Spanish is the official language of both Chile and Argentina, with most people in Patagonia conversing in the language. That being said, there are distinct pronunciation differences in the Spanish that’s spoken in the two countries and other Spanish speakers might find it particularly difficult to understand Chilean Spanish, which uses a lot of local phrases and slang.  Patagonia’s indigenous peoples speak Mapudungun and you may also hear German and Welsh spoken due to the historic settlements in Patagonia. With a thriving tourism industry, many people in Patagonia speak some English, although having a few phrases of Spanish or a translation guide is a good idea if you’re traveling independently.