Travel Tips and Information

Texting in Spain

If Spanish wasn’t already one of the easier languages to learn, as a result of it being phonetic, it just got even easier. Thanks to 160 character limits
on texts, and one-handed typing on cell phone keyboards, spelling in Spanish is getting even simpler. The catch? You still need to know which letters
represent which sounds.

As in the rest of the world, teens are the most prolific texters in Spain. It is from colloquial expressions and slang that the concise, yet expressive
text language has developed. In many parts of southern Spain the last consonant in the word is skipped in spoken Spanish. “Granada” becomes “ Graná”, “helado” becomes “helao”, “pescado” becomes “pescao,” and so on. This rule is obviously applied when
texting because it’s an easy way to save a character.

But it’s not just the south which has influenced Spanish text-speak, in Cataluña, Euskadi (Basque Country) and Galicia the “X” replaces the “Ch” sound in
words – “Chocolate” is “Xocolata” in Catalan. This substitution too has become common in text-speak. But beware; “X” can also represent the word “ por” (English “multiply” in math).

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the
frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae

.The human brain’s capacity to understand words not only when letters are in the wrong order, but also when letters are missing is the last clue you
will need to translate the text message conversation below:
Monica:
Ke kieres acer sta noxe?

Ana:
Toy zzz. Hy pso d sa.

Monica:
Xq? Tas ok?

Ana:
Toy depre :(. La profe de mates m odia.

Monica:
Xfa. Tng gns d vrt!

Ana:
Qdms en la dsk lg?

Monica:
Siiiii!TQM! ta lgo. Bsit2

Ana:
NV. Bsit2

Or…

Monica:
¿Que quieres hacer esta noche?
(What do you want to do tonight?)

Ana:
Estoy durmiendo. Hoy paso de salir.
(I’m asleep. I don’t want to go out today.) (Literally: Today I pass on going out)
Monica: ¿
Porque? ¿Estás bien?
(Why? Are you ok?)

Ana:
Estoy deprimida :(. La profesora de matemáticas me odia.
(I’m depressed. The math teacher hates me.)

Monica:
Porfa (
por favor). Tengo ganas de verte! (Please. I really want to see you!)

Ana:
Quedamos en la discoteca luego?
(Shall we meet in the disco later?)

Monica:
Si! Te quiero mucho! Hasta luego. Besitos.
(Yes! I love you lots! See you later. Kisses)

Ana:
Nos vemos. Besitos.
(See you. Kisses.)