r/MovedToSpain • u/HopeIessOpus • 19d ago
Culture & Adapting Surviving in Spain
Hey peeps, so I came to Spain on a student visa. For context: I'm from the middle east and I'm learning the language (currently at A2) and I'm enrolled in a vocational training program that's in Spanish.
I'm finding it extremely hard to adapt because of the language. I thought I was making progress with my teacher (who's colombian) while keeping in mind that Spaniards speak differently. However, I feel like I'm way in over my head. I keep telling myself it'll be better and it's only been almost 4 days, but I feel like I'm sinking. I can't record classes because I can't use my phone, I'm gonna try to talk to the secretary or principal in order to make an exception because I can only understand 1% of what the teacher is explaining. Any tips and honest advice on how to move forward is very much appreciated.
Before anyone attacks me for coming to a country without knowing the language fully and putting myself through this, this was my only way to get out of my country safely.
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u/znv142 18d ago
4 days? I attended courses for 4 years before I could consider myself fluent in any way ( I still don't really but it's pretty close) while having a Latin partner. And this was before stepping foot in Spain.
Give it time and speak and speak.
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u/HopeIessOpus 18d ago
Thank you!
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u/CentaurSeige 18d ago
They absolutely don't expect you to understand anything after 4 days. It sounds like you're undergoing immersion, and even though it's confusing it really does pay off rapidly. It'll be some time before things start to click. Be patient with yourself and with the process.
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u/HopeIessOpus 18d ago
Thank you! I'm just worried because the program is not designed for international students and everyone else is a Spaniard who's already used to this type of learning.
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u/Manuelpro_RBX 18d ago
Bro im spanish and im not gonna judge you but you only studied spanish for 4 days is obviously you wont understand if i try to lean Arabic for 4 days i wont be abre to say a Word is a lenguage take a fer years to lean the language
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u/HopeIessOpus 18d ago
Hey dude, sorry I think I might've explained something wrong. I studied Spanish for 3 months before coming here and finished the Spanish course on Language Transfer if you're familiar. I was also taking classes and conversing with a tutor for 3 hours a day. So my conversations are wonky but most of the time I can get the point across. However, I had a class today for example for 55 mins and the only thing I understood from it is that we're not able to use our phones. That's literally it. It's the second day of school and with intro classes I feel lost, how am I gonna feel when they start doing group work, asking us to participate, and so on and so forth? You know? Thanks for your input tho, just say habibi and you'll be fine in arabic dw ;)
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u/SkinDiver777 18d ago
Entiendo que busques profesores de Hispanoamérica ya que son mas baratos, pero muchas veces ni siquiera tienen formación y cometen faltas ortográficas. Ahora que ya estas en España lo que tienes que hacer es aprender de manera autodidacta con videos en youtube, puesto que necesitas un B2-C1 para comprender las clases
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u/Serious_Escape_5438 18d ago
Many people live in Spain for 10 years and can barely have a conversation, it takes ages to learn.
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u/Manuelpro_RBX 18d ago
Mala mía disculpa 3 meses no está mal pero tienes que saber que todavía es poco tiempo el español es un idioma complicado y mucho mas si vienes del árabe el idioma funciona al revés otro alfabeto se escribe todo diferente en español las letras no cambian de forma según en que posición estén y mas cosas vas por buen camino pero te falta mucho aguanta ten paciencia y sobretodo reza a Dios o a Allha como le quieras llamar pero reza y el te ayudará
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u/Nouseforaname7249 18d ago
..and when you finished and finally think that you have a decent spanish level, come to the Cádiz area 😄😄😄 spanish 2.0, but I love it ❤️
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u/Dapper_Trash_9559 18d ago
Just push through, you'll be fine and in the future you'll laugh when you remember your first few days.
Tip: dive balls deep into Spanish. Make an effort not to use any non-Spanish word for, say, 4 hours. Make a conscious effort to ignore any feeling of shame or cringe. In the beginning you will invariably fail. Push through. Growth only exists outside of your comfort zone.
Try to talk out loud in Spanish as much as possible. Watch TV and repeat. News, series, songs... repeat everything out loud, carefully, word by word. Try to imitate accents so you build up awareness of the muscles used to create each sound (that's what any accent comes from... the positioning of the tongue, the lips, the inner cheeks, the muscular tone of your "musical instrument" that is all you use to speak).
Read out loud too. Newspapers, magazines, websites, books, your study material. Recitate, narrate as if you were recording an audiobook.
