Tips for Expats: How to improve your Spanish quickly

Expats that come to Spain always struggle a little when it comes to doing normal everyday tasks because English is not an official language in Spain and usually people speak Spanish or another official language of the autonomous region. Therefore, learning Spanish is a requirement to live a carefree life in Spain. Here in this guide, we will introduce some of the usual ways expats learn Spanish. First, we want you to figure out your goals and needs. Do you want to learn Spanish for studies or work? Or are you just wanting to learn it for survival? You should be open to different ways of learning. You can create an immersive learning experience for yourself because you are in the best place to learn! Below are some of the ideas that worked, we encourage you to try them out and see what works best for you. Remember practice makes perfect! 

1. Find a language course or a language academy

2. Find a native tutor

3. Find a language exchange partner

4. Make friends and hang out with them

5. Other means to improve your Spanish

1. Find a language course or a language academy

This is the most popular way among students. Many students get their first Spanish student visa by applying for a language course in a language academy. Except for offline courses, you can also find online courses available.

• Pros:
  • This would be perfect if you want to advance your studies in Spain and continue to work in Spanish.
  • Because learning at school can help build a solid grammar system and master the language professionally.
  • There are many high-quality options to choose from if you are in Spain. And you can always find a course that fulfills your needs.
• Cons:
  • It requires much time to learn in class, which might make it difficult for you if you already have a tight schedule.
  • Sometimes, it’s hard to implement what you have learned in class into real-world conversations.
  • It depends but courses can be costly.

2. Find a native tutor

The traditional way of finding a native tutor is by word of mouth. However, this way of learning has also gained momentum as educational technology grows rapidly. There are a lot of websites/apps that facilitate users to find a native tutor at an affordable price.

• Pros:
  • The pros are similar to the ones of language courses but a native tutor is more flexible than courses as the tutor can tailor the course to your needs. You can negotiate time, place, way of teaching, and even price.
  • Generally, you can improve at a faster pace because the teaching and mentoring are exclusive for you at a specific time.
• Cons:
  • Since the entrance level is not as high as academies, you might encounter not-so-qualified tutors if you want to improve your Spanish professionally.
  • Like having a language course, this is also quite costly if you want to study for the long term.

3. Find a language exchange partner

Language exchange is also a popular way of new language acquisition. You can find language exchange apps, or language exchange clubs nearly everywhere. Universities, companies, and even Facebook groups all favor this way of learning a new language.

• Pros:
  • The atmosphere is usually chill and comfortable, attractive to people who are tired of school.
  • You can pick up Spanish quickly by making real conversations on real occasions like ordering food.
  • Since it’s a language exchange, you don’t need to pay anything other than teaching them the languages you know!
• Cons:
  • Again, like finding native tutors, you might find people are not-so-fit for your needs if you are wanting to improve your Spanish professionally.
  • There is usually weak commitment between language partners and sometimes the partnership cannot continue for various reasons.

4. Make friends and hang out with them

If you want to learn Spanish and you like meeting new people, don’t hesitate to meet people and make some Spanish friends! Surely, you can always get to know some Spanish friends no matter if they are your classmates, colleagues, neighbors, or even strangers. If you have a hobby, you can also go find an interest group/club, which usually helps you make good friends.   

• Pros:
  • Friends are always willing to help others out! And trust me, most Spanish people are very willing to teach others a little bit of Spanish.
  • If you are friends, you might learn Spanish in real-life occasions, like going shopping, going on a trip, or going to a movie.
• Cons:
  • However, this is not recommended for people that know little Spanish. Because communication is key in friendship. You might end up talking in the language you already know to facilitate communication.

5. Other means to improve your Spanish

Except for the ways we mentioned above, some people also prefer other ways of learning Spanish, such as home study, social media, or even language learning apps. You can choose whatever way best suits your needs and design your Spanish immersive course.

Here at Adeslas, we hope to provide you with the best medical insurance to ensure you a carefree studying, working, or living experience in Spain.

If you would like to know more about this topic, check out one of these blogs:

• What is it like to study in Spanish universities?
• Can an international student earn extra money while studying in Spain?
• Guide on how to teach English in Spain
• How to choose a school in Spain: Spanish vs international schools

Our content will be updated according to the most recent legislation. Last update: 18/07/2023