If you are moving to Spain to learn about a different way of life, then learning the language is crucial. So much of the culture is conveyed through language, not to mention being able to listen to and get to know local people, attend events of interest and learn about your host country.

The more you know before you arrive, the sooner you will be able to find your feet and your place. It will also be easier for your children to integrate and make friends if they have some basic language skills before they arrive.

​No problem if they don’t, just be prepared for the integration to take longer. I’d say it takes 4-5 months to become confident in the language but of course each person learns at a different pace and it depends if you have learnt a foreign language previously as this can speed up the process. 

---

Learn Spanish in Spain or remotely with native speakers

There are many language schools catering to foreigners in Spain. I tend to steer clear of the big schools like Don Quijote who have bought up many of the smaller schools. My rule of thumb is to study with the smaller, more personal schools or teachers. A private teacher can also be a good way to improve quickly

In Granada I highly recommend the following people and schools:​

Carmina Herrera - Private Spanish Teacher
Carmina is a friendly, highly qualified Spanish teacher who has significant experience in teaching and language translation. She has lived and worked as a teacher in the UK and Spain and holds a BA Hons in Applied Languages and a Master’s degree in Teaching Languages for Secondary Schools. Now living back in Granada, she teaches private lessons at her home and online. She can be contacted by email.

Castila Language School is located in a pretty carmen in the Albaicin. It has small classes for all levels with a focus on grammar and conversation. They also have a special program designed for families arriving on sabbatical i.e. you can be flexible in your hours of study and they help prepare children for the start of the school year by teaching them Spanish and what to expect at school. Mention Your Year in Spain for a discount.

Learn Spanish at home

The thing about learning a language while still in your home country is to make it as fun as possible so it doesn’t feel like a chore. Although progress will be much slower than when you are immersed in the country and language, you will be grateful to have some basic language skills when you arrive.
​Here are some ideas:
​

• Pay a native Spanish speaker to teach you conversation skills. Students from Spain or Latin America who are in your country are great for this.​
  
•  Spanish Gurus allows you to learn Spanish from native speakers anywhere in the world and has some great free resources 
• CastiLa Language School has developed an excellent online Spanish learning program 
• Baba.la is a translation tool, dictionary, grammar, phrases and games website for free. It also has a magazine section about living in Spain.
• Duolingo is a free and fun online tool for learning Spanish
• Fluent in 3 Months has free audio podcasts to teach you the basics of Spanish
• The BBC UK has a great resource page with everything you need to learn Spanish based on your interests
• Find an Instituto Cervantes in your city and sign up for their courses and activities. These are the official Spanish language and cultural centres opened by the Spanish Government to promote the study and the teaching of  Spanish language and culture.
• Study Spanish has various resources and membership rates, some free and others for a small monthly fee.