Where is using pa' instead of para acceptable?
My Spanish teacher is from Cuba but also goes to Spain a lot, and every time I say pa' instead of para, she corrects me and tells me not to use pa'. She says it is considered poor Spanish in some countries including Spain. I would like to know what countries it is considered okay to use, and what countries it is considered poor Spanish? Also I would like to in what situations it would be appropriate to use pa' instead of para? Muchas gracias.
5 Answers
In written or formal Spanish, pa' is simply unacceptable and it is not in the dictionary, regardless of the country. In informal spoken Spanish, however, you are likely to hear it often in many regions. Even within a country, or even a city, some people may use it often or avoid it altogether. No one can give you a definite map of where to use it, but you can't go wrong by avoiding it, until you are sure that the people you use it with finds it acceptable.
This type of expression is not all that uncommon in spoken settings. That is to say it is simply a common verbal shortcut or speech pattern that is made (typically unconsciously) for the sake of economy.
In spoken English, the same type of thing happens all the time:
?I'm not gonna let ya be til ya gimme a lil peace n quiet.
?I dunno whatcha want from me, but I'm not gonna give it to ya unless you lemme go.
Of course, were you to write such drivel (unless of course it was meant to be taken as a dialogue), the only thing it would accomplish would be to immediately peg you as someone with a low level of education.
It's very common in many areas. It was almost universal in Venezuela, and I think that's true of most of the Caribbean Spanish speaking places where they chop off the last syllable of most words. That doesn't mean it's correct. It's sloppy, like saying gonna in English instead of going to. I wouldn't practice saying it, but if you're in an informal situation with friends it isn't that terrible.
nowhere
it is informal and also it is not in the dictionario?
