What is the difference between Hablar, Platicar, and Charlar?

Question

Could someone explain to me the usages of the words Hablar, Platicar, and Charlar? I am of the impression that HABLAR would be the most formal, then PLATICAR, followed by CHARLAR, which is basically chattering... I'm I way off?

Welcome to the forum , please accept your first vote :) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 5, 2011

Answer 1

I think the difference is mainly regional, ie. some regions prefer to use one of those over the other.

They are pretty much synonymous though with platicar and charlar both meaning to chat and hablar literally meaning to speak but also able to be used as 'to chat'. It seems that this is the case with hablar especially in Spain whereas platicar seems more common in Latin America but hopefully you'll get some more input from native speakers

charlar, platicar, hablar

Answer 2

Hablar- to speak.

Placticar- to converse, similar to "conversar"

Charlar --to chatter, also converse.

I would like to add a fourth one "Cotorrear" This is the kind of chattering that girls like to do --very fast somewhat high- pitched, without stopping. It comes from "cotorra" a bird--the magpie (a parrot in some areas) that is known for doing all the above.

Someone bumped this one up so I thought I'd have some fun with it. - Daniela2041, Mar 17, 2016

Answer 3

And now Real Academia en España has added CHATEAR to the chat words.

Answer 4

Thankya much! Do you ever look at the Real Academia de España? I couldn't seem to understand a difference between the first two.

Yes that's the best dictionary to use :) they both have the meaning conversar (to converse) because they are synonyms - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 5, 2011

wordreference.com is also another good reference site that I use :) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 5, 2011