You’ve caught the travel bug and your bucket list just keeps getting longer. You’d like to visit both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, a cloud forest in the mountains, a rainforest, a coffee plantation, a large city, a smaller city, and a modern architectural marvel that has impacted global trade. Too much to ask? Not for Panamá. It is so much more than its famous canal!
You can sample the tastes of traditional sancocho (a chicken soup with yuca and corn) and ceviche (a citrusy fresh seafood dish) with a background of reggaeton and salsa. Go from surfing to hiking, and alternate between the animated nightlife of the city and the sounds of the wildlife in the rainforest. You’ll leave with a colorful mola (handmade textiles created by the indigenous Guna people), amazing memories, and a bucket list that just got longer.
Don’t waste your moments trying to recall memorized vocabulary. Make memories instead! Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method is the most intuitive way to learn language that lasts. Plus, Phrasebook teaches you useful phrases related to dining out, getting around, health and safety, and more, so you’ll be ready for your first trip to Panama! Start your language learning journey today!
Why is Spanish spoken in Panama?
Spanish is an official and dominant language in Panama due to the history of the Spanish language and culture brought to the area through colonization. Expeditions led by Christopher Colombus reached the East Coast of present-day Venezuela in 1498, when colonists began to pillage the region for its resources, enslaving and exploiting the indigenous populations, bringing enslaved Africans to the region, and enforcing their own language and culture. By the mid-1500s, the whole area was a colony of Spain, and the indigenous people of present-day Panama who survived exposure to European diseases had fled to forested areas and neighboring islands.
In the early 1800s, present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panamá won their independence from Spain as the country of Gran Colombia. The people of present-day Panamá made over 80 attempts to secede before 1903 when all four nations had finally separated.
Currently, Spanish is a dominant and official language, and a first language for around 4 million people. Around 14 percent of the population also uses English for business and public life. The prevalence of English can be partly attributed to the presence and influence of the United States in Panama City when it controlled the Panama Canal until 1999, as well as the proximity to neighboring Barbados and Jamaica.
The country has seven different indigenous groups who speak a number of languages, including:
- Ngäbere (also called Valiente, Chiriquí, and Movere)
- Buglere (Bokotá and Sananero dialects)
- Kuna
- Embera
- Teribe
Not only is Panamá a physical bridge between two continents, it is a place where many cultures and nationalities come together. You can encounter communities of Chinese, Arabic, Korean, Japanese, Yiddish, and Hebrew speakers in Panama.
How many people speak Spanish in Panama?
Around 90-95 percent of Panamá’s population speaks Spanish, accounting for around 4 million people.
You might also encounter Panamanian Spanish speakers in Brooklyn, South Florida, or in other Caribbean islands, through family connections, or in online communities.
What does a Panamanian Spanish accent sound like?
Regional accents can vary even at a distance of a couple of hours drive, and almost everyone’s speech is affected by where they grew up. Spanish speakers from around the world all seem to have vastly different pronunciation and tone but can understand each other.
It’s important to note that there is no one particular Panamanian Spanish accent. A person’s particular accent could be influenced by region, generation, gender, and social environment. For a learner, Panamanian Spanish might sound similar to other dialects of the Caribbean, such as Puerto Rican, Cuban, or Dominican Spanish. If you’re a careful listener, there could be a few hints that set Panamanian Spanish speakers apart!
- S at the end of a syllable may be pronounced more like an h.
- Nos vamos a… might sound like noh vamoh a.
- Estás could be ehtá or even shortened to sound like tá.
- N at the end of a word may be pronounced more in the back of the roof of the mouth than the front, giving the vowel a nasal quality.
- Man can sound like mang.
- The ch (as in the English “channel”) can sound like sh (as in the English “shine”).
- Dicho or hecho sound like disho or hesho.
- A final d is often silent.
- Like most Caribbean dialects, a d between two vowels can disappear entirely.
- Cansado becomes cansa’o, and adónde might even sound like a’ónde.
- R between vowels can sound like a d.
- Morado can sound like moda’o and enamorado could be enamoda’o.
- R at the end of infinitive can be silent, but the final syllable is still stressed.
- Amar = amá, ser = sé, and decir =decí.
>>Practice your speaking and get feedback with the TruAccent speech recognition engine
Is it difficult to learn Panamanian Spanish?
Learning any language takes a lot of time, practice, and patience. Even native Spanish speakers may require a bit of extra time and instruction to build understanding of a different dialect of Spanish. For learners, dropped letters, slang, and casual speech can make a new dialect more difficult, but these challenges just mean you’ll never be bored!
If you are a beginner or intermediate learner, you’ll need to find a sympathetic interlocutor, which means a person who is willing to help you communicate by:
- working to understand your meaning
- communicating clearly using Spanish that is easier for you to understand
- slowing down
- enunciating well
- avoiding too much slang
- shifting their vocabulary to a more universally understood word
- using gestures or other non-verbal communication to explain meanings
Some learners actually find that learning Spanish in Panama is easy, since many Spanish speakers in Panama can also communicate in English, so in the case of confusion, you can clarify using an English word so that the flow of the conversation doesn’t come to a halt!
What are the differences between Panamanian Spanish and Latin American Spanish?
