How to speak like an Argentine

Without getting into the slang (I haven't heard much in the circles I run in), here are a few phrases that might make you feel a little bit more of an insider if you talk to Argentines in Spanish. I've found a few simple differences that really give Argentine Spanish a distinct personality. Also, the pronunciation, for me, is generally quite clear and musical, sounding a bit like you'd imagine an Italian would speak Spanish.

I've incorporated a few of the following habits, but I still can't get into using the "vos" form. I continue to speak what my Spanish tutor calls "neutral Spanish" using the "tú" form. What is written in italics is the way you would hear the phrase in another Spanish speaking country.

• Dale (DA-le) = Vale = OK
• Vos = Tú = You (familiar)
• ¿Como andás? = ¿Como andas? = How's it going? (Note: all verbs in familiar singular form follow the vos conjugation, a shortened vosotros form)
• ¡Buen día! = ¡Buenos días! = Good morning (greeting used until around 2pm)
• ¿Todo bien? = Everything going OK? (Used in every situation possible)
• Todo bien = Everything's OK. (Used in all situations in which everything's OK)
• ¿Cuánto sale? = ¿Cuánto cuesta? = How much is it?
• Colectivo = bus = bus
• Castellano = Español = Spanish
• Pronunciation of all words with "ll"  is sh or zh, i.e. Servilleta (ser-vi-SHE-ta) = napkin (I've made the mistake of NOT implementing this pronunciation and everyone was completely puzzled when I asked for some napkins!)
• Chao = Adios = Bye
• Chicos = Kids (this is what they call everyone, even us! I guess it translates as to something like "guys", meaning it includes women and men)
• Eh? = In sort of an Italian-like way, this is said with rising intonation at the end of a sentence to confirm understanding. It could translate as "right?"
• Thumbs up = Everything's OK/understood
• Fingers flicked under chin outward =  I don't have the slightest idea.
• ¿Que le vamos a hacer? = What can you do?
• Kiss on the cheek = Extremely common gesture that everyone does - whether you know someone or not, you must be prepared to kiss one time on  the right cheek "hello" and "goodbye"!
• Beso = Literally means "kiss" but used to sign off at the end of a telephone conversation.

Heres the trailer of an Argentine movie called Amorosa Soledad. The lead actress has a very pronounced Argentine accent; if you listen carefully, you can hear "Todo bien?" and lots of examples of the vos conjugation. Also, she gives a good example of the Italian-sounding Spanish: