"My first lesson with Adriana was lovely! We’ve been practicing every day and I look forward to this week’s lesson."
Kerry Smith
Spanish course in Aberdeen, The Warehouse Health Club.
Spanish Lessons in Aberdeen
According to the 2011 census, there are over 68 languages used in Aberdeen, Scotland’s third-largest city. In fact, over 12% of the 228,670 estimated city residents were reported to use a language other than English or Scots at home. Among this wide range of languages, Spanish is the sixth most commonly used, with almost a thousand speakers.
As the official language of more than 20 countries, Spanish is the second-most spoken native language after Mandarin Chinese, with nearly 500 million native speakers in countries like Argentina, Chile, Venezuela and of course, Spain. With 548.3 million total speakers, it’s the fourth-most spoken language in the world, which makes it one of the most popular among language learners.
As you can imagine, learning such a widespread language can be a great advantage. Whether you’re looking to connect to a broader part of the local community, get access to better job opportunities or just expand your horizons, learning Spanish is just what you need.
Why Study Spanish in Aberdeen?
Learn Spanish for Work and Travel
Learning Spanish is one of the best things you can do to advance your career. Not only will it allow you to work in countries like Spain, Colombia or Paraguay, but it will also help you land a job in multinationals across the globe. Top companies in Aberdeen like Amazon, Deloitte and Schlumberger are constantly looking for bilingual applicants for job positions like Localisation QA Tester, Field Specialist and Customer Engineer.
What’s more, if you have your own business, learning Spanish will allow you to build professional relationships with many local Spanish and Latin immigrant communities, which can be the key to growing your business and getting access to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities in the city.
Learn Spanish for Social
There’s more to learning a language than just expanding your vocabulary, it’s also important to immerse yourself in the cultures where that language is spoken. One of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to do so is through its food, and fortunately, if you’re interested in exploring Spanish and Latin American cuisine, there are many amazing places you can visit in the area.
One of the best places to get a taste of Spain in Aberdeen is Café Andaluz, located at 5 Bon Accord Street. Stepping inside this exotic restaurant will make you feel like you’ve been transported into the Andalusia region in Spain. Among the mouth-watering Spanish dishes you can taste, there’s the traditional tortilla española, a thick omelette filled with sliced potato & onion, albóndigas, which are spiced pork & beef meatballs in a rich tomato sauce, and the famous paella, cooked with Calasparra rice and topped with your choice of meat & seafood.
Do you want to try some of the best Mexican food in the area? If so, you should visit Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant, located at 3015 6th Ave SE. From fajitas to carne asada, they offer fresh, traditional meals that are perfect for both lunch and dinner. It’s the perfect place if you want to get to know Mexican dishes from different regions while you enjoy traditional music in a relaxed, warm atmosphere. Whether you want to try spicy burritos or delicious quesadillas, this place is just for you!
Learn Spanish for Culture
Every language learner knows there’s nothing like practising your target language with other people to take it to the next level. If you’re looking to boost your Spanish skills and meet new people, you should attend one of the language exchanges held by the Aberdeen Spanish Language Society. This group of Spanish language enthusiasts meet every Tuesday at 7 pm in La Tasca, located at 367 Union Street. These meetings are the perfect chance to better your conversation skills and meet native speakers from Spain and Latin America. In addition to the regular language exchange events, they arrange special meetings like salsa nights, ceilidhs and Spanish movie nights.
Where to learn Spanish in and around Aberdeen?
If you’re a film lover, you can visit one of the many Aberdeen Public Library branches, where you’ll find a great selection of Pedro Almodovar films you can’t miss. As one of Spain’s most accomplished directors, watching some of his films like Pain & Glory, Julieta, and The Skin I Live In will make you feel like you’ve been transported to Madrid and will help you understand the passionate Spanish culture.
