Does Knowing Spanish Help Foreigners Living In Spain

With so many British couples and families taking advantage of the milder winter weather and brilliant summers in the Costa del Sol region, it begs the question, does knowing Spanish actually help these foreigners who move to Spain?

There’s no doubt that learning the language of the country you are in is beneficial, and this is no truer than in Spain. Spanish is spoken by over 300 million people worldwide and is the native language of no less than 19 countries. In addition, it is spoken widely in another half a dozen countries, making it a useful language to know.

Spanish itself has a rich history, dating back to its introduction in the 6th century. Interestingly enough, over time, the language has evolved considerably and contemporary Spanish even has almost 5,000 words, which derive from Arabic!

With Spanish explorers’ undying curiosity for far away places, the language of Spain has become quite widespread across the earth. It is now an intricate part of the school curriculum in well over 50% of schools and colleges.

In terms of day-to-day use, speaking whatever Spanish you know whilst you go about your daily chores is a great way to practise shaky language skills and improve pronunciation. Interaction between yourself and sales staff at the fishmongers, supermarket, local off-license, and bakers, for example, can make you feel a lot more at home too!

Spain has a lot of culture associated with it and Spanish people are very proud, so taking the time and effort to learn whatever you can of their national language will always be very much appreciated by the locals, regardless of your level of skill.

Clearly, if you cannot be understood at all due to back pronunciation or incorrect word usage, then you may defeat the purpose of learning the language of Spain. However, with practise this can be rectified.

Another method of learning Spanish is from cassettes or CDs, which you can play in your car, around the house, or even on a portable player when you are going to sleep. A Latin language, Spain’s national language is a beautiful one.

Of course, natives of Spain will treat you slightly differently if you speak to them in Spanish, as they will admire the effort you’ve put in. However, this does not extend to just “Ola” and nothing more. Being able to hold a basic conversation in Spanish will not only improve your self-esteem, but also indicate to any Spaniards that you respect his/her country enough to try to learn the basics of its language.

Realistically in today’s world, English is the language of choice. It is very rare to find someone who doesn’t know any English at all, regardless of his or her native country.

So, technically, a foreigner living in Spain doesn’t need to learn Spanish in order to survive.

However, in the name of fostering good relations between yourself and your neighbours, although not imperative, it is preferred that you be familiar with Spain’s language, customs, and culture. Though requiring a bit of effort in the beginning, in the long run, it will be well worth it.