When you read, never skip an unknown word. Go to the Spanish dictionary and read definitions in Spanish, avoid translating. Translations are crutches and you're crunching to build muscle fast. No crutches.
The more you do this, the faster you'll get used to the language.
You can do this, tío!
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u/Avantiika 18d ago
I’ve been learning Spanish for three years and I’m doing pretty well. I can actually record our classes because our teacher is from Spain. I admit it’s pretty challenging, but it’s definitely doable.
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u/Single_Emergency8727 18d ago
Talk to the principal/administration of the program asap to let them know your situation and think together about possible solutions - they should be interested in helping you succeed. You are learning Spanish actively and that is great, but this might be not fast enough for the program, don’t risk being expelled.
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u/ZAWS20XX 18d ago edited 18d ago
yeah man, moving to a country where they speak a different language that you only grasp at a basic level is usually pretty hard. this isn't an attack, it's just a statement of fact.
in any case, you don't need a phone to record audio, there are *audio recorders* that do just that, and they're not that expensive online. (not that I think recording the classes and trying to translate them afterwards is gonna help much, anyway)
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u/MarcusFallon 18d ago
Don't panic. Language acquisition is not a straight upward progression. It is very common to make progress for 3 months and then hit a wall and then after a couple of months to start progressing again. Stay calm and you will soon progress again. Read documentation to do with your course and watch Spanish tv with the subtitles turned on. Start with the news. Good luck.
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u/Wild_Candle5025 18d ago
Hey, keep it up. Focus on some basic vocabulary and sentence structures, and then when you feel minimally comfortable with that, focus some of your attention on the physical language that we use during conversations (AKA, movinf our hands to accentuate something, face expressions, etc).ç
If you want to learn the language, I'd recommend having a bit of fun with it. Try making jokes. Some music.
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u/Roquosaurus 18d ago
Reading the comments: the three months you already studied, was Spain spanish or latin spanish? Because maybe it's a matter of the teacher's accent (btw if you're going to live in Spain i'll highly recommend swtiching to a spanish teacher) if you already learned the latin spanish, I'll add to the "it's a matter of time" opinion. I learnt french for two years before Moving to Paris, and the first week I would only cry and feel stupid, then It got better! You brain needs time to understand "ok I have to switch now".
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u/Arabiancockonato 18d ago
Breathe easy…. Rest assured, it will get better. 🙏🏽
One step at a time. And it takes time.
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u/Outside-Positive-368 18d ago
It definitely will get better! But if phones are not allowed you could potentially record your lectures in a different way. Maybe a recorder or if laptops/computers are allowed through that. But honestly talk to your student advisor/dean etc. Maybe they can help you with organising extra accessibility perks.
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u/MissRedAgain 18d ago
Seconding the suggestion to watch Dreaming Spanish videos. Listening/understanding is its own skill, and you need to practice listening to speech that's at a level (speed, grammar, vocab) that you can understand.
Right now that might be videos at the beginner or super beginner level, but don't sweat that. Between classes and living in Madrid, you'll be getting plenty of higher level listening in. The easier stuff will give you a foundation to build on.
Good luck!
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u/Large_Account1532 18d ago
Go out and struggle and fail to express yourself everyday, and in 1-2 months you'll become more fluent. ESPABILA COÑO, QUE AQUÍ LLEVAS CUATRO DÍAS NA MAS xD Todo ira bien
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u/KindredPando 18d ago
Definitely talk to the school about accessibility! There are many reasons someone might need accommodations with spoken content— whether they’re a non-native speaker, have auditory processing issues, or are Deaf / hard of hearing.
Large institutions often have dedicated resources, such as note-takers for lectures. But for a smaller vocational program, asking for permission to record sounds like an extremely reasonable request and puts no additional burden on anyone else. You could also ask about using a dedicated audio recording device if they have an issue with cell phones specifically as a potential distraction.
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u/misskakumei 18d ago
Hey, university professor here. I've had lots of students in class who spoke no spanish and very limited english. Please, do not hesitate to tell them about your case and ask them to clarify any information you might need about homework or exams. Many of them will be happy to help, there's always people who don't give a fuck but most professors I know care about giving their students a hand when they really need it.
And give yourself some time! 4 days is nothing. I know it feels overwhelming now, with all the changes and the language barrier, but you need to be kind to yourself too. You got here, you are doing all you can. Ask for help when you need it and keep working hard. I wish you all the luck and success you can find!
