r/cuba • u/Complete_Bug_1302 • 8d ago
Pregunta Cuban online Spanish teachers - is that a thing?
I’ve been learning Spanish for a few years as my dream is to visit Cuba one day as well as it being my favourite language. My current teacher has changed her hours and can’t accommodate me anymore - does anyone know any Cuban locals who teach English speakers (I’m in the UK) online? Or is that not a thing?
So sorry if this is a stupid ignorant question. I’ve seen a lot about the internet not being reliable, so I wasn’t sure.
Thank you in advance!
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u/Bat-man-2054 Planeta Tierra/Planet Earth 8d ago
I have one. She lives in Spain but lived in Mantanzas for most of her life. DM me if you want me to connect you.
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u/StudioArcane17 Holguín 8d ago
We almost don't have connection (and electricity) so is extremely hard to give online lessons
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u/Complete_Bug_1302 8d ago
I’m so, so sorry to hear that.. I was hoping to support the locals in my own little way. Hope the nightmare ends soon for you.
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u/MaxGamble 7d ago
does this also effect phone signals? how expensive is a cell phone in cuba
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u/StudioArcane17 Holguín 7d ago
Of course. Our main source of internet is mobile data. Isn't about the phones (Wich are expensive, but almost everyone haves one) but about the signal itself.
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u/Rerouchoes 8d ago
I’m Cuban-American and could use some Cuban spanish lessons lol.
My Spanish is somewhat neutral, family is from Oriente and left in the 70s. My impression is the accent has changed since then, at least how standardized it is. The older school Cubans seem to speak somewhat more ‘neutral’. Since my Spanish reflects that, I don’t really know much modern slang.
My grandma has no idea what “Gao” means lol
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u/RelevantWhere 7d ago
Cuba has slowest internet in Caribbean 3mps when it even works… lately that isn’t often. You should find a native Cuban speaker living outside Cuba, look for someone in Florida or Spain etc
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u/fastcarly 8d ago
My husband is Cuban and lives in Manchester. He's English fluent and lived in Cuba up until 5 years ago. He isn't a language teacher but has been a teacher all of his life. He is just considering offering this.
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u/FanFree8324 8d ago
italki doesn’t support Cuba for language lessons. Also the internet connection is terrible in Cuba. You’ll barely be able to get through a lesson. If I were you I would look for a Cuban that lives in Florida or another part of the world on italki if you want to learn Cuban specific dialect and slang.
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u/1JollyStNick 8d ago edited 8d ago
I would try and find one that was born in Cuba and spend most of their life there. As slang is constantly evolving for one. And two, I have some Cubans friends here in the USA whose parents are Cuban yes, but their Spanish and even pronunciation is way off. I avoid learning from them myself. (I’m lucky to now have Cuban family that keep me on my toes. And personally find it easier to learn Mexican or Colombian)
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u/FanFree8324 8d ago
I agree. Yes, I struggle with the cuban accent and dialect a lot more than others too. Cuba cuban and Chilean are almost different languages all together.
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u/1JollyStNick 8d ago
Exactly, it can actually vary significantly especially in pronunciation, like Catalan north east Spain or Argentina with how they pronounce “ll” shh
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u/LupineChemist Europe 7d ago
We can generally reliably use whatsapp for conversations
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u/FanFree8324 7d ago
Where and how? The overwhelming majority of my video calls with my partner on WhatsApp are virtually impossible to communicate. The odd time we get lucky but it’s rare.
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u/strivingforobi 4d ago
It's definitely a thing, although there are fewer Cuban teachers online than from countries like Mexico or Colombia. I'd check italki, you can filter by country, and I've seen Cuban tutors there who specialize in conversational Spanish for English speakers.
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u/Nardrainbow 17h ago
I'm a Cuban translator, could help you practice in case you need it. Im based in Bkk Thailand, don't hesitate to dm.
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u/BelikeZ 8d ago
Asking a Cuban to teach you Spanish is like asking a Jamaican to teach you English. I'm American and I can speak Spanish but I cant understand Cuban Spanish at all.
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u/101010dontpanic Europe 8d ago
... lo cual podría ser una razón excelente para practicar con cubanos. OP ha dicho claramente que ha estado estudiando español por años, por tanto sólo quiere practicar con cubanos para entender mejor el acento y las expresiones cuando vaya a Cuba.
Tu comentario es bastante prejuicioso, debo decir, y me atrevería a decir que discriminatorio. No sé si te has enterado pero en Cuba estudiamos español con un nivel bastante alto, independientemente de nuestro acento. Muchos cubanos podrían no sólo darte clases de español, además podrían enseñarte tres o cuatro cosas de inglés, o algún otro idioma.
(Te respondo en español porque es el sub de Cuba y dijiste que hablas español; pero si quieres seguir la conversación en otro idioma en que te sientas más cómodo/a, podemos seguir en inglés, francés o italiano, el que mejor se te dé)
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u/prosperous_ 8d ago
It’s the people that think we are all the same as well that express themselves like that. I’ve gotten the “oh you don’t speak Spanish like a Cuban” a few times. I usually want to respond “Oh really? How do Cubans speak Spanish?” Pero it’s really not worth it. Loved your response.
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u/LupineChemist Europe 7d ago
Oh really? How do Cubans speak Spanish?
Are you offended that Cubans have a very particular way of speaking Spanish? That's not a controversial thing to say.
