Today we are all used to using the internet for our social relationships. However, until not so long ago the way we had to relate and converse with others was very different. Social networks triumph, but before they existed the social chats They broke into the internet, changing everything.
What is a social chat?
A social chat is an instrument designed to hold conversations with strangers, exchange opinions, share hobbies, do business, meet people, make friends, find love and much more.
Their functioning then, when they appeared in our lives, is the same as it is now. But it is also true that many aspects of social chats have evolved. Today we find them available in almost any language, with the need to register or not, free and paid, etc. Social chats, far from dying out in the shadow of Social Media as some predicted, are still very useful and popular throughout the world.
And if they are still alive, it is for an undeniable reason: social chats offer us many interesting possibilities to interact. It is also true that all of them are governed by very clear rules that all users must respect, which is not always easy. The golden rule to use these channels and get the best out of them is to act at all times with education, respect and responsibility.
It is that, well used, social chats can enrich our lives with many positive things. For example, they give us the opportunity to communicate with groups of people of different nationalities, come into contact with people with similar hobbies or tastes, or simply have a fun chatting time.
The best social chats in Spanish
These are the most important social chats that currently exist. For our selection we have chosen the seven most important websites at the moment in terms of popularity and number of users:
ChannelChat
Although little known in Spain, Canalchat enjoys great popularity in Latin American countries
A more popular chat in Latin America than in Spain, although increasingly used by European Spanish speakers. ChannelChat It has different rooms classified by interests and countries. Thanks to its tab system, it allows its users to chat in several rooms at the same time.
Perhaps the most outstanding aspect of this chat is its interface, simple and very intuitive. In addition, it is completely free and does not require registration.
Link: ChannelChat
chat avenue
Chat Avenue, one of the great social chats in English
chat avenue It is part of the select group of historical social chats on the web. Years have passed and it is still very popular, perfectly preserving its original essence. It is a very simple and direct text chat. Of course, it is in English, but we have thought that it is fair to include it in our list since in practice it is used by many Spanish speakers.
Next to each user's name there is a little flag that identifies their nationality. That little "house brand" detail hasn't changed since the early days of this chat. On the other hand, its interface has been redesigned and today it presents a more modern look.
Link: chat avenue
Hispanic Chat
Chat Hispano, a giant among social chats in Spanish
One of the most popular social chats both in Spain and in many other countries in America, including the United States, where the percentage of the population that speaks Spanish is increasing.
The app Hispanic Chat is fully adapted to mobile phones have integrations for Facebook and Twitter, among other things. It also offers the "People nearby" option to meet people from the same neighborhood, town or city.
It contains numerous chat rooms of the most varied themes. Registration is free, although if you want to chat without having to endure the hassle of invasive advertising, you will have to access the paid version.
Link: chathispano.com
Chat Zone
To chat, meet people, learn and have fun: Chat Zone
Active since 2007, Chat Zone It is one of the social chats in Spanish with more history. It is a very safe and easy to use platform used by millions of users per month. Registration is free.
It has chat rooms organized in four categories main ones: «Spain», which includes chat rooms classified by autonomous communities and even cities; "Latinos", a category that contains specific rooms for each of the Latin American countries; «Leisure» (friendship, culture, sports, games ...) and «Relationships».
Link: chatzone.org
Chat
En Chat you will find all kinds of rooms for almost any concern and mood you may have: dating rooms, rooms for people over 40, rooms to talk about current issues ... Like other social chats, here we also find a subdivision by topic , but also by country and even by region.
If we talk about its popularity, suffice it to say that this is the highest rated Spanish chat in the Alexa ranking. This is no small thing. In addition, it does not matter where you connect from or what room you enter: here you will always find someone to chat. In addition, it is a simple chat that only asks us for a nickname and select an avatar to enter. Without complications.
Link: Chat
The chat
Although somewhat outdated, El Chat still has many followers
This is one of the historical social chats that has managed to survive and adapt to changes admirably, although its popularity is no longer the same as before. As for its aesthetics ... Anyway, we could say that it has become a bit out of date. The chat It currently offers two versions to its users: its classic chat on IRC channels and a new chat in html5 format.
If we want to use the classic IRC chat we will have to have Java installed and use a plugin called SeaMonkey. However, almost no one uses this modality anymore. Almost everyone prefers the new version that can be accessed simply with a nickname without registration to be able to chat in the different rooms.
Link: The chat
terrachat
Another veteran chat on the net. Its popularity lies in its simplicity. It is enough to introduce a nickname or nickname and start chatting in one of its many rooms. As you may have already imagined, terrachat He is the heir to the old portal of Terra, a giant from the early XNUMXst century that users of a certain age will know well.
The chat rooms on this website are very numerous, although some are more visited than others by users. The main rooms are usually always full, while the others are literally empty. When entering them, the web ensures that we are not left alone and automatically redirects us to the busiest rooms.
Link: terrachat
What social chat to choose?
What a question! The answer is quite complicated, since each of these social chats has its peculiarities and offers different options. They are all very similar to each other, but at the same time they offer unique and different experiences.
Choosing the best chat is a very personal matter. The most sensible test Among all those that we have recommended in the list in the previous section and choose one or more of them. Cad acual according to your tastes, interests and intentions.
It is also pertinent to remember that it is worth asking yourself some questions before entering one or more of these social chats. What are we really looking for in these types of sites? We must value everything that these meeting places can contribute to our personal lives. For example, using social chat you can live unique and unrepeatable experiences: build solid friendships and find the love of your life, or just have fun and entertainment. For people who are especially shy, with little social life or who are in moments of great loneliness, social chats are something more. They can be a balm, a blessing.
Differences between social chats and instant messaging
The terms "chat" and "instant messaging" are often confused. This is quite logical, because although they are actually two different ways of communicating on the Internet, the boundaries between the two have blurred considerably in recent years.
Strictly speaking, instant messaging applications are designed for an individual conversation with another person you already know, because to do so the user must have their contact previously. Conversely, chat can be defined as a digital forum where several people network in order to chat about common interests, share images, etc. The simile of chat is often used as a room in which guests enter, chat, discuss, have fun and leave. A room where it is necessary to know how to behave and keep manners., Of course
It is true that instant messaging applications have evolved, acquiring some of the classic characteristics of chat (as can be seen in the groups of Whatsapp o Telegram, for example). It is for this reason that they are often included in the same category as social chats. But not, they are not the same.