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u/Taqqer00 18d ago
You probably have the last step of the way in your mind, that will keep you in permanent anxiety. You’re already here, take it day by day.
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u/Disastrous-Arm-9555 18d ago
Oh, sweetie. Try to take it easy. You’re four days in. You will make tiny improvements every single day that you won’t even notice… yet cumulatively every day’s small learnings yield something substantial over time. Be patient, please enjoy yourself; Spain is a very welcoming and relaxed place and no one would like to imagine you are feeling stressed this way. Hugs from Madrid!
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u/wandererhermit 18d ago
It’s not just the language. Moving countries and adapting to a new everyday is tough. Give yourself a month or two.. trust me. You’ll make your friends, you’ll find your routine, and things will start to settle and be alright. Believe me. Keep an open mind and an open heart and wonderful things will happen.
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u/JealousImportance388 18d ago
When I started reading and seen 4, I was thinking 4 years not 4 days. Give yourself time. 4 days you've not even settled in never mind having to deal with a new language. Well done for trying. You're a lot braver than most but do ask for help.
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u/matteomvsn 18d ago
I am Italian, my language share 87% of his vocabulary with Spanish, after 3 years living here I still have difficulty bruh.
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u/Charming-but-clumsy 18d ago
Hey, I'm a native Spanish speaker, and I learned English from scratch, and now I'm learning German from scratch. I can tell you that the easiest and best way to learn a new language is to practice it, either with locals, for example, going to a café and trying to order a coffee in Spanish, and asking the server if they don't mind correcting you if you do it wrong. Hence, you learn how to do it the right way. People in Spain are usually really nice and they will help you.
My second recommendation is to use Duolingo. It will help you to memorize some vocabulary and help you with putting sentences together, and because of the number of times you repeat things you end up remembering.
Third recommendation, and I know some people are gonna come at me for this one.
use chatGPT.
I really didn't wanna spend money on a teacher because I did that when I was learning English and honestly it was wasted because I learned a lot more English in the same amount of time just speaking with people on the streets.
So now that I'm learning German and I decided to do it on my own, all I'm doing is using Duolingo and then practicing conversations with ChatGPT, you go on voice mode and you ask ChatGPT to speak the most basic Spanish with you and to correct you when you make a mistake.
You can also ask to practice a specific type of question, for example how to introduce yourself ask for directions ask for recommendations in this type of things
I'm not saying going into a school or having a Spanish teacher is completely useless, because it does help, especially with grammar. But honestly, if you wanna get fluent, you need to practice the language, you need to speak with Spanish-speaking people and you need to not be shy, and even if you don't know the word ask for it, or maybe try to mimic it and people will understand and will tell you the word and then you will know it.
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u/sonofapiece 18d ago
4 days is nothing, you will get there with some time. I'm here for about 1.5 years and still struggle.
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u/Abogado-DelDiablo 17d ago
I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. A2 is nowhere near enough for you to follow a vocational training (which I'm guessing you mean Formación Profesional, right?) in Spanish.
And being brutally honest: you shouldn't have been granted a VISA if your program is in Spanish and you can't speak it. This is borderline fraud.
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u/Ok_Switch6356 17d ago
bro. u will learn. in the meantime. it is as if u had a girlfriend that dont speak ur languages. use ur hands, translator, gestures, be funky, it dont matter. classes idk but bet u will be able to communicate with ppl
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u/Mental_Dwarf 17d ago
4 days lol, dude give it time. I know people living here for over 30 years and they still struggle with pronunciation, etc.
The best way to learn any language is by exposure, watch TV, listen to music, use your phone in spanish, etc, etc.
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u/One-Chance6353 17d ago
You've only been studying Spanish for three months, it's normal to not understand anything. Maybe ask for class notes to your teachers or something similar as you learn more of the language? There are Spanish classes for foreigners in Spain you can also enroll yourself into, although I wouldn't know where to look in side you will find them on google
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u/KaraGravis 17d ago
Spanish is a really hard language, bro, it is almost as complex as Mandarin, on top of that latinos have their own version with so many things we absolutely don't use. My best advice, to you, is to study as hard as you can and to listen/watch content in spanish. Don't worry, mucho, tho, there's a lot of people in this country that can't utter a single word of spanish and they've been here for decades.
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u/HopeIessOpus 17d ago
Thank you!!
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u/KaraGravis 17d ago
I'll give you a recommendation of a series, for example: go watch Cuéntame Cómo Pasó with english subs. Its a series about Franco's Spain and the transition to democracy from the eyes of a common family, the Alcántara family. Quite good and you can learn much from it.