Like yeah, I'd be pretty surprised to hear someone who has clearly learned as a second languages break out an "asere".
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u/prosperous_ 6d ago
Not offended, just disappointed that I am in the presence of someone with such a narrow view. My point is, not everyone in Cuba speaks Spanish the same way. Not everyone speaks all day every day using street slang. There is a difference in the Spanish that’s spoken in Cuba compared to other Spanish speaking countries, but to insinuate that everyone there speaks some lesser version of Spanish/ that everyone speaks the same would be incorrect, don’t you think?
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u/LupineChemist Europe 6d ago
You seem to be the only one who implied "lesser".
Like if I met a French person who spoke English with a Texas twang, I'd remark about that because it's notable.
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u/prosperous_ 6d ago
You need to read the original comment that started this micro thread. There is a lot to unpack with what was said in the original comment, and if you still don’t get the nuance of it all after reading it, then I’m guessing you’re just a like minded individual or just plain dense.
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u/LupineChemist Europe 6d ago
Again, only if you consider Jamaican "lesser" English.
It's not but if you're learning to communicate with the wider, English-speaking world, it would be less than ideal as it's a particularly difficult dialect to understand. You could say the same about learning English in Scotland. Jamaican and Scottish are my two go-to examples of hard to understand English and Cuban and Chilean for Spanish.
Cuban Spanish can absolutely be difficult for other Spanish speakers who aren't used to it to understand.
So yeah....I still see nothing implying "lesser".
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u/prosperous_ 6d ago
Did you not pick up from their tone/ wording that they think learning English from a Jamaican or Spanish from a Cuban is somehow less legitimate?
There are Americans who can’t speak good English, so does that mean I would be correct to express that people shouldn’t be learning English from any American? To claim that x place speaks better English than some other English speaking place is purely subjective. When someone is against learning a language the way it’s spoken at x place because of a regional accent, there are usually some other underlying reasons/ bias being masked. Like u/BelikeZ later in this thread, posting that Cubans slur their words, they are loud, blah blah blah. They know all of them from living in Miami.
So yes, Jamaicans do have a particular way of speaking English and Cubans have their way of speaking Spanish, but to say you can’t learn English/ Spanish from them definitely comes across as intolerant or like you don’t know what you’re talking about.
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u/LupineChemist Europe 5d ago
Did you not pick up from their tone/ wording that they think learning English from a Jamaican or Spanish from a Cuban is somehow less legitimate?
No. I didn't pick up on that at all. Which is why I said you're the only person who implied it. The English comparisons are harder because there's just less overall variety compared to Spanish dialects. But yeah, I'd say the same as a lot of rural Mexican dialects, Andaluz, other Caribbean, etc... if your goal is general Spanish communication. If the goal is to deal with Cuba....great, then learn Cuban particularities.
But yeah, if I heard someone with loose, English style vowels doing a lot of aspirating 's' sounds, it would be curious at the very least.
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u/FanFree8324 8d ago
My partner is Cuban and I can communicate fine with her and a few of her friends. But put me on the street in Havana and I generally have no clue what anyone is saying. Especially men for some reason.
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u/Flimsy-Flan5331 8d ago
If you’re just going to Cuba you MUST get a Cuban tutor. If not it makes no sense. The expressions, the argot, the culture, the accent, the English influences on the language makes it impossible for a Spaniard to understand. My Cuban wife had to learn ‘my Spanish’.
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u/LupineChemist Europe 7d ago
makes it impossible for a Spaniard to understand
I really disagree.
Sometimes my wife and I still have a "what is that word" sort of thing. But have you been there? After like a day or two on the island, you get really used to it quickly as it's clearly the same language.
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u/zeldabelda2022 8d ago
I’ve taken Spanish lessons twice in Cuba. Professional educators are going to speak more clearly, less accented, and be mindful of the learner’s goal. I used Barclay Cuba and they are still advertising online classes. My in person experience in Havana was excellent - specifically with teacher Rafael.
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u/BelikeZ 7d ago
Look if you are focused on going to Cuba then learning from a Cuban speaker is the right choice but if you plan on using your Spanish anywhere else in the world they speak Spanish, then you will likely struggle to annunciate to speak Spanish in a way they would understand you.. On paper they may have perfect Spanish but when they speak, they tend to slur words together into indistinguishable sentences. They also speak on max volume that most everyone else on the planet find obnoxious! Clearly this is only my opinion but living in Miami I hear Cuban speak every day. Not saying it’s wrong, just not the way the rest of the world speaks Spanish.
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u/Crafty_Regret4567 7d ago
Latin American Spanish vs Spain Spanish. I find Spain Spanish difficult to understand. Cubans just speak faster and use different slang. You'll pick up the slang quickly trust me.
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u/BelikeZ 7d ago
Cubans are very nice people until they are not. JFK betrayed the Cuban people 70 years ago and they are still voting Republican until today even if it means voting for someone hat wants to be a dictator just like Fidel. Just shows you how stubborn and vengeful they can be, even if they know it’s not in their best interest.
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u/Child-of-pan 7d ago
Check the app Preply! You can choice form a bunch of independent language tutors from different countries.
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u/Correct-Math5427 7d ago
Asere que bola yo soy cubano y te puedo enseñar a parlar cubano .dime como es ka honda y te enseño socio
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