Spanish courses
To learn Spanish is to understand the 2nd-most-spoken language in the world, which is the primary tongue of 20 worldwide countries and an official language of international organisations like the United Nations, the European Union, the Union of South American Nations, the African Union, and many others. When you consider how influential a language Spanish is, you’d be silly not to study it! Given the many extensive Hispanic communities around the world, attending one of our Spanish language courses means you’ll be able to communicate with people from large swathes of North and South America, Oceania, and Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as native Spaniards. You’ll also be able to unlock the secrets of world-renowned Spanish cuisine, music, and literature in its original form and discover new layers of meaning.
Our Spanish courses take place in the two largest enclaves of Hispanidad: Spain and South America. If you’re looking to see historic sites, study in Antigua, Salamanca, or Cartagena. If you prefer a beach holiday alongside your language lessons, why not attend classes at our schools in Playa del Carmen, Marbella, or Bocas del Toro? If you want to give back, we can offer language and volunteering programmes in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Ecuador. Whatever you’re looking for, we’ve got it!
As is the case with most languages, the history of Spain is reflected in its language. The Iberian Peninsula was once home to a variety of Celtic tribes, each speaking their own language. Under Roman rule, Latin came to significantly influence the speech of the native population, to the extent that around 75% of the modern Spanish lexicon is Latin-derived. Almost 10% of the language has been influenced by Arabic, thanks to the 700-year-long Moorish occupation of Spain during the Middle Ages. Soon after this, Spanish spread across the world during the Age of Exploration, when Spanish sailors travelled to the Americas, Africa, and Oceania and took their language with them. It’s this legacy that’s responsible for the wide-reaching Hispanosphere we see today, to which an estimated 577 million people around the globe belong.
Standard or ‘Castilian’ Spanish - castellano in Spanish - is named after the region in which it originated. It’s this form that is taught on all our Spanish courses, regardless of where you study. However, the Spanish spoken across the world exhibits key regional differences, so you’ll also cover these dialectal forms when you learn Spanish with us. This will give you a deeper insight into the unique culture and history of the location in which you study, and help you to better understand the modern Spanish-speaking world. What’s more, for many Spanish is an easy language to learn, given its largely phonetic spelling system, its limited grammatical complexity, and its similarity to other Latin-derived languages. These are just some reasons why around 21 million people actively study the language at any one time - why not join their ranks and see what experiences you can discover?
Don’t hesitate to contact us for further details of our language schools and the packages available.
United Kingdom
Ireland
Italy
Netherlands
Spain
United States
International
Company Number: 08311373