Spanish vs Castilian — What's the Difference?

The Short Answer

Spanish (español) and Castilian (castellano) refer to the same language. The difference is historical, regional, and sometimes political — but not linguistic. A speaker of español and a speaker of castellano understand each other perfectly.

Think of it like "English" vs "British English". Same language, different emphasis on origin and identity.

Where the Names Come From

Castellano

Named after Castilla (Castile), the medieval kingdom in central Spain where the language originated. This is the older, historically precise name.

Español

Named after España (Spain). This name became common as the language spread beyond Castile to the rest of Spain, then to the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

In the Middle Ages, the Iberian Peninsula had many Romance languages: Leonese, Aragonese, Galician, Catalan, and Castilian among them. As Castile grew in political power, its language expanded. After 1492, it crossed the Atlantic and became the dominant language of a vast colonial empire.

The name español gained ground as the language became associated with the nation of Spain as a whole. But in regions with their own languages — Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia — people often prefer castellano, because calling it español can feel like erasing the other languages of Spain.

Who Says What?

Both terms are correct. But usage varies by country and context:

Countries that prefer "español"

Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, most of Central America, the Caribbean, the United States

Countries that prefer "castellano"

Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Venezuela, Paraguay, and Spain (especially in bilingual regions)

The Real Academia Española (RAE) accepts both names as valid. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 uses castellano as the official name. Most Latin American constitutions use español.

Are There Actual Differences in the Language?

When people talk about "Castilian Spanish" specifically, they usually mean the variety spoken in central and northern Spain. This variety does have some distinct features compared to Latin American Spanish:

Pronunciation

Feature	Castilian (Spain)	Latin American
z and ce/ci	"th" sound (distinción): zapato = "thapato"	"s" sound (seseo): zapato = "sapato"
ll	Sometimes a "ly" sound: calle = "calye"	Often "j" or "sh" sound: calle = "cashe" (Argentina)
Final -s	Clearly pronounced	Often aspirated or dropped in Caribbean and coastal regions

Grammar

Feature	Castilian (Spain)	Latin American
Informal "you" (plural)	vosotros habláis	ustedes hablan
Past tense preference	He comido (present perfect)	Comí (simple past)
"Vos" (in some countries)	Not used	Vos tenés (Argentina, Central America)

Vocabulary

Meaning	Castilian (Spain)	Latin American
Car	coche	carro / auto
Computer	ordenador	computador(a)
Cell phone	móvil	celular
Apartment	piso	apartamento / departamento
Juice	zumo	jugo

What Does El Viaje del Jaguar Teach?

Our course is built around Colombian Spanish — a Latin American variety known for its clarity, musicality, and wide intelligibility. Colombia is often cited as having one of the most accessible and well-articulated forms of Spanish in the world.

This means:

Seseo — c before e/i and z are pronounced as "s", not "th"
Ustedes — used for both formal and informal plural "you" (no vosotros)
Usted — widely used in Colombia even in casual settings, which teaches politeness naturally
Clear pronunciation — final consonants are typically preserved, making it easier for learners

You won't need to "pick a side." Spanish is one language with beautiful regional variation. Learning Colombian Spanish gives you a strong, clear foundation that is understood everywhere — from Madrid to Buenos Aires, from Mexico City to Manila.

So Does It Matter Which You Call It?

Not really. Both español and castellano are correct. What matters is that you speak it, live it, and let it grow inside you.

In this course, we use the word español — because it's the most widely understood term globally, and because our focus is not on one region's variety but on the living, breathing language as a whole.

But if someone tells you they speak castellano, now you know: it's the same beautiful language, with a different name rooted in a thousand years of history.