After watching these amazing films, you’ll be eager to start learning Spanish right away. If so, the best place you can choose to do it is Listen & Learn! Nowhere else in Aberdeen will you find such personalised lessons that will make your learning experience so rewarding and fun. To start learning right away, the first thing you can do is take one of our free 15-minute tests where you find out how good your Spanish skills are. After that, send us a quick enquiry and one of our team members will get in contact with you.
If you want more information about the course or you’re ready to book your first lesson, you can also call us!
The type of courses we offer:
Face-to-Face 1-to-1 (Individual) General Spanish
This set of Spanish tutorials are less specific and more targeted for those who want to get a range of different things from learning Spanish. Even though all novice students will cover survival Spanish: as well as Spanish to visit somewhere abroad to make solid contacts with the locals, what do you do from there? It depends on your needs. Those who have benefited from these lessons have been those moving or investing overseas, spouses of overseas nationals, people who love to travel all over the world, those interested in Spanish culture and those who just want to pass a specific examination in Spanish. Enquire now about our Spanish Courses or Take A Free Spanish Level Test
Face-to-Face 1-to-1 (Individual) Business Spanish
Spanish lessons of this type are aimed towards those that need to learn Spanish to aid them with their employment. For those just starting out, it is integral to learn basic greetings and business etiquette. Reading and writing can be adopted once the simple precepts are out of the way. Success has come from students who are involved in the import/export business, international negotiations and acquisitions, those seeking jobs in multinational companies and those working with foreign colleagues, academia and bureaucracy. Even our most basic lesson for beginners will have the student finishing the lesson with basic telephone/e-mail skills in Spanish, as well as survival Spanish should a short stay in the country is needed. Enquire now about our Spanish Courses or Take A Free Spanish Level Test
Face-to-Face Closed (Private) Group General or Business Spanish
Lessons in Spanish are also accessible for 2 or more studying in tandem (Two-to-One Spanish Lessons or Small Group In-Company Spanish Lessons). All those involved must have around the same experience of the language, similar needs for areas of proficiency, and must be able to work at the same time and place. Bookings must be made for all students at the same time. Listen & Learn does not advise classes of more than 6-8 people, although In-Company Taster Spanish sessions can be run with as many as 12 people. Enquire now about our Spanish Courses or Take A Free Spanish Level Test
Skype, Google Meet or Zoom Online 1-to-1 (Individual) General or Business Spanish
You and your group can be trained by our native speaker qualified Spanish teachers and can meet at your place of work or home at a time that works best for you. Tutorials can take place any day of the week, including weekends, and can be scheduled for the morning, afternoon or evening. If your home or office is not fitting for you, you can attend the lesson at the teacher's offices. You will be provided with all relevant lesson materials. Enquire now about our Spanish Courses or Take A Free Spanish Level Test
Skype, Google Meet or Zoom Online Group (Closed or Open) General or Business Spanish
Those wishing to learn Spanish in groups of two or more together (Two-to-One Spanish Lessons or Small Group In-Company Spanish Lessons) can sign up for our group classes. All students must be at nearly the same level of Spanish proficiency, have the same needs from the language and be able to study at the same time and place as the others. Bookings must be made for all students simultaneously. Listen & Learn does not propose group sizes of more than 6-8 people, but In-Company Taster Spanish Lessons can occur with up to 12 people. Enquire now about our Spanish Courses or Take A Free Spanish Level Test
Top Tips For…
spanish Books
Cuentos de la Selva - Horacio Quiroga
If you are looking to unlock a whole new world of stories while improving your Spanish skills, then don’t hesitate to read “Cuentos de la Selva” by Horacio Quiroga, an Uruguayan writer who published this novel in the 1920s. The tales are set in the Argentinian jungle and the main characters are animals that take on human characteristics, serving as a metaphor for how people interact with nature. These tales were originally written for children, so they are short and use fairly simple language, making this book the perfect choice for beginners eager to know more about the Argentinian culture. Click here to find out more about the novel.spanish Books
La Sombra del Viento - Carlos Ruis Zafón
