The differences in the use of Spanish among Spanish-speaking countries are always interesting and, in some cases, amusing. In a recent TikTok video that has gone viral, the user @richking93 and his cousin explore the different words used in Cuba and Puerto Rico to refer to the same thing.
The video shows how a simple conversation between a Cuban and a Puerto Rican can include completely different words for everyday objects and situations.
For example, while in Cuba the word "guagua" is used to refer to a bus, in Puerto Rico the word "guagua" is used to talk about a van. Another curious example is how Cubans call the baseball team known as the Yankees from New York "escalera," while Puerto Ricans simply use the name of the team.
This comparison is not only a demonstration of the wealth and diversity of the Spanish language, but it also highlights the cultural particularities of each country. The comments in the video reflect the amazement and laughter of many users upon discovering that a common word in their country has a completely different meaning in another.
The phenomenon of lexical differences is not exclusive to Cuba and Puerto Rico. Throughout Latin America and Spain, Spanish adapts and evolves in unique ways, further enriching our common language.
Which of these words did you know?
What do you think?
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