Top 8 Ways to Learn Spanish for Free in Barcelona
Sponsored by Oxford House.
Ever dreamed of living abroad and learning a new language? Learning Spanish in Barcelona is a top choice for many people just like you. The city pulsates with rich culture, from Gaudí's architectural works to the bustling La Boqueria market, and provides a dynamic landscape for language learning. Whether you are new to the city, or have been living here for a while, embracing the Spanish language will enable meaningful interactions with, not only local residents, but also over 580 million Spanish speakers worldwide.
So, with that in mind, here are the top eight ways to learn Spanish for free in Barcelona. There’s no need to spend a penny with these tips. Find out more below and start planning your Spanish language learning journey today.
1. Sign up to Free Spanish Classes at Oxford House
Yes, you read it correctly: free Spanish classes! Oxford House, located in the center of the city next to Passeig de Gràcia, is not only a language school, it is also a teacher training center.
Every month, aspiring English and Spanish teachers descend on Barcelona (or log in online) to be trained up and receive their qualification to teach English or teach Spanish to foreigners. This means learners of English and Spanish are needed regularly—and that’s where you come in. These classes are only for adults and you will find a variety of nationalities in class learning Spanish with you. There is no long-term commitment and you can join any month. Register at any time for full-time and part-time online or face-to-face Spanish lessons with teachers in training here.
2. Get a Language Exchange Partner
Barcelona is a multicultural city with an international population keen to communicate with each other. Most often, this means learning Spanish and English. Getting a language exchange partner (or more than one) is a great way to learn Spanish for free, naturally and in a relaxed way.
Take a walk at the beach, grab a coffee, visit a famous Barcelona landmark, go for a hike—there’s plenty to do for free while practicing your Spanish with your language exchange partner. And, it’s the perfect way to get to know some locals and expand your friendship group too. Check out Tandem to find your language exchange partner in Barcelona.
3. Attend Language Exchange Events
It may sound obvious but language exchanges are one of the best ways to not only practice speaking Spanish but also to meet residents of Barcelona in a relaxed and fun way.
There are plenty of language exchange events held around Barcelona, many of which change themes or location each month. Attend during the week or at the weekend. Join alone or with a friend. Attend a bar or a beach pic-nic. There is something for everyone when it comes to language exchanges in the city. There is no need to feel concerned about what to say or do as most exchanges will guide participants with some kind of activity or prompt. Oxford House organizes a free monthly language exchange event called Happy Friday Noche de Intercambio and there are plenty of others to be found on Meetup.
4. Live with Spanish Speakers
As mentioned above, you can expect to meet any nationality in Barcelona. So, if you are sharing an apartment, you may find yourself cohabitating with other expats. Even if your housemates are not Spanish citizens, very often Spanish will be the common language at home. If you live with Spanish speakers, try asking your flatmates to only speak in Spanish with you. Perhaps you could share tips for learning Spanish, prepare meals together in Spanish or teach each other expressions for doing the chores. Find out what works for you and your flatmates and see how quickly you pick up the language!
5. Change Your Settings to Spanish
If you use any sort of device, you will have a setting for selecting your preferred language. Try switching your mobile phone to Spanish and before you know it you will pick up a ton of vocabulary for providing instructions or receiving notifications. Using ChatGPT to find the answers to all your problems? Ask it to respond in Spanish to put your reading comprehension to the test. Or perhaps your default browser is still set to your native language. Change it to Spanish and give your Spanish a daily workout for free online. Decide what you can realistically do to give your level a boost and you’ll have a better understanding of Spanish in no time.
6. Offer a Service Exchange
Have a skill you’d be happy to share in exchange for learning Spanish for free? The act of exchanging or teaching specific abilities, knowledge or expertise is not only useful and rewarding, it will expand your Barcelona community too! Whether you are a hairdresser, plumber, English teacher, chef or anything else; suggest an exchange of your service for a Spanish class(s) and it’s a win-win for everybody. There are plenty of Facebook groups in Barcelona and events where you will be able to find a service exchange partner. Make a suggestion, you’ve got nothing to lose.
7. Get Online and Then Get Outside
There are numerous opportunities to learn Spanish for free through online platforms like Duolingo and BBC Languages, for example. These platforms provide interactive lessons catering to various levels of proficiency. Additionally, podcasts and YouTube channels provide countless opportunities to learn the skills you need to communicate effectively in Spanish.
One of the greatest benefits of learning Spanish in Barcelona is that you just need to walk outside to start putting into practice what you have learned at home. Head to the market, make an inquiry at the gym or go to a cafe to start using the language you have picked up that morning. It’s that easy!
8. Use Facebook to Your Advantage
According to a recent survey by ReasearchGate, over 30% of language learners actively use Facebook as a resource for language learning. It’s a great resource! Here are just some ways Facebook can help you learn Spanish for free:
Whatever your taste in food, hobbies or music, and wherever you live or like to go out, there will be a Barcelona Facebook group for you. Ask for information, contribute to a lively discussion, find out what’s happening in your neighborhood—you decide. Join a group and practice reading and writing Spanish every day. Check Everything Barcelona to get started.
Want to know what events are happening in Spanish? Check out what events are happening in the city and never miss out on an opportunity to mingle with Spanish speakers.
Follow news pages and other media in Spanish and get your daily dose in your Facebook feed. La Vanguardia, El País and El Mundo are three of the largest news outlets in Spain. You could also check out Time Out Barcelona.
So, as you can see, there are plenty of ways to learn Spanish for free in Barcelona. Try some of these out and let us know how you get on!
Sponsored by Oxford House.