Classic cars and colorful colonial architecture are a reflection of a bygone time, while the rhythms of reggaeton and salsa dance through the air. Is a trip to Cuba on your bucket list? It’s sure to be a distinctive experience and impossible to replicate anywhere else in the world, even among neighboring islands. Enjoy staples like black beans and rice or the famous cubano sandwich on an island steeped in living history. Spend the day exploring UNESCO World Heritage sites, stepping off the cobblestone streets into museums, churches, and plazas, or get to know the locals through a homestay or as a part of a humanitarian trip. We can’t forget the beauty of its beaches, either.
To make the most of your experience, you’ll want to learn Cuban Spanish ahead of time. That way, you can converse with the locals and get to know their uniquely vibrant culture!
But even if you’re not practicing your Spanish in Cuba, you may encounter Cuban Spanish in Florida, New Jersey, Mexico, or the Dominican Republic. You may be interested in improving your knowledge of Cuban Spanish you hear in online communities, through family and friend connections, or through music and art!
Below, we’ll walk you through the nuances of Cuban Spanish, including unique pronunciation and vocabulary. To master the basics and beyond, you can also dive right into Rosetta Stone, available in Latin American Spanish. Through immersive, bite-sized lessons, you can build your Spanish speaking skills in a fun, engaging environment—no memorization required.
Why is Spanish spoken in Cuba?
As with most of Spain’s former colonies—and much of the Caribbean—Cuba was shaped by the transatlantic slave trade. Spanish became the dominant language throughout the country. The colonial powers used Spanish in all aspects of public life, including government, education, and religion. Spanish is still the official language of the island, and is spoken by almost all of its population.
Cuban Spanish is distinct in its pattern of speech, meaning the way it sounds—from pronunciation to pacing—is slightly different from more “standard” versions of Latin American Spanish. These nuances reflect the Spanish that was spoken in the Canary Islands during the 19th and 20th centuries. Speakers familiar with West African languages may notice the lingering influences that still exist in Cuban Spanish today.
Note that Cuban Spanish is considered a dialect of Spanish; it’s still relatively easy for speakers of any Spanish dialect to understand the language. In contrast, Haitian Creole, a language with French roots, thrives in certain communities. Because it’s a creole language, and not a dialect of French, it’s much harder for French speakers to understand. Lucumi, a liturgical language spoken by practitioners of Santería, is also present.
How many people speak Spanish in Cuba?
Approximately 11 million people speak Spanish in Cuba. In the United States, Miami, Florida is well known for its ties to Cuban Spanish, with almost 2 million more of the population reporting that they speak Spanish at home. There are large Cuban Spanish speaking communities in New Jersey, New York, California, and Texas.
In Cuba, people not only speak and understand Spanish, but also read and write it, as the Cuban system of free and universal education (from early years to university), has fostered one of the highest literacy rates in the world.
What does a Cuban Spanish accent sound like?
Most people can’t perceive their own accent, but almost everyone’s speech is affected by where they grew up. English speakers from around the world all seem to have vastly different pronunciation and tone, but can understand each other. Compare Louisiana to Liverpool, or Sydney to Scotland, and you can understand what we mean when we discuss the diversity of regional accents!
It’s important to note that there is no one particular Cuban Spanish accent. Just like in English, there are regional differences, even between the East or the West of the same island. In addition to region, generation, gender, and socio-economic factors can influence someone’s accent. The specific local accent might be obvious for a Cuban Spanish speaker, whereas for a learner, Cuban Spanish might sound similar to Puerto Rican or Dominican Spanish. If you’re a careful listener, there could be a few hints that set Cuban Spanish speakers apart!
One of the distinguishing characteristics of Cuban Spanish is common among the other Caribbean dialects, such as Puerto Rican Spanish. The final s sound can disappear entirely, or become slightly aspirated, like a soft English h or Spanish j. An s in the middle of the word may also disappear, leaving words like después (after) sounding like deh’pue’. In this case, el e’pañol cubano could be more difficult to understand until you get used to this feature.
Words that end in -ado and other “vowel-d-vowel” patterns may lack the d sound in speech, sounding like cansa’o instead of cansado (tired). Other times, consonants are softened so much that they are almost absorbed into another sound in the word, as in the pronunciation of pierna (leg) that sounds like pie’nna, or charla (chat) which may sound like challa. Magnifico could sound more like ma’nifigo.
Depending on who you talk to, some other features may stand out, including:
- ll sounds like y
- rolling r sounds
- r sounding like l
- i sounds turning into e sounds
- v or b sounds like a w in certain words, and the two letters are pronounced identically
- z sounds like s
- hard c sounds sounding more like g
- t could be more strongly pronounced, with additional air
- more nasally sounds across all speech
When comparing Eastern and Western Cuba, some evidence suggests that the Western region speaks a modernized version of Spanish (new slang, less formal grammar), while the East sounds more classic and perhaps more sheltered from change.
It’s worth learning how to tune your ear to the sounds and pace of Cuban Spanish, as it can be challenging for learners until they grow accustomed to the accent. And when you master that, increase your speed and try Dominican or Puerto Rican Spanish!
