Nicaraguan Spanish

Nicaraguan Spanish (Spanish: Español nicaragüense) is geographically defined as the form of Spanish spoken in Nicaragua. Affectionately, Nicaraguan Spanish is often called Nicañol.

The Spanish dialect in Nicaragua is heavily influenced by Nahuatl and Nawat in its vocabulary and substrate. The Nawat language was spoken by the Nicarao people who inhabit the western half of the country. Despite its extinction in Nicaragua, words of Nahuatl and Nawat origin can be seen and heard in daily Nicaraguan speech and literature.

Nicaragua has the highest frequency, among Central American countries, of the use of voseo—use of the pronoun vos and its verb forms for the familiar second-person singular ("you"), in place of the tú of Standard Spanish. In this regard it is similar to the usage of Argentina and Uruguay in the Río de la Plata region of South America. Vos is used frequently in colloquial and familiar settings, but Nicaraguans also understand tuteo. The use of "vos" can be heard in television programs and can be seen in written form in publications.

In the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region and the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region, language and pronunciation is strongly influenced by Indigenous and creole languages such as Miskito, Rama, Sumo, Miskito Coastal Creole, Jamaican Patois, Garifuna and Rama Cay Creole but Spanish has become the main language spoken.