# Speaking Spanish?



## Ulsterman (Mar 7, 2013)

Hi there. As some of you may know I'm moving to Barcelona in July. I'm beginning to get a little worried by the fact that I don't know any Spanish! I have all the best intentions to learn the language (and will do so when I'm there...) but I only have a few stock phrases at best. I'm going over there to teach English, and I understand that TEFL doesn't exactly require you to speak the native tongue (in fact some schools seem to prefer you never to speak the native language)

So anyway... Will I be ok? Will I be able to get by with (very) rudimentary Spanish?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Ulsterman said:


> Hi there. As some of you may know I'm moving to Barcelona in July. I'm beginning to get a little worried by the fact that I don't know any Spanish! I have all the best intentions to learn the language (and will do so when I'm there...) but I only have a few stock phrases at best. I'm going over there to teach English, and I understand that TEFL doesn't exactly require you to speak the native tongue (in fact some schools seem to prefer you never to speak the native language)
> 
> So anyway... Will I be ok? Will I be able to get by with (very) rudimentary Spanish?


I suspect that your biggest problem will be talking to other staff and talking to the parents of the little darlings that you are teaching!


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## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

I would learn Catalan if I were you.


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## Aron (Apr 30, 2013)

Ulsterman said:


> Hi there. As some of you may know I'm moving to Barcelona in July. I'm beginning to get a little worried by the fact that I don't know any Spanish! I have all the best intentions to learn the language (and will do so when I'm there...) but I only have a few stock phrases at best. I'm going over there to teach English, and I understand that TEFL doesn't exactly require you to speak the native tongue (in fact some schools seem to prefer you never to speak the native language)
> 
> So anyway... Will I be ok? Will I be able to get by with (very) rudimentary Spanish?


Get a good teacher and practice by going to the places frequented by Spanish people. Learn a few things you feel comfortable with. To start,keep it simple,nothing difficult. I have an expat friend in Italy. She said to speak Spanish to everyone, even the British expats, you must keep trying your Spanish. I remembered saying, if I talked to my Brit friends in Spanish they wouldn't understand me. She said, that's their fault, they should learn Spanish too. You'll be fine, the locals will appreciate you trying and they will help you. Just be positive. You will get a lot wrong, but that's how we learn anything!


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## Guest (Jun 15, 2013)

Ulsterman said:


> I'm beginning to get a little worried by the fact that I don't know any Spanish! I have all the best intentions to learn the language (and will do so when I'm there...) but I only have a few stock phrases at best.


Before or after your arrival you can check out this web site. It is intended to connect two people who would like to do an exchange, in your case English for Spanish. You can meet face to face or communicate in other ways... your choice. There are a wide variety of ages and levels available. It could be a good inexpensive start:

Conversation Exchange - Language learning with native speakers


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## elisa31bcn (Jan 23, 2013)

Try out Duolingo...it's free, on the internet. and someplace to start now.
And even though you're coming to Barcelona, stick to Spanish, It works everywhere. but
learn a few key Catalan phrases, bon dia, bona nit, etc. People appreciate the gesture.


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

I agree with elisa31bcn - although it's good to know some basic Catalan phrases, Castellano is understood everywhere and we've never had any problems speaking it.

I used the website mysticmick recommends to find a conversation partner and there were loads of people looking for native English speakers! I also have a private teacher who I found on Clases particulares y Profesores particulares


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## JoCatalunya (Mar 16, 2011)

Whilst you can learn a few Catalan phrases it is advisable you actually learn Spanish first and foremost. That way people from any area of the country, be it Catalonia, Valencia, etc, can understand you whereas if you learn to speak Catalan only you can only speak to Catalans and even then, not to all as they have regional dialects / differences.

As for will you be able to manage/survive with little to no Spanish once over here I have found a great many people actually speak English in Barcelona, however, start learning now, don't wait till you get here. Even a couple of weeks of study will help you.

There are many good computer courses available so go out and buy one.


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

One of the English teachers at my language school is currently learning beginner's Spanish in our class......


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Both SWMBO and the suegra (both teachers) say that you really do have to know Spanish, if you are going to make a good job of teaching English to Spanish children or even adults. The principle is you always go from the 'known' to the 'unknown', in other words you should always explain the things about which the student is unsure or to which the student is new, in the language that the student understands best.


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## JaneyO (Sep 24, 2012)

I tried all sorts but the best was 'Shortcut to Spanish' and other courses online by Marcus Santamaria, they just worked for me. You can try lots of them for free and then pay for the full courses, not very expensive, if you find they suit your learning style. Its all real spanish for speaking -not lots of grammar. Good luck!


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

These are all good replies but I think the guy just wants to know how he will get on with no real Spanish until he can pick it up. 
He already has stated intentions to learn but until then how hard will it be to operate in English?
I imagine it'll be like most places if you are a tourist, you should be fine up to a point.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Pazcat said:


> These are all good replies but I think the guy just wants to know how he will get on with no real Spanish until he can pick it up.
> He already has stated intentions to learn but until then how hard will it be to operate in English?
> I imagine it'll be like most places if you are a tourist, you should be fine up to a point.


