topics
tools
Expatica countries
editor's choice

State and private schools in Spain

Festivals in Spain 2011

Should our kids go native too?

Childcare in Spain

Moving to Barcelona with children

Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2119.44 0.28
DAX 6339.94 0.38
IBEX 30 6543 0.13
CAC 40 3047.94 0.32
FTSE 100 5351.53 0.03
AEX 292.76 0.23
DJIA 12454.83 -0.60
Nasdaq 2837.53 -0.07
FTSE MIB 13154.8 0.36
TSX Composite 11576.47 0.09
ASX 4102.5 0.52
Hang seng 18672.32 -0.22
Straits Times 2763.68 -0.33
ISEQ 20 500.94 1.55
You are here: Home Education Languages Editor's Guide: How to learn Spanish in Spain
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


04/10/2011Editor's Guide: How to learn Spanish in Spain

Editor's Guide: How to learn Spanish in Spain Read Expatica's short introduction to our Languages section for Spain to find out where and how to learn Spanish, and how fellow expats are speaking Spanish learning Spanish in Spain.

Learning a new language
Whatever your attitude to language learning, intercultural specialists all agree that learning the language of your new country of residence is a crucial step to understanding your adopted culture.

After you master Spanish, Catalan or any local dialects, doors will open for you—you’ll be able to deal with your own administration—and you’ll feel happier and more at ease in your new environment. Your Spanish might not be perfect, but it will go a long way.

Read how one teacher teaches Hollywood celebrities the ways of Spanish, or how Spanish itself is being eclipsed in the workplace by English phrases and office words.

If you are new to the country, it will be handy to have print out Expatica's list of Spanish phrases to help you get around for the first couple of months.

When you are ready to start learning the language, gather learning languages tips written by experts such as Surviving the language learning curve or read how a self-proclaimed lazy student picks up Spanish. Invest in a good dictionary that translates from your native language to that of Spain and vice versa, and make an effort to learn Spanish.


Finding a language course
Find a language course in Spain by looking at Expatica’s A-Z listings for a selection of language schools near you. If you live outside the bigger cities, Spanish classes may become more inaccessible and more expensive. Read our guide on cheaper ways to learn the local language.

It would also be handy to find out if your local government subsidises courses for expats to learn the local language, or if your employer finances language training.

Raising children bilingually
Children take language learning in their stride, and any anxiety about learning a new language is generally felt only by parents. There are exceptions though, says one one expat father who writes about how his three-year-old boy went through different stages upon being introduced to a new language.

If you and your partner speak to your children in your native tongues and live in a country where a third language is spoken, communication can quickly become complicated. Read how other multilingual families are dealing with their situation.

Expats learning the local lingo
Learning Spanish is a favourite topic for bloggers, so check out Expatica’s Blogs & Photos channel. In The language of love, one blogger in Spain asks how important it is to speak your partner’s language while another ponders over the effects of speaking a foreign language. Another writes about how her Spanish improve rapidly after she started watching Spanish TV and listening to Spanish radio. 


1 reaction to this article

Andrew posted: 2011-12-30 12:36:55

Try: www.comprende.co.uk This is a new website launched in the UK teaching Spanish. It consists of a fully structured course of fifteen lessons. These lessons are online, pre-recorded and interactive simulating a one to one lesson. With proven methodology, motivating and it has had great results. Affordable prices too!

1 reaction to this article

Andrew posted: 2011-12-30 12:36:55

Try: www.comprende.co.uk This is a new website launched in the UK teaching Spanish. It consists of a fully structured course of fifteen lessons. These lessons are online, pre-recorded and interactive simulating a one to one lesson. With proven methodology, motivating and it has had great results. Affordable prices too!

Inside Expatica
Editor's Guide: Getting Started in Spain

Editor's Guide: Getting Started in Spain

Expatica's Getting Started section will provide practical information on how you can open a bank account, exchange your driving licence, improve your Spanish, and more.

Groups and Clubs in Madrid

Groups and Clubs in Madrid

Here's a guide to an extensive list of groups and clubs in Madrid for expats, from sports groups to social and family gatherings.

Groups and Clubs around Spain

Groups and Clubs around Spain

A brief introduction to our Tax section for Spain, from help with inheritance tax to accounting advice.

Groups and Clubs in Barcelona

Groups and Clubs in Barcelona

Here's a short introduction to our Banking section for those living in Spain, from what to ask the experts to opening a Spanish bank account.