Very closely related to other Caribbean dialects and Colombian Spanish, Panamanian Spanish serves as a bridge between Central American and the Caribbean dialects. It shares a fairly neutral grammar and can be understood by speakers of other Spanish dialects.
Influence of other languages
The Spanish spoken in Panamá is a variety belonging to a group of Caribbean Spanish variants, with Canarian and Andalusian influences, which is why it may remind you of the Spanish spoken in regions of Spain such as Las Canarias (the Canary Islands), or Sevilla (Seville).
Interplay between English and Spanish
Though Spanish is very much the dominant language of the isthmus, English has a historical, political, and geographic influence on the dialect. Sometimes direct English words are used mid-sentence, or are turned into anglicismos (a Spanish word influenced by English). Sometimes called “Spanglish,” this interplay between the two languages can result in a code-switching style or informal blending of the two languages that may make it difficult for Spanish speakers from other areas to grasp meaning at times.
Some common words resulting from English influence include:
| Panamanian Anglicismo | Neutral Spanish verb | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| un buay | chico | boy |
| chopear | ir de compras | to shop |
| cool | (there are many) | cool |
| el breaker | interruptor | circuit-breaker |
| el chingongo | el chicle | chewing gum |
| el switch | interruptor | light switch |
| fren, frenes | amigo(s), amiga(s) | friends |
| una guial | chica | girl (with a jamaican accent) |
| los chiwiz | snacks (from a popular brand name of spreadable cheese product) | |
| man | hombre | man |
| ok | vale | ok, i agree |
| priti | bella, linda, bonita | pretty |
| relax | relajado/a | relaxed |
| un charcot | un atajo | a shortcut |
| un cuara | moneda de 25 centavos | from “quarter.” |
Archaic forms of some verbs can be more common in Panama, like those below:
- arrecordar for recordar (remember)
- entodavía for todavía (still)
Sometimes plurals are pronounced with an extra syllable. Un café becomes unos cafes in Standard Spanish, but in Panama, you might hear unos cafese.
It is common to hear shortened words:
- la u for la universidad
- el refri for el refrigerador
- el micro for el microondas
- la bici for la bicicleta.
“El vesre” is a type of slang popular in Argentina and Uruguay that has also affected some words in Panamanian Spanish. It is formed by switching the syllables of common words, so for example, “revés” (reverse) becomes “vesre.” One common example of this is the greeting ¿Qué xopá? Which is a vesre version of ¿Qué pasó?
Must-know words and phrases in Panamanian Spanish
Knowing a few terms ahead of time can help you fit in, or at least avoid bewilderment! Listen to how they are used and in which contexts, and you might impress the locals. In all cases of slang, proceed with caution, as many words can change meaning drastically with context and tone, so try out any new words or expressions with a trusted friend to avoid misunderstandings.
Don’t worry about understanding every slang reference. Words pass in and out of style every day!
| Panamanian Spanish | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ¡Qué ponchera! | What a disaster/what a problem! |
| ¿Qué xopá? / ¿Qué sopá? | What’s up? How are you? (greeting) |
| ‘tas limpio | you’re broke, you have no money |
| ahuevado | a fool; dumb (an insult) |
| blod, broder | brother, bro |
| buco | many, much, like mucho (a lot) |
| burundanga | someone who eats too many sweets |
| chantin | house |
| chifar | to leave someone out of the plan or social group |
| Cuéntame la cocoa. | Tell me the gossip of the day. |
| el millo | popcorn |
| el palo | money |
| Estamos activo | We’re leaving / we’re out of here |
| estar en panga | to have no idea what to do, something is bad quality |
| estar tirado/a | to be exhausted |
| Hay rantan de comida. | There is a lot of good food. |
| la chonta | the head |
| la pasta | money |
| mopri | cousin (vesre: reverse slang of primo) |
| ofi | ok, agree |
| parquear | to go out and party with friends |
| un arroz con mango | a fight or huge problem |
| un bulto | someone who does nothing and knows nothing, lazy |
| un diablo rojo | a public bus |
| un parkin | a party, a fiesta |
| una bombilla | a drinking straw |
| Voy a mi chantin. | I’m going back to my place (home). |
| yeyé, yeyesita | someone who thinks they are better or higher than others, like “bougie” in english |
Explore Spanish in every region with Rosetta Stone
Once you visit Panama, you’re sure to want to return. A destination with so much to offer is a treasure, and your study of Spanish is sure to unlock a wealth of experiences. Don’t let the differences in vocabulary or accent intimidate you, as the Spanish you’ve studied will surely be helpful as you tune your ear to the local dialect of Spanish in Panama.
With 20 countries officially recognizing Spanish as an official language, close to 500 million native Spanish speakers, Spanish being the 4th most spoken language in the world and also the second most-used language on the internet, you will never be done learning Spanish! Learning the basics and more universal vocabulary words can open the keys to an array of language communities, but no matter where you choose to travel, study, or do business, there will be regional specifics to keep you motivated! Pasito a pasito (step by step), you can feel right at home using your Panamanian Spanish.
Rosetta Stone can help you by focusing your language learning journey on what matters most. As a Rosetta Stone learner, you’ll capitalize on early successes to boost your confidence fast. Our Dynamic Immersion method provides maximum exposure to a new language, through audio spoken by native speakers, written words, and real-world images. Everything is presented in the new language, providing a truly immersive experience. Say ¿Qué xopá? to your new language!
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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