Reading a novel will help you familiarise yourself with Spanish sentence structure and grammar in real-life contexts. Forget about reading overly simple sentences and grab a novel like “La Sombra del viento”. Set in Barcelona, this is the story of 10-year-old Daniel, a boy who visits one of the biggest libraries in the city and finds a book called “La Sombra del Viento”. But, as soon as he draws it from the shelves, something strange happens and a seemingly innocent action transforms into a race to save the ones he loves. This novel by Zafón is the perfect choice for those who love mystery books and would like to know more about what happened in Spain after the civil war. Click here to find out more about the novel.El Amor en los Tiempos de Cólera - Gabriel García Márquez
Developing proficiency in reading in Spanish has a positive effect on your listening and speaking skills as well, so it’s a great option for beginners who want to build their confidence. For example, you can start reading one of the most well-known books ever written in Spanish: “El Amor en los Tiempos del Cólera” by Gabriel García Márquez. This is a multiple-character story set in the 1800s that depicts forbidden love and draws a comparison between love and illness (in this case, cholera). The novel tells a captivating story but also carries a lot of deep, potentially unanswerable questions about the human condition and love itself. Click here to find out more about the novel.spanish Songs
Me Voy - Julieta Venegas
Julieta Venegas is a praised Spanish artist and “Me Voy” is the perfect example of her singing skills. This song follows the story of a woman who leaves her partner and says goodbye to him because of personal reasons, though she does not want to abandon him. It is very slow and uses simple vocabulary, which makes it perfect for Spanish learners who have just started their course. Furthermore, “Me Voy” is mostly sung in the present tense, so you won’t have problems understanding the grammar. Your brain will remember this catchy song and soon you’ll be saying “qué lástima” with flawless pronunciation! Check out the song here!spanish Songs
Nada Valgo Sin tu Amor - Juanes
Listening to songs in Spanish can massively improve your vocabulary and grammar. You can avoid the monotony of learning with a textbook, and you will probably remember words more easily if you learn them in a song rather than by memorising a long list. So, if you are looking for a jazz-inspired song to take your Spanish to the next level, “Nada valgo sin tu amor” is a great choice. This is the beautiful confession of a man who sings about how much he loves his partner and does not want to lose her. It uses a lot of complex grammatical structures (including the subjunctive mood), so it’s more suitable for intermediate students. Check out the song here!Vivir mi Vida - Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony is one of the most famous Latin American singers and “Vivir mi vida” is one of his most famous songs. In the last few years, it has become an anthem that celebrates life and talks about the importance of staying positive, no matter how many hardships we face. The lyrics are simple and powerful and include a lot of repetition, so you’ll surely be able to follow the song, even if you are not very familiar with Spanish yet. You will also find a few interesting expressions and slang like “pa’ que?”, so make sure you read the lyrics closely to practise later! Check out the song here!spanish Sports
Local Football Teams Can Help You Learn
If you are looking to improve your command of the language, watching football matches in Spanish can be a great idea. This is a hugely popular sport in Spanish-speaking countries, so if you want to learn the language to interact with locals, it’s a good idea to know about football. You’ll be able to chat about this fascinating sport for hours! And if you are a fan of Spanish football teams (like the famous Barcelona or Real Madrid from Spain, or Boca Juniors from Argentina), you could try following these teams’ social media pages to learn new vocabulary and stay up-to-date about their achievements. Learn more about soccer teams here!spanish Sports
Newspapers: Great Tools to Enhance Vocabulary
Watching football matches in Spanish is not the only way to learn about this fascinating sport. In can be challenging to understand what commenters are saying, as they speak very quickly and use slang frequently. Instead, why not try to read the sports news instead of just watching events? Most newspapers, including El Pais, El Mundo and ABC, have a sports section where you can read about your favourite football teams. Furthermore, you can visit their websites and access an array of articles about the players, teams, gossip and curious football facts that interest you the most. Soon, you’ll understand what marcar un golazo or hacer un gol de chilena mean! Read El Pais' sports section here!Spanish Commentary to Increase Listening Comprehension
