There are all sorts of ways in which you can set about learning a new language, but which is the most effective? Many audio languagecourses purport to have you speaking any language fluently in no time at all. Can it really be so easy? Well, in most cases the answer is no, though they can be a useful means of practising what you already know of a language and helping to improve your vocabulary.

Others believe that total immersion in the language is the only way to really learn. That too has its place, but it’s a method which isn’t available to every learner unless they are going to live in a Spanish-speaking country. No matter which additional learning and practice methods you adopt, you need a good, strong foundation in the form of real tuition.

The traditional learning environment is, of course, the classroom, but working with a private tutor is much more effective. Why? Well, there are numerous advantages to this way of learning. First, you can go at your own pace. In the classroom the pace is often set by the slower learners in the group; if you’re an eager and quick learner with a good ear for languages, you could find this limiting and frustrating.

Secondly, instead of having to cater for a group with mixed abilities and learning objectives, your private tutor can tailor lessons to suit just one person: you. Last but not least, a private tutor is able to give one-to-one coaching and can answer your questions immediately. This means you get maximum benefit from the time you spend with them. Contact us to find out more or start your own private Spanish lessons.

A common question from students is whether there is any difference between Spanish and Castellano, or Castilian as it is more commonly called in English, so in this blog we aim to answer that question. To do so, we need to explain a little bit about the origins of Spanish as it is spoken today.

As we already know, Spanish is largely derived from Latin. Latin came into usage in the region around 2,000 years ago, during Roman times. As typically happens when languages cross borders, it absorbed some of the vocabulary of the indigenous languages in use at the time and in that process became Vulgar Latin.

Several dialects of Vulgar Latin existed throughout the Iberian Peninsula, but it was the one spoken in the north-central part of Spain – an area which includes Castile – which spread throughout the whole region. Castilian’s position was cemented in the 13^th century during the reign of King Alfonso when its use for translation of historical documents saw it become the standard dialect used in education. He also made it the official language for government administration.

The spread of Castilian did not, however, lead to the extinction of other dialects. Other ‘languages’ of Latin derivation, like Galician and Catalan, are still widely spoken today. The non-Latin Basque dialect is also spoken by a minority. As all of these languages are themselves Spanish in origin, the term Castilian, or Castellano, is often used to differentiate standard Spanish from these other dialects. You are therefore likely to hear the word Castellano used to refer to the ‘pure’ Spanish which is endorsed by the Royal Spanish Academy.

You can discover Castellano for yourself by enrolling for our Private Spanish Lessons at home or at work throughout the London area.

 

If you’ve ever had lessons in any other European language –French during your school days, for example – then you probably already know that there are different forms of the English word “you” which change according to how well you know a person, amongst other factors.

Spanish is one of the many languages that has these different formal and informal, singular and plural forms of address, all of which translate to one simple English word, “you”. In several languages the formal and the plural form are the same, but in Spanish, there are four different ways to say “you”:

• Singular informal: tú
• Singular formal: usted
• Plural informal: vosotros
• Plural formal: ustedes

 

 

 

You will need to learn when to use the correct form, as using the informal tú when addressing, for example, a stranger, a person in authority or someone older than you is liable to make you appear rude or presumptuous.  Tú is generally reserved for close friends, family, children or pets. It is not an appropriate way to address someone you’re not on first name terms with – you would use usted for those people.

It’s important to understand the different forms of “you” so that you can use the corresponding words for “your” and “yours”, and so that you can conjugate verbs correctly. Our native Spanish tutors can help you to learn when each form should be used so that you can communicate confidently – and politely! Our lessons are tailored to your needs and are available throughout the London area.

On the surface you might not think there is much connection between Spanish and English, but you may be surprised to learn that they’re actually not-too-distant relations. They share the Latin alphabet for a start, which is a great foundation for any English speaker who wishes to learn a second language. What’s more, did you know that 30% to 40% of English words have a related word in Spanish? This is great news for students as words which appear and sound similar as well as having a similar meaning – known as cognates – make the job of learning and remembering the new language so much easier than learning a language like Chinese, for example, which has very few cognates in common.