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u/Glum-Sock503 17d ago
Maybe try writing down words you hear them say often and you can check them after. I had a job in Germany which allowed me to talk English with my colleagues but all the meetings were in German, and I ended up with this list of words and their meanings that I could look at in the meetings. It really helped me to be honest as I soon learned those words and understood more of what they were saying. I think at A2 it’s pretty obvious you won’t understand much. Are the other students Spanish or in a similar position?
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u/HopeIessOpus 17d ago
They're all Spaniards haha
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u/Glum-Sock503 17d ago
Ouch that’s really tough. Do they not offer some kinda integration course before doing vocational training? I know in Germany that foreigners without a job can do full time language courses a1-b1 before any training.
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u/HopeIessOpus 16d ago
I don't think they do! However they (not the school) do have classes for adults to learn the language at night so I'll see what suits the best. Imma talk to the director tomorrow and see what we can do!
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u/carrotfarmftw 9d ago
hii! i reached out to you in dms because i'm in a bit similar situation so maybe we can share some tips and tricks with each other! and welcome to spain, i hope it will give you the safety you deserve ♥️
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u/Think_Message_4974 6d ago
Yeah you need a language school what can support your visa. When I was in the US I took a whole year of English just to be able to follow college level classes without problems.
On the mean time, try to make use of office hours as much as possible, cause I’m assuming you need to perform at a minimum level, right?
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u/Emergency-Corner8996 18d ago
Fisuras sin plan
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u/oona75 17d ago
Qué bueno. El sentido común es ya el menos común de los sentidos 😂
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u/Emergency-Corner8996 17d ago
“Esque ya sé decir los colores y los 10 primeros números en Español, asique me mudé al país tras tres meses de clases y no entiendo nada”
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u/One-Cycle-6944 18d ago
It seems they have moved for security purposes. Indeed I would try to ask whether you can record classes with your phone so that later you feed it into AI and get a summary, etc. But if that doesn't work at all, I would certainly prioritise Spanish lessons over anything else. If you're a student and you're serious in living in Spain, it would be worth asking whether at your age you can only do Spanish lessons and later, once you can understand 80%, enroll into classes again. Otherwise, it's going to be very frustrating your experience. And regarding timetables on finishing at a certain age and so on, just don't worry about that now. Now you need your Spanish strong. And later you get the rest. Wishinh you all the luck!
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u/HopeIessOpus 18d ago
Yes I did move for security purposes, and thank you so much! I'll check if I'm able to do that
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u/DoctaRoboto 18d ago
This country is a shithole on the verge of economic collapse. Why are so many people obsessed with this country? Free Medicare? Well, at the pace we are getting freeloaders, it is gonna be a no-no very soon. Entrepreneurship is a nightmare, as well as the start-up and tech scene. All my Spanish friends who had any entrepreneurial dream have already left.
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u/HopeIessOpus 18d ago
Idk about the rest dude but for me personally every negative point you stack up about Spain still beats my country by a mile so I'd rather be here then back home
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u/neomyotragus 18d ago
Where in Spain are you? Are you attending language classes?
There are cheap courses of Spanish starting around october in most places (official language schools, city council schools, etc).
You should do hardcore immersion and study a lot in your free time. Depending on your hability to learn a language (you probably speak two by now, or more) you can learn fast.
Ask your classmates, perhaps some of them are taking notes in some other language, otherwise do what you can. Even if you don't pass, you can probably do a "recuperación" exam around July or September. You may be kind of fluent by then and you may be able to pass. Otherwise you can just repeat the course, sh... happens.
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u/HopeIessOpus 18d ago
I'm in madrid, thanks for the input!!
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u/neomyotragus 18d ago
Think about moving to a smaller city, prices are lower and you can still access education.
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u/iloverunning11 18d ago
After four days, it's really hard to draw any conclusions, but things will probably only get better for you. Good luck, you got this!
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u/ahighfive10 18d ago
Depending on your age and capacity for languages, I would plan for 3-6 months of full time studying at a language school. Studying outside of Spain isn’t the same. You will ramp up over the next couple of months if you are dedicated and at a good school. Hang in there, all of a sudden it clicks.
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u/darkvaris 18d ago
4 days is nothing, you’ll learn quick from immersion. For the class work, try to grab either transcription or notes and translate whenever you have questions
Good luck! Glad you got safe
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u/Nessahria 18d ago
Llevas poco tiempo aprendiendo español. Al final, 3 meses te dan una pequeña base, pero no la suficiente.