>>Work on your accent with TruAccent technology!
What are the differences between Cuban Spanish and Standard Latin American Spanish?
Predominance of tú
Most Cuban Spanish speakers will employ the informal tú (you) instead of the more formal usted (you). The more formal pronoun is used in cases of true social hierarchy, but tú has gained a lot of ground, as it is seen as much more egalitarian and friendly. The use of vos (you) as an informal pronoun has all but disappeared, but you may hear it on occasion.
As in the rest of Latin American Spanish, the ustedes (you) form is used for any plural usages, as the vosotros (the form of “you” used in informal plural situations in Peninsular Spanish) does not exist.
Redundant use of subject pronouns
In much of standard Spanish, the subject pronoun is dropped entirely unless needed for clarity or emphasis. In Cuban Spanish, the subject pronoun is more commonly used in spite of whether it is redundant.
Sofía dice que ella quiere venir. = Sofia says that she would like to come.
This could be an influence of the English language, which would not drop the subject pronoun in this case.
Subject pronouns are also placed within questions, after the interrogative and before the verb:
¿Cómo tú estás? = How are you?
instead of the more common structure one might see in other Spanish dialects:
¿Cómo estás (tú)?
This is a characteristic of the Spanish spoken on the Canary islands, which has influenced many of the Caribbean Spanish dialects.
Use of diminutives
Many varieties of Spanish use -ito and -ita at the end of a word to make the meaning smaller, cuter, more affectionate, or even derogatory, making it confusing for learners to catch the exact nuance and meaning of a word. These suffixes are used a great deal in Spanish in Cuba, as well as -tico and -tica.
A person could be called bajo (short), bajito, or even bajitico in Cuba. The same adjective could also be applied to a low grade on an exam or poor attendance at an event. The choice of the standard adjective or variety of suffix could depend on tone or mood.
Sometimes the suffix causes a change in meaning, as a child could be called chiquito (small) as an almost derogatory way to say young person, but if a person uses chiquitico they are referring solely to the small stature of the child.
Influence of other languages
Because of the influence of Taino and English, some vocabulary differences will exist in Cuba, or have even influenced the wider Spanish-speaking world.
Canoa (canoe), hamaca (hammock), and tabaco (tobacco) were all words that came from Taíno, as they were objects previously unknown to the Spanish colonists and settlers.
Cuban Spanish in Miami, Florida
In communities where Cuban Spanish and English speaking Americans are in close proximity, there are markers of the mutual influence of the two languages. This can range from simple borrowing of vocabulary to code-switching to such an extent that many have described it with the term “Spanglish.” You see the influence of Spanish when an English speaker says that they were dreaming “with” something or someone, instead of “about,” as the preposition would be used this way in Spanish in the phrase soñar con (to dream about).
The second generation of Cuban-American immigrants may be more proficient in English than their parents, and depending on the person, English may have a stronger linguistic influence on their Spanish vocabulary and structure as well.
What words or phrases should I know if I’m traveling to Cuba?
Get a head start on your study of Cuban Spanish with these useful phrases!
| Cuban Spanish | Meaning |
| ¿Qué bolá? / ¿Qué volá? | What’s up? (informal greeting) |
| asere / acere | informal word for friend, such as bro, mate, dude |
| coger un diez | to take a break |
| ir bajando | To head out, to leave |
| yuma | A foreigner or tourist, usually from the United States. This can sometimes be used offensively, but not always. |
| La Yuma | The United States |
| una guagua | a bus |
| pinchar | to work |
| la pincha | work |
| una chama | a little kid |
| La Pura | Mom (colloquial term) |
| el gao | the house |
| bonche | party |
| Dáme un cinco. | Wait for me. |
| una máquina | car |
| una botella | a ride |
| chévere | awesome, cool |
| la frutabomba | papaya (using the standard Spanish word for this fruit in Cuba refers to a part of the female body, so opt for the Cuban slang word in this case!) |
| una fosforera | a lighter |
| por la izquierda | “Under the table,” as in not done out in the open. This can refer to a shady transaction. |
| jamar | to eat / to stuff oneself |
| Voy a hacer café | This can be a hint to get rid of a guest, as in, “I’m ready for you to leave my house now!” |
| tremendo mangón / tremenda manguita | a very attractive person |
| moño vira’o | in a very bad mood |
| tu maletín | it’s your problem |
| tirar un cabo | to help someone out |
>>Here’s 100+ basic Spanish phrases to add to your vocabulary!
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As one of the most widely spoken languages, you’re destined to encounter Spanish no matter where you are in the world. Over 20 countries claim Spanish as their official language—from Cuba to Equatorial Guinea—and while each dialect is distinct, the fundamentals of Spanish are a must-know.
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Written by Jamie Edwards
Jamie is a learner and teacher of Spanish and French. When she’s not learning new words, you’ll find her on the soccer sidelines, ski slopes, and track and field bleachers enjoying the four seasons of Western New York.
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