Furthermore, as both languages are derived from Latin, sentences are formed in much the same way. There are a couple of differences in word order, for example adjectives go before nouns in English whereas the opposite is true in Spanish. So the translation of the English “the blue dress” in Spanish becomes “el vestido azul”, i.e. “the dress blue”. This, however, is a simple rule to learn and will quickly become second nature.

And so you see there is no reason to feel daunted about your decision to learn Spanish. It is, in fact, one of the easiest languages for English speakers to pick up. At Lingua Clinic we have a variety of learning delivery methods to suit your needs. Choose from private Spanish lessons, group training or intensive Spanish lessons if you want to learn the language quickly.

Spain has a great deal to offer visitors: it’s a country rich in culture which has given the world many influential artists over the centuries including Velázquez, Goya and Picasso. It is, of course, strongly identified with music and dance. It is also famed for its diverse architecture, which ranges from Arabic to Gothic to Modernist, with Gaudi being perhaps the most famous in the latter category.

Spain, through its colonial past, has exported many parts of its culture to other parts of the world, particularly the Americas. Mexico, of course, boasts its own rich cultural heritage prior to Spanish influence, in the form of the ancient Olmec, Aztec and Mayan civilisations.

Today both countries enjoy huge popularity as tourist destinations, but they share something much more important, and that is, of course, the Spanish language. Indeed, the language is often said to be one of the main attractions of Spain and Mexico; it is as animated and expressive as the inhabitants of those countries. Any student of Spanish has much to gain by immersing themselves in Spanish or Mexican life, whether they are visiting for business or pleasure.

An intensive Spanish course can be the ideal preparation for anybody planning a trip to Spain, Mexico or any other Spanish-speaking country. It can enable you to quickly acquire the skills and confidence to converse with those you meet, either socially or for business purposes, when you arrive at your destination.

Of all the many countries in the world where Spanish is spoken as the main language, Colombia is considered to be the place where you will hear the clearest spoken version of the language. What people are really referring to is the standard dialect which is spoken in the capital, Bogotá, and on the country’s TV. It’s renowned for being so clear because the accent is quite neutral, making it easy for anyone with a reasonable grasp of Spanish to understand.

To put this into a context that English speakers can easily relate to, you might compare it to the English of the BBC. Although regional accents have become more of a feature in recent years on UK screens, the speakers are still clearly intelligible to anyone who speaks the language, unlike some of the very broad accents which are to be found up and down the country and which natives from other areas, let alone foreigners, can struggle to understand at times.

However, Colombia also has a variety of different dialects – something that you will quickly appreciate if you travel beyond the capital. Regional accents can differ just as much as those in the UK do, and the use of idiomatic language which is contrary to the Spanish meaning can be confusing. For example, in the Medellín area “¿Qué más?” is prevalent as a way of saying “How are you?” that is quite different to the literal translation of “What else?”

If you’re interested in finding out more, you could search online for Colombian video clips and see if you can appreciate the famed clarity of their speech. If you want to learn Spanish or improve your existing skills, check out our services.

The key to learning and retaining any language is, of course, constant practice. But if you’re learning Spanish in London or indeed anywhere in the UK, opportunities for Spanish conversation probably don’t present themselves every day. You don’t want to spend all your free time with your head in a text book or listening to an audio language course, so how can you practise your Spanish listening and comprehension when your classmates or tutor are not available?

Watching movies in Spanish is one way to do just that. Worried that your Spanish isn’t sufficiently advanced? Don’t be. Think about the different English movies you watched as you grew up; you probably weren’t viewing Citizen Kane aged 8, but Bambi was perfect. Similarly, there is a wide range of Spanish films available to suit all abilities. Start out with movies for younger viewers and progress to more “difficult” ones as your skills and vocabulary improve.