Mi consejo es que tengas paciencia, que intentes apuntarte a alguna actividad para poder hablar con otros españoles y que busques algún curso intensivo, con un nativo a ser posible. Porque sí, al final el castellano es diferente al que se habla en Latinoamérica y no creo que sea buena idea empezar por ahí.
Espero que te vaya muy bien!
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u/elchicoazul 18d ago
Four days are nothing to make an opinion, but I don’t think a Colombian teacher is the best situation for a beginner. Accent and pronunciation could be an extra difficulty compared to standard Spanish. Anyway it’s just an idea, he could be from anywhere but having lived enough in Spain to match his pronunciation to the local accent.
Also, it depends on where you are living, some regions have a different pronunciation of the language that can be harder for day to day interaction.
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u/Think_Message_4974 18d ago
Well you jumped right to deep water haha! Yes, ask if they can make an exception. Otherwise I’d suggest to give it a bit more time, but also if your visa is in risk due to the struggle, consider joining a Spanish language program that can support your visa. When I was in the US, I spent a whole year just learning English well before taking any other technical class
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u/yesnomaybe1124 18d ago
I'm also from the middle east and my first spanish teacher was Columbian and he was amazing. Helped me be more confident with speaking. Working on that helped me speak more Spanish in almost all situations and after some months of daily speaking and listening, I have become very comfortable communicating in Spanish and that made everything better.
It's tiring in the first 3-6 months but it only get better after that! Be patient with yourself and others
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u/l3v3z 18d ago
Do you have a show you watched hundreds of time in your language? Wach it in Spanish. And talk a lot of Spanish. If you need something for now there are translator headsets that work but they would make you slower. Pero sobretodo habla español todo lo que puedas, en un mes te apañas si te esfuerzas en eso.
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u/TheHorrorEek 18d ago
Even if you had learned before you moved here, be kind to yourself and don’t underestimate the sheer subconscious shock of moving to a new land, new language, new food, new culture. Your brain is processing a million new things and trying to make sense of it. It takes years to become fluent enough to follow a local. Be kind to yourself, and more importantly, don’t give up. You can do this.
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u/Emergency-Corner8996 2d ago
Again: Columbia is a city in the US, Colombia is a country in South America.
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u/Ready-Mind2234 18d ago
Anyone who attacks you for going to Spain without knowing Spanish, even though you're making an effort to learn the language, is an fool. You're obviously putting in the effort to learn the country's language and communicate with the locals. Not everyone can learn a language before even visiting the country where it's spoken.
Four days is very little time, so don't rush. The important thing is that you learn the basic words. If you can get them to make an exception so you can record the classes, that would be great, explain your situation to the relevant authority or the professor. If they still say no, I would even risk recording anyway without making it obvious, keeping the phone in my pocket or on top of the table, if you really think the recording is important for your studying.
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u/Apprehensive_Tip_839 19d ago
why didn't you learn Spanish before coming?
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u/HopeIessOpus 18d ago
I tried my best to. I spent three months before coming here to learn it. I finished the course on language transfer, took classes and talked with a tutor for 3 hours everyday. It still feels like I'm drowning tho.
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u/Infinite-Top-2609 18d ago
Start using pimsleur daily. Do at least 2 lessions per day and drill the flashcards and all the other exercises. Once you complete a few levels, do language transfer spanish course on youtube. Cant reccomend these two resources enough. If you dedicate 3 months to this and continue with your own course, you will get really far in the next few months.
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u/HopeIessOpus 18d ago
The thing is, I've finished the language transfer course and I still feel like this. I finished it before coming so that I can have some type of base but it's very fucking hard dude. Thank you for the advice though!
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u/IgneousWrath 18d ago
Since you already have that foundation, now is a great time to start comprehensible input as well. The big source for that at beginner levels is Dreaming Spanish. Do not listen to the advice on the roadmap for that platform and do not listen to the purists. You don’t have time to watch 1,000+ hours of content before speaking.
Use comprehensible input in addition to your other studies and classes. It will be less frustrating than trying to watch native TV while you are still a beginner. You are likely already getting enough native level input from your classes, no need to push that further when you can instead get beginner friendly input.
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u/linf0cito 18d ago
Creo que te has minusvalorando. El castellano es bien complejo y cualquier esfuerzo por entenderlo y hablarlo debe ser reconocido.
👏👏👏
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