When learning Spanish, it’s important to surround yourself with different contexts from where you can absorb vocabulary and phrases. Plus, doing so will help you to improve your listening comprehension skills. So, if you are a sports lover and your Spanish level is at least intermediate, you can try and watch the exciting matches of La Liga Española with Spanish commentary. The commentators speak really quickly and use a lot of slang, but you’ll surely be able to pick up some words and expressions, like pintalo de amarillo (“the yellow card”). CLick here to know when the Liga starts.spanish Apps
Green Line
Green Line is a Spanish app that is currently available in more than 300 municipalities throughout the country. It aims to improve the quality of life of Spanish citizens by solving incidents on public roads, promote communication with public officers and more. So, using the app, users can let the town hall know about broken street benches, defective street lamps or traffic lights, etc. If you decide to collaborate, you will even get a notification when the problem is resolved. And the best part is that you don’t need to be an advanced-level Spanish speaker to operate it and the app is intuitive and easy to use; so, it is handy for Spanish learners as well as native speakers. Download the app here!spanish Apps
Busuu
Spanish grammar can be a bit tricky sometimes and requires a lot of practise. Fortunately, you can download an array of apps that can help you take your grammar to the next level with very useful exercises and resources, such as Busuu. Regardless of your level, you can take advantage of their audio files, pictures and multiple-choice exercises to improve your skills. Furthermore, it has a forum that gives you the chance to connect with other students. So, you’ll be able to share experiences, talk about the exercises and even practise your speaking skills via the sharing of audio files. Click here to find out more about the app.Mi No Dieta
If you are looking for help to start more healthily, Mi No-Dieta (My no diet) is here to help! Designed by expert nutritionists, the app guides the user to create a 30-day eating plan depending on their needs and preferences. If you don’t like fish, for example, the app will recommend vegetables and eggs instead. And not only will you get a list of recommended meals but you can contact specialists any time via the app. This is a great way to practise your foreign language vocabulary and learn more about food and meals in Spanish while staying healthy! Learn more about the app here!spanish Lifestyle
Drink Some Mate - Argentina
Argentinians are known for carrying their mates everywhere they go, but what are these exactly? A mate is a drink made up of yerba, hot water, a straw and sugar. But mate is much more than just a drink: it’s a tradition. Although you can drink mate on your own, most people share it with friends, family or even strangers. Also, you should consider that some people prefer to drink mate dulce (with sweetener or sugar) or mate amargo (without sugar). Have a taste of both and decide which one you like best! Click here to learn more about mate!spanish Lifestyle
Dance Flamenco - Spain
Flamenco is a highly expressive dance form originally from Spain, characterised by clapping, percussion and movements of the body, arms and hands. Most of the time, the dancer is a woman, who dances to the rhythm of a song and guitar. If you plan to learn it, there are some terms associated with flamenco that you should learn, like “corto” (a singer skilled only in some styles but not in others) or “braceo” (the movement of the dancer’s arms). Improve your mind-body coordination and build your confidence while embracing this cornerstone of Spanish culture! Learn more about Flamenco here!Celebrate el Dia de los Muertos - Mexico
El Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican traditional celebration that honours those who have passed away. It’s celebrated every year on the 1st and 2nd November. In Mexico, it is believed that those who are not remembered by their families will just fade away and never reach paradise. So, during these days, people pray for the ones who died to be welcomed into Heaven. Some other traditions include visiting the graves of family and loved ones and preparing altars at the cemetery with food, candles, flowers and photographs to remember them. Learn more about the Day of the Death here.Testimonials
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Sara McCullum
Spanish in Peterborough
Listen & Learn seemed to be the most professional, and when I began to enquire, very much lived up to my expectations
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From our clients all over the world
Denka Seiken UK Ltd.
Language learned: Japanese in Coventry.
Hemsley Fraser Group
Language learned: French in Plymouth.