There are lots of different ways to introduce the Spanish language to your entertainment on a regular basis: Next time you’re watching a DVD, check whether it has an alternative audio track in Spanish. You can always keep the English subtitles on to give you a helping hand. If you’ve only got English audio, brush up your reading skills with Spanish subs. If you’ve nothing in your DVD library, there are many sites where you can watch Spanish movies online – it’s one of the great benefits of today’s digital world. As an accompaniment to lessons with your native tutor, watching movies is a great way to enrich your knowledge of Spanish – and, best of all, it’s a really enjoyable way to learn.

Our Spanish tutors always give to the students a big range of movies to practice what they have cover during the lessons.

Over the last twenty years, Spanish companies have made huge investments abroad, transforming the image of Spain from country which relies on tourism for its income to a serious player in the global economy. Walk through any major city centre and you’ll find a Spanish retailer: Zara, Mango, Pull & Bear. In the financial sectors, Spanish banking giant Santander is ranked as one of the best 5 banks in the world, and telecommunications company Telefónica is one of the most powerful companies of its kind in the world, and undisputed leader in Latin America.

These are just a few examples and it’s a success story that is being repeated the world over. In fact, data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) places large Spanish firms among the most lucrative on the international stage, some way above Germany and Great Britain.

Being able to speak a second language is an undeniable asset in today’s globalised world. The rapid expansion of Spanish companies in the global market place, as well as the number of Spanish-speaking emerging economies which we examined in a previous blog, surely places Spanish at the top of the most desirable and useful languages one could choose to learn. If you would like to join the growing number of Spanish speakers in the world, choose from private Spanish lessons, group training or intensive Spanish courses available with our patient and experienced native tutors throughout the Greater London area.

Prospective students often ask whether Spanish is an easy language to learn. The good news is that it is one of the easiest major European languages for an English speaker to pick up. As both of our languages derive many words from Latin, a lot of them will be recognisable to you almost immediately.

Spanish is said to be the most phonetic of the main European languages and spelling in Spanish is actually more regular than English. This is due in part to the fact that the Royal Spanish Academy, whose role we looked at in a previous blog, has simplified and standardised it over time. Spanish is much more predictable as a result, so once you’ve grasped the basics it is relatively easy to apply those rules to new vocabulary when you come across it. Plurals in Spanish are formed in the same way as English by adding –s, which makes it very natural for English speakers. It’s true that you will need to get accustomed to genders and noun-adjective agreement, but this is true of most European languages and you will soon find it second nature.

Of course, though it is considered easy, learning Spanish still takes some effort, just as learning any language – even your own – does. This is where a native Spanish tutor is immensely beneficial, helping you to perfect your pronunciation as well as covering all the grammar you will need. Group lessons can be a really fun way to learn with friends or colleagues, or see just how much you can pick up in a short time with our intensive courses.

This year’s GCSE results showed a marked and very welcome increase in the take-up of modern foreign languages amongst school pupils. It’s the first time in over a decade that the number of students studying a language to this level has risen. Though French and German both registered an increase, at 15.5 per cent and 9.4 per cent respectively, and some other minority languages enjoyed something of a surge, Spanish outstripped all other languages with a huge rise of 25.8 per cent. It remains to be seen whether these same students will go on to complete A-levels in their chosen languages. For the moment though, the downward trend at that level continues with numbers of French and German students still in decline. Only Spanish is on the rise with an increase of 4.1 per cent at A-level this year.

This increase can probably be attributed to the introduction of the English Baccalaureate, which recognises pupils who attain a C grade or above in a core of subjects including a language. Though not a qualification in itself, those students who hold the core Baccalaureate qualifications are likely to be looked on more favourably when it comes to university admissions, which should in turn improve their career prospects.

All of which makes the increase in pupils completing foreign language exams really positive news for the future. With the help of a private Spanish tutor, students can greatly increase their knowledge and confidence in the language and could achieve better grades as a result. We’re delighted that more people than ever before are learning our language and are very happy to play a part in that education.