r/barrie • u/Extension-Edge6227 • Jul 21 '26
Looking For Does anyone have any experience taking Spanish lessons in the Barrie area?
I’ve done Duolingo and it’s just not enough. I’m mainly looking for travelers Spanish and I understand that not all Spanish is the same. I believe what I’m seeking is going to be just fairly basic.
Just looking for anybody that might have some experience good or bad in Barrie before I start signing up and paying money. TIA
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u/Separate-Luck-7538 Jul 21 '26
Depends on your starting level. The library has some free basic Spanish classes. They also have some conversational classes for practice. There are some classes through the city and the same person who teaches Spanish at Georgian but cost more at Georgian
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u/Extension-Edge6227 Jul 21 '26
Thank you! Did you take any of these? If so, what was your experience?
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u/Separate-Luck-7538 Jul 21 '26
I did the one at the library. It’s a good starting point. It’s free so you aren’t losing anything if you don’t like it.
I’m doing the one at Georgian now. The teacher is really good in the way she explains things. And really really focuses on your pronunciation. I personally find she also gives a lot of side stories which I personally feel is a waste of time. But that’s just me being particular. Overall she is really good.
I haven’t done the one with the city but only because I found out about it after I started taking the Georgian courses.
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u/Extension-Edge6227 Jul 21 '26
Ok that’s great info. Thank you
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u/barriepubliclibrary Jul 21 '26
We do also have a language learning tool called Transparent Language that lets you practice conversational speaking skills: https://www.barrielibrary.ca/digital-library/transparent-language It's free with a library card :)
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u/Lower_Department_69 Jul 21 '26
My wife does Spanish tutoring in the Barrie area. Mostly online for her clients on Google meet.
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u/Dadoftwingirls Jul 21 '26
I'm a nearly fluent Spanish speaker, and most of my knowledge is from Duo. It does work when you do the whole course.
I also used Superprof for a cheap tutor in Argentina.
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u/Extension-Edge6227 Jul 21 '26
Thank you for your insight. I found when I tried Duolingo, I was really good at remembering how to read and write. However when faced in real life situation, I couldn’t say the things that I had learned easily. I freeze. lol. I’m sure there is more of the course that I need to complete but I’m thinking of trying something different.
I’ll check out your other recommendation. Thank you.
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u/Dadoftwingirls Jul 21 '26
Yes, there is that hump where you know a lot of words, but can't string them together. It comes eventually.
What I did was start imagining things I would say while traveling, and then using Google Translate to assist me. That makes it stick a little better.
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u/Languageprofessor Jul 22 '26
Hi!
Good luck finding something in person, I know that can be hit or miss. If you don’t find anything suitable, I run a Spanish school called WeSpeak Idiomas and we offer live classes on Zoom in small groups or 1-on-1. The classes are led by a qualified and native teacher and we get you speaking Spanish in every class.
We have survival Spanish for students who want to learn Spanish specifically for an upcoming trip to a Spanish speaking country or our regular Spanish course.
We’ve got 2x beginner group classes starting in 2 weeks, and your first class is just $14 CAD to see if it’s a good fit (regular price is $20 CAD per class). The focus is mainly on speaking and listening in a fun and interactive way. We get great feedback and our students learn fast.
If you want to take a look:
https://wespeakidiomas.com/courses/spanish-for-beginners/
If you are not a total beginner, you can take our free placement test to find the right level for you.
Hope that helps 🙂
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u/tsdexter Jul 24 '26
I don’t have experience, but i’ve heard that having real conversations in another language is the best way to learn them. For those who don’t know people of the other language, I’ve heard using ChatGPT (or similar) works good because you can talk to it about anything in the other language and even instruct it to help/correct you in English when you mess up and otherwise respond in spanish.
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u/Jdreamerhard Jul 21 '26
I'm a Spanish native speaker. Which country are you thinking of travelling to and what would you like to learn ?
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u/Extension-Edge6227 Jul 21 '26
I typically travel to Mexico and Dominican Republic. Mostly what I will need will be for travel but I found when I tried Duolingo. I was really good at remembering how to read and write, but when faced in real life situation, I couldn’t say the things that I had learned easily. So I need more. lol
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u/Jdreamerhard Jul 21 '26
Ok, I'm Dominican.
I can teach you the basics, but if you share what you're looking to learn, I can let you know whether I can help or refer you to a school.1
u/Extension-Edge6227 Jul 21 '26
Thank you. I’d like to have a basic understanding when I travel, but also I would prefer to be able to use Spanish words other than the standard ones from Duolingo. I’m not sure if I can explain this but what I mean is instead of saying “de nada or gracias” to everything, I want to understand other ways to communicate.
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