Here's why:
* Historical Roots: Spanish, like other Romance languages, evolved directly from Vulgar Latin, the spoken language of the Roman Empire.
* Vocabulary and Grammar: Spanish shares a vast vocabulary with Latin, with many words and grammatical structures being directly derived.
* Sound System: The pronunciation and sound system of Spanish bear strong resemblance to Latin.
While Latin is the primary influence, other languages also played a role in shaping Spanish, including:
* Arabic: During the Moorish rule of Spain, Arabic contributed words related to agriculture, science, and daily life.
* Native American Languages: The Spanish language absorbed words and grammatical features from indigenous languages spoken in the Americas.
* Other Romance Languages: Spanish has borrowed words and phrases from other Romance languages like French and Italian.
However, the influence of Latin is undeniable and remains the foundation of the Spanish language.