See posts 2 and 10. If he's going to be teaching English to kids who don't understand English which is the whole reason for his teaching, how is he going to explain things to them if he doesn't speak Spanish and they don't understand his English?

The average tourist can cope with "Dos cervezas, por favor" but that won't be much use in a class of two year olds or even five year olds.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Still the point is the same, while he doesn't have Spanish the question remains. 
What about teachers who have been in similar positions, maybe the schools help you out with P&T nights until your up to speed. I don't know but that seems like the biggest issue so if others have been in that place then maybe they have more to add.

To me it would seem odd for a school to hire a teacher who couldn't speak Spanish if it was a requirement so either it's not a requirement and there is a process or someone has made an error in judgement.

There is also day to day life to. 
The guy has already said he plans on learning and is a teacher so probably can figure that part out.

Even with lessons I wont pick up conversational Spanish over night so there has to be an in between adjustment.


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## Joanne22 (Jun 17, 2013)

*Language*

Before I moved to Germany I used livemocha to learn a few things. It's like Rosetta Stone and I'm sure has Spanish..


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Pazcat said:


> Still the point is the same, while he doesn't have Spanish the question remains.
> What about teachers who have been in similar positions, maybe the schools help you out with P&T nights until your up to speed. I don't know but that seems like the biggest issue so if others have been in that place then maybe they have more to add.
> 
> To me it would seem odd for a school to hire a teacher who couldn't speak Spanish if it was a requirement so either it's not a requirement and there is a process or someone has made an error in judgement.
> ...


You don't have to be able to speak the local language to be an English teacher. This has advantages and disadvantages, but if schools had to rely on native English teachers who spoke Spanish they'd be extremely understaffed. If you speak Spanish you can anticipate some of the problems your students might have, but if you don't speak Spanish the students find real motivation to communicate using English...
When I first started teaching (in Colombia) I had some basic understanding having done CSE Spanish at school. I got a teach yourself Spanish book and did some serious studying for about a couple of months *before I left*. Once in Colombia I had classes, group and private, until I felt I'd got too much passive knowledge and I needed some time to put all that I had studied into practice. However, the biggest learning aid was a very nice boyfriend


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> You don't have to be able to speak the local language to be an English teacher. This has advantages and disadvantages, but if schools had to rely on native English teachers who spoke Spanish they'd be extremely understaffed. If you speak Spanish you can anticipate some of the problems your students might have, but if you don't speak Spanish the students find real motivation to communicate using English...
> When I first started teaching (in Colombia) I had some basic understanding having done CSE Spanish at school. I got a teach yourself Spanish book and did some serious studying for about a couple of months *before I left*. Once in Colombia I had classes, group and private, until I felt I'd got too much passive knowledge and I needed some time to put all that I had studied into practice. However, the biggest learning aid was a very nice boyfriend


Now you're going to get a string of PMs to ask if he is still available. 

For me it was an extra-nice girlfriend. And before anyone asks, no she isn't!


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Up here all the children are taught in the official language schools by young native speakers that do not speak spanish unless they learn themselves. It also applies to spanish , normally the teachers do not speak another language.


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

Before moving here, I was teaching at a language school in London with students from all over the world. In one class I could have Spanish, Italian, French, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Arabic etc etc speakers, so there was no way I could communicate with all of them in their own language!

It is nice in some ways now teaching only Spanish speakers, as I know more about _why_ they make the mistakes they do, false friends, pronunciation issues etc and if necessary (and depending on the word!) can tell them what a word means. I do keep my lessons completely in English wherever possible though  Drawing/miming are much more fun to explain a word


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

goingtobcn said:


> Drawing/miming are much more fun to explain a word


Is there a movie of that on U2B?


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## goingtobcn (Sep 9, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> Is there a movie of that on U2B?


:lol: not that I know of, but who knows what some of my students are capable of!


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

There is a non - English speaking Chinese lady in my Spanish language group. The Spanish teacher communicates with her via a google translate projection screen. 

This is quite a feat & takes up a lot of her time !!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Allie-P said:


> There is a non - English speaking Chinese lady in my Spanish language group. The Spanish teacher communicates with her via a google translate projection screen.
> 
> This is quite a feat & takes up a lot of her time !!


She'd be better off teaching her the 15 or so basic phrases she needs for class in Spanish like
Listen to...
repeat
fill in the gaps
look at...
ETC
and telling the student to look up any other info out of class herself. As goingtobcn says, other students learn perfectly well in multilingual classes.


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## LizM (Feb 5, 2013)

As you will almost certainly need to qualify, I don't know how you are going to understand your teacher if you don't speak any Spanish!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

LizM said:


> As you will almost certainly need to qualify, I don't know how you are going to understand your teacher if you don't speak any Spanish!


:confused2:


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