | agua /aɣwa/ | agua /aɣwa/ | agua /aɣwa/ | agua /aɣwa/ | agua /aɣwa/ |
| Fire | fuego /fweɣo/ | fuego /fweɣo/ | fuego /fweɣo/ | fuego /fweɣo/ | fuego /fweɣo/ | fuego /fweɣo/ | fuego /fweɣo/ |
| Sun | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ |
| Moon | luna /luna/ | luna /luna/ | luna /luna/ | luna /luna/ | luna /luna/ | luna /luna/ | luna /luna/ |
| Mother | madre /maðɾe/ | madre /maðɾe/ | madre /maðɾe/ | madre /maðɾe/ | madre /maðɾe/ | madre /maðɾe/ | madre /maðɾe/ |
| Father | padre /paðɾe/ | padre /paðɾe/ | padre /paðɾe/ | padre /paðɾe/ | padre /paðɾe/ | padre /paðɾe/ | padre /paðɾe/ |
| Eat | comer /komeɾ/ | comer /komeɾ/ | comer /komeɾ/ | comer /komeɾ/ | comer /komeɾ/ | comer /komeɾ/ | comer /komeɾ/ |
| Drink | beber /beβeɾ/ | beber /beβeɾ/ | beber /beβeɾ/ | beber /beβeɾ/ | beber /beβeɾ/ | beber /beβeɾ/ | beber /beβeɾ/ |
| Love | amor /amoɾ/ | amor /amoɾ/ | amor /amoɾ/ | amor /amoɾ/ | amor /amoɾ/ | amor /amoɾ/ | amor /amoɾ/ |
| Heart | corazón /koɾason/ | corazón /koɾason/ | corazón /koɾason/ | corazón /koɾason/ | corazón /koɾason/ | corazón /koɾason/ | corazón /koɾason/ |
| Tree | árbol /aɾβol/ | árbol /aɾβol/ | árbol /aɾβol/ | árbol /aɾβol/ | árbol /aɾβol/ | árbol /aɾβol/ | árbol /aɾβol/ |
| House | casa /kasa/ | casa /kasa/ | casa /kasa/ | casa /kasa/ | casa /kasa/ | casa /kasa/ | casa /kasa/ |
| Dog | perro /peɾo/ | perro /peɾo/ | perro /peɾo/ | perro /peɾo/ | perro /pero/ | perro /pero/ | perro /pero/ |
| Cat | gato /ɡato/ | gato /ɡato/ | gato /ɡato/ | gato /ɣato/ | gato /ɡato/ | gato /ɡato/ | gato /ɡato/ |
| Hand | mano /mano/ | mano /mano/ | mano /mano/ | mano /mano/ | mano /mano/ | mano /mano/ | mano /mano/ |
| Eye | ojo /oxo/ | ojo /oxo/ | ojo /oxo/ | ojo /oxo/ | ojo /oxo/ | ojo /oxo/ | ojo /oxo/ |
| Hello | hola /ola/ | hola /ola/ | hola /ola/ | hola /ola/ | hola /ola/ | hola /ola/ | hola /ola/ |
| Thank you | gracias /ɡɾasjas/ | gracias /ɡɾasjas/ | gracias /ɡɾasjas/ | gracias /ɡɾasjas/ | gracias /ɡɾasjas/ | gracias /ɡɾasjas/ | gracias /ɡɾasjas/ |
| One | uno /uno/ | uno /uno/ | uno /uno/ | uno /uno/ | uno /uno/ | uno /uno/ | uno /uno/ |
| Good | bueno /bweno/ | bueno /bweno/ | bueno /bweno/ | bueno /bweno/ | bueno /bweno/ | bueno /bweno/ | bueno /bweno/ |
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