español paraguayo
Paraguayan Spanish
Romance
Paraguayan Spanish (español paraguayo) is the standard Spanish spoken in Paraguay with strong influence from Guaraní (co-official language). Distinctive features: (1) Lacks yeísmo — /ʎ/ and /ʝ/ are distinguished; (2) Uses alveolar approximant [ɹ] for final and pre-consonantal /r/ (similar to American English), rather than the Spanish trill [r] or tap [ɾ]; (3) Marked nasalization of unstressed vowels, especially in lower social registers; (4) Softer, more melodic intonation in [Provisional - limited documentation; pending native-speaker verification.]
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Paraguayan Spanish
Water
agua
/ˈaɣwa/
Fire
fuego
/ˈfweɣo/
Sun
sol
/ˈsol/
Moon
luna
/ˈluna/
Mother
madre
/ˈmaðɾe/
Father
padre
/ˈpaðɾe/
Eat
comer
/koˈmeɾ/
Drink
beber
/beˈβeɾ/
Love
amor
/aˈmoɾ/
Heart
corazón
/koɾaˈson/
Tree
árbol
/ˈaɾβol/
House
casa
/ˈkasa/
Dog
perro
/ˈpero/
Cat
gato
/ˈɡato/
Hand
mano
/ˈmano/
Eye
ojo
/ˈoxo/
Hello
hola
/ˈola/
Thank you
gracias
/ˈɡɾasjas/
One
uno
/ˈuno/
Good
bueno
/ˈbweno/
Words compared
Compared with related Romance languages
| Meaning | Paraguayan Spanish | Spanish (Europe) | Golden Age Spanish (Siglo de Oro) | Old Spanish | Chavacano | Asturian | Aragonese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | agua /ˈaɣwa/ | agua /ˈaɣwa/ | agua /ˈaɣwa/ | agua /ˈaɣwa/ | agua /ˈaɡwa/ | agua /ˈaɣwa/ | augua /ˈawɡwa/ |
| Fire | fuego /ˈfweɣo/ | fuego /ˈfweɣo/ | fuego /ˈfweɣo/ | fuego /ˈfweɣo/ | fuego /ˈfweɡo/ | fueu /ˈfweu/ | fuego /ˈfweɣo/ |
| Sun | sol /ˈsol/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ |
| Moon | luna /ˈluna/ | luna /ˈluna/ | luna /ˈluna/ | luna /ˈluna/ | luna /ˈluna/ | lluna /ˈʎuna/ | luna /ˈluna/ |
| Mother | madre /ˈmaðɾe/ | madre /ˈmaðɾe/ | madre /ˈmadɾe/ | madre /ˈmaðre/ | nana /ˈnana/ | ma /ma/ | mai /maj/ |
| Father | padre /ˈpaðɾe/ | padre /ˈpaðɾe/ | padre /ˈpadɾe/ | padre /ˈpaðre/ | tata /ˈtata/ | pa /pa/ | pai /paj/ |
| Eat | comer /koˈmeɾ/ | comer /koˈmeɾ/ | comer /koˈmeɾ/ | comer /koˈmeɾ/ | come /koˈme/ | comer /koˈmeɾ/ | minchar /minˈtʃaɾ/ |
| Drink | beber /beˈβeɾ/ | beber /beˈβeɾ/ | beuer /beˈβeɾ/ | bever /beˈveɾ/ | bebe /beˈbe/ | beber /beˈβeɾ/ | beber /beˈβeɾ/ |
| Love | amor /aˈmoɾ/ | amor /aˈmoɾ/ | amor /aˈmoɾ/ | amor /aˈmoɾ/ | ama /ˈama/ | amor /aˈmoɾ/ | amor /aˈmoɾ/ |
| Heart | corazón /koɾaˈson/ | corazón /koɾaˈθon/ | coraçón /koɾaˈtson/ | coraçón /koɾaˈtson/ | corazón /koraˈson/ | corazón /koɾaˈθon/ | corazón /koɾaˈθon/ |
| Tree | árbol /ˈaɾβol/ | árbol /ˈaɾβol/ | árbol /ˈaɾβol/ | árbor /ˈaɾβoɾ/ | árbol /ˈaɾbol/ | árbol /ˈaɾβol/ | árbol /ˈaɾβol/ |
| House | casa /ˈkasa/ | casa /ˈkasa/ | casa /ˈkasa/ | casa /ˈkaza/ | casa /ˈkasa/ | casa /ˈkasa/ | casa /ˈkasa/ |
| Dog | perro /ˈpero/ | perro /ˈpero/ | perro /ˈpero/ | can /kan/ | perro /ˈpeɾo/ | perru /ˈperu/ | can /kan/ |
| Cat | gato /ˈɡato/ | gato /ˈɡato/ | gato /ˈɡato/ | gato /ˈɡato/ | gato /ˈɡato/ | gatu /ˈɡatu/ | gato /ˈɡato/ |
| Hand | mano /ˈmano/ | mano /ˈmano/ | mano /ˈmano/ | mano /ˈmano/ | mano /ˈmano/ | mano /ˈmano/ | mano /ˈmano/ |
| Eye | ojo /ˈoxo/ | ojo /ˈoxo/ | ojo /ˈoʃo/ | ojo /ˈoʒo/ | ojo /ˈoho/ | güeyu /ˈɡweʝu/ | güello /ˈɣweʎo/ |
| Hello | hola /ˈola/ | hola /ˈola/ | Dios os guarde /djos os ˈɡwaɾde/ | salud /saˈlud/ | buenas /ˈbwenas/ | hola /ˈola/ | hola /ˈola/ |
| Thank you | gracias /ˈɡɾasjas/ | gracias /ˈɡɾaθjas/ | gracias /ˈɡɾatsjas/ | mercedes /meɾˈtseðes/ | gracias /ˈɡɾasjas/ | gracies /ˈɡɾaθjes/ | gracias /ˈɡɾaθjas/ |
| One | uno /ˈuno/ | uno /ˈuno/ | uno /ˈuno/ | uno /ˈuno/ | uno /ˈuno/ | ún /un/ | un /un/ |
| Good | bueno /ˈbweno/ | bueno /ˈbweno/ | bueno /ˈbweno/ | bono /ˈbono/ | bueno /ˈbweno/ | bonu /ˈbonu/ | bueno /ˈbweno/ |
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