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Thursday May 5, 2016

Time to get to grips with Spanish!


Getting to grips with Spanish

My new monthly column is now available online.

This month I have focused on the nitty gritty issue of learning the language when one decides to relocate to a new destination. In the case of Britons residing in Spain, many refuse to take lessons or prioritise learning Spanish because they assume most locals will speak English. This is not always the case and besides, it is surely more fun to engage with local people in their own tongue?

As a nation we find getting to grips with new lingos very difficult but it is worth persevering. Even a basic understanding of Castilian Spanish can make all the difference and make living in Spain a far more enjoyable and enriching experience.

So, to the naysayers, I say, give it a go! There is nothing more satisfying than being able to order food in a restaurant, chat with the builder, participate in conversation at a dinner or understand what the heck’s going on at a fiesta. there are classes and teachers galore in Spain only too happy to assist and for those who prefer to go it alone, there’s nothing to beat watching Spanish films, reading the local news and watching some of the more amusing Spanish soaps!





Please feel free to comment on this article. All comments are moderated, so it will appear after I have checked it. Thanks!


  1. I just discover your blog and really like it! It is true that learning a minium of Spanish is key to be integrated into the local life. What is the point to live abroad if you cannot communicawith the people and learn more about their culture right? I arrived in Spain 2 years ago without speaking any spanish and took 3 month of intensive classes of Spanish and used to practice in my everday life and watched movies in Spanish. All this really helped me and within 6 month I could really understand 80% of the conversations and speak quite fluently. If one day you wish to buy a property in Spain and want a secured and comprehensive support to find a property, check out our site :) http://www.ready4spain.com/en/ . All the best!

    * by Melissa | May 11, 12:04 pm

  2. Hi, I have started to learn Spanish to get myself ready for living in Mallorca, but after reading your article I’m wondering if I need to learn Castilian Spanish. Are they similar or totally different? What’s your advice?

    Becky

    * by Becky | Jul 20, 11:24 pm