You have just arrived in Spain and are raring to start speaking the exotic foreign language. You’re going to need to learn how to do everything from complicated legal transactions to buying meat at the butcher. Since Spaniards are not known exactly for speaking English, (that’s slowly changing now), you had better get busy.

The easiest way to learn Spanish would probably be to fall in love with a Spaniard; but if you already have a significant other, there are a few ways to learn Spanish, each with varying degrees of difficulty and cost.

Public Institutions
These can be pretty expensive but they will be also the most effective, especially if you’re not one to sit with a book and teach yourself. In most of these cases, you will be taught in a classroom setting with a few private sessions for one-on-one verbal practise.

Another benefit to these courses is that they are usually done by certified teachers. Also, there are courses that cater to do DELE (The official test in Spanish as a foreign language and stands for Spanish Diploma as a Foreign Language).

If you are thinking about these options, try:

•    International House Madrid or if you’re not in Madrid, try International House World. They provide courses for 2 weeks or 4 weeks. Depending on the level of intensity, classes can be up to four hours a day.

•    Sampere also offers intensive courses of up to 20 lessons a week in Madrid, Salamanca, and Alicante.

•    Escuela Oficial de Idiomas has centres all over Spain run by the government.

•    Lingua Schools offers Spanish language courses abroad. Linguaschools arranges the course, accommodation and the transfer service from the airport to the accommodation, if required.

•    Cervantes Institute offers courses in Spanish, as well as cultural information (in Spanish).

Intercambios
If the public institutions don’t work for you, try an intercambio, roughly translated, an exchange.

In this case, both sides benefit. The Spaniard practises speaking English and you practise speaking Spanish. Intercambios can be private, one-on-one, or in large groups (many Irish bars have intercambio night).

So where do you find these intercambios?

A good place to start would be English magazines in your area. In Madrid you can try InMadrid, or in Barcelona there’s Barcelona Metropolitan. Check out their ads to find bars offering intercambio nights or their classified sections to find people looking for one-on-one intercambios.

Other websites that play “matchmaker” are:
lingobongo.com
www.intercambio-es.com
www.spainexchange.com/es
www.spainexchange.com/es
www.barcelonaconnect.com

Minor warning: Many people use intercambios as an easy way to get a date. Be careful of people who are just on the prowl. It would be advisable to meet with a friend in a public place, or go to an international night at a bar and then if you hit it off with someone, move on to one-on-one.

Teach Yourself
If you’re not a social butterfly and would rather do it yourself at home, then there are some options for you.

Computer software
Everyone claims to have the best programme out there to learn Spanish quickly and retain everything. However, since everyone learns differently, explore the teaching style used by the programme before you buy. Here are a few good language software titles.

1)    Tell Me More Spanish
2)    Fluenz Spanish
3)    Rosetta Stone Spanish
4)    Instant Immersion Spanish
5)    Spanish Learning Suite

Remember: Some of these titles are pretty costly, ranging from EUR 32 all the way to EUR 150.

Almost anything you can buy can be found on the internet for free, so don’t be afraid to look around.

The BBC actually has a very innovative product that also includes audio files, a very valuable asset when trying to learn a language.

You may also want to buy pocket phrasebooks that will help you get around in the day-to-day grind. They won’t be great at in-depth grammar usage and explanations but they will definitely have useful phrases. It would also be good to have an electronic translator to carry around just in case.

Language centres in Madrid and Barcelona

EleMadrid provides Spanish classes for demanding adult learners. All Spanish group courses focus on General Spanish language skills in Spain and South America. They also offer specialised language training: Medical Spanish, Business language in Spanish, Spanish Teacher Training. Average groups are between five and eight students, and you can combine both individual and group lessons.
www.elemadrid.com

The don Quijote language school has offices in some of the major cities in Spain: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville. For more than 20 years they have provided active and interactive learning programs in a multi-national environment, with students from all over the world. The language centre is proud that it can provide fully-equipped schools in some of the most beautiful and historically-important cities in Spain.
www.donquijote.org

TildeMadrid is a Spanish language school in Madrid set up and managed by a team of degree-level professional language specialists.The Spanish school is orientated towards motivated adult students of every level and from all nationalities, who have a particular interest in Spanish language and culture. You will enjoy the intensive courses, the specially customized study programs and the personalized attention.
www.tildemadrid.com

Olé Languages is a professional Spanish school, dedicated to teaching Spanish as a foreign language in an open, personal and enjoyable atmosphere. The school offers Spanish courses for all levels at competitive prices, taught by dedicated, highly qualified native Spanish speakers. You can choose the intensity and the level of the course.
www.olelanguages.com

In Sol Barcelona you can learn Spanish in language immersion programs combined with an unforgettable cultural experience in Barcelona. You can take maximum advantage of your time and study Spanish with experienced trainers in one-on-one classes or small groups. This is ideal for the more mature student of Spanish.
www.solbarcelona.com

Kirina Boykova / Kejan Hayes / Expatica