A spade has a long handle and is used for digging, usually earth and heavy substances; a shovel has a short handle and is used for shovelling up coal, refuse. gravel etc.
A spade is what I use in the garden (or on a beach!). I have a shovel too - last used for moving some hard-core. It's a rougher tool and as fanny says, deeper.
Do you say spade or shovel? I was contradicted by a know all the other day for saying shovel. I would say a garden shovel,a coal shovel but a bucket and spade. I shovel the coal and was actually shovelling moss when contradicted. I don't spade the coal or moss. So is the differential made when doing something manually? I am a northerner and know the saying we always" Call a spade a shovel ". When do you?