Are patras, magacín and alberca actually Spanish words?
I was taught that to say I am back was "Estoy patras..." But I guess it's actually "Vuelta"? Example: Estoy patras del cine= I am back from the movie theater Is patras not right? Is it Vuelta?
Another word that I was taught was "magacín" for magazine. But I guess it's actually "revsita" ??
And finally, the word "alberca" for swimming pool. I guess it's actually "piscina"? I was again not really told about that, but I've heard it said before.
So is patras magacín, and alberca slangs? Because my Spanish is known to be "Mexican American" style apparently lol
Thank you 
4 Answers
Hi MadAsTheHatter,
First of all, complete your profile please! 
Second, yes, it seems that your Spanish is from Mexico or south America.
patras: I think that this word is more an expresion that a correct word. This expression combines the words 'para atrás'. Example: Vuelve patras = Returns backwards.
In your example, I am back from the movie theater = Estoy de vuelta del cine.
magacín: This word is correct and it has the same meaning as revista.
At least in Spain we always use 'revista'.
alberca: This word is a Mexican word but in Spain it's also a correct word but with other meaning. If you read the dictionary of the RAE (Real Academia Española) it's explained:
alberca
Del ár. hisp. albírka, y este del ár. clás. birkah.
1. f. Depósito artificial de agua, con muros de fábrica, para el riego.
2. f. poza (balsa para empozar el cáñamo).
3. f. Méx. piscina (construcción que contiene gran cantidad de agua).
Please, correct my English! Thank you.
Because my Spanish is known to be "Mexican American" style apparently
If you are serious about learning Spanish, I would choose very carefully the people who advise you. Many Mexicans in the US speak a type of Spanish that is not pure due to English influence and simple lack of education.
Estoy patrás, Te llamo patrás, etc sound terrible. No educated person in Mexico would ever speak this way. (Correct usage although slangy, ie: Échate patrás / para atrás ... Get / move back).
Magacín , from English, is new for me in Spanish. I have never heard this word used until just now and surprised to see it listed in the RAE dictionary.
Alberca is commonly used in Mexico, as jmora mentions, in place of piscina even though anyone would understand both. It is not considered slang but a regionalism.
Welcome to the forum. Can you add your level of Spanish and English to your profile? It helps when answering a question or assessing an answer.
Where did you learn Spanish? I mean either the country or the nationality of your teacher.
I am based in the UK and read and listen to Spanish from Spain. I have also visited Mexico and for a while had a Mexican teacher. She made n effort to teach expressions used in Spain - her husband was from Madrid, but taught us some words used in Mexico. Alberca is the word for swimming pool in Mexico though they sometimes use piscina. Piscina was the word I was taught and remember as the first foreign language I learnt was French and they use piscine.
I also spent a month learning Spanish in Mexico and our teacher would often tell those from Europe where a different word was used in Spain. I remember there was a different word for pavement(sidewalk) and some verbs were different eg manejar/ conducir
I have heard magacin but use revista. I would use estoy De vuelta but I have never heard Patras. Obviously slang can be regional and vary according to age.
I have previously posted a link to a lovely song by some brothers from Colombia 'Que difícil es hablar español. It is a brilliant son about the different words used in different Spanish speaking countries. There is also an article about it in the magazine Veintemundos.
If you are going to spend a lot of time speaking to people from or in Mexico then learn words in regular use there People can always tell you if they don't understand you. In the UK we see a lot of American TV and films (movies) I continue to use English words used in the UK but understand most of the words used in the USA similarly there are many very popular soap operas from Australia shown I the UK many of their ways of shortening words eg Uni for university barbie for barbecue are now used in the UK but those that aren't are understood.
*revista sorry
