Aprende a hablar Español en Bilbao

Bilbao is one of Spain’s most modern cities, and although it’s not as well-known as Madrid or Barcelona, it’s becoming increasingly popular among expats due to its world-class museums, its fascinating culture and its friendly locals. If you're planning on moving here anytime soon, the first thing you need to do is master Spanish, which is by far the most commonly-used language in the city, as Basque is not as widespread here as it is in other parts of the Basque Country. If you do, you’ll get access to amazing job positions in some of the city’s top companies, and it will be much easier for you to assimilate into the local culture. What’s more, you won’t have to worry about finding people to translate everything you say, which will result in you having a more active social life than most monolingual ex-pats who can only talk to other English speakers. In short, if you want to feel comfortable in the city, and really take advantage of all it has to offer, start working on your Spanish today, and you won’t regret it!

Why Study Spanish in Bilbao

Learn Spanish for Work

Unless you already have a remote job, learning Spanish is really important to have a successful career in the city, as most available positions here require you to be bilingual. The good news is that if you put in the effort and reach fluency, you’ll be able to apply for well-paid jobs in some of the most prestigious companies that operate in the region, which include BBVA, Michelin, Petronor, Mercedes Benz and Progenika Biofarma. Even if you get one of the few jobs that only require you to speak English, speaking Spanish is essential to have good communication with your co-workers in most of these companies, so if you want to build good business relationships in the city, and network with the locals, mastering the language should be your priority. On the other hand, if you’re thinking of starting your own business in the city, speaking Spanish is a must, as it will help you understand the local market, and attract more clients who are actually from Bilbao, which will give you a huge advantage over other foreign businesses and help you grow your company in the city.

Learn Spanish for Culture

Want to immerse in the Basque culture and learn all about the local traditions? If so, you need to learn Spanish, as it will allow you to participate in some of the city’s less touristy activities and actually feel like a local. For example, if you happen to be in the city during August, you’ll get to witness one of the city’s most impressive festivals, Aste Nagusia. This commemoration of the Assumption of Mary includes many exciting cultural activities, that include traditional plays, music concerts, parades and even bullfights, and although you don’t need to know Spanish to enjoy them, becoming bilingual will allow you to truly understand the meaning behind this celebration and share your experience with other locals. On the other hand, if you’re interested in art, speaking Spanish is the way to go, as it will open the doors for you to discover Bilbao’s alternative culture and connect with the local artists. This is especially true if you happen to be in the city during May, as you’ll be able to enjoy the Arts Weekend, an event that transforms some of the most interesting areas of Bilbao into stunning urban art galleries. What’s more, if you can communicate effectively in Spanish, you’ll get to participate in the many workshops and conferences that take place during this event, and meet some of the locals who share your passion for the arts.

Learn Spanish for Social

Making friends as an expat can be hard, especially if you feel like you can’t communicate in the local language really well. However, if you start learning Spanish, you’ll be able to attend plenty of language exchange events in Bilbao where, in addition to putting your skills to the test, you’ll be able to socialise with locals and meet other expats from different parts of the world. If you’re ready to have your first conversation in Spanish, one of the events you should check out is the English-Spanish Language Exchange , which takes place at a local bar called Dock, located at 3 Uribitarte Pasealekua Street, and is open to everyone regardless of how fluent you are in Spanish. If you attend, you’ll get to practise your skills in a relaxed environment and learn some useful local expressions, which will help you sound more natural, so don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity. On the other hand, If this event is too far from where you live, you should check out the language exchange organised by I-Connect, a group of language enthusiasts who gather every week to speak in English and Spanish. They meet at The Wicklow Arms, a bar located at 30 Rodriguez Arias Street, every Wednesday, and hold all sorts of fun parties for foreigners that you can attend to socialise and dance to amazing music in Spanish.

Where to Learn Spanish in and around Bilbao

Now that you know some of the incredible benefits of learning Spanish in Bilbao, what are you waiting for to get started? If you want to expand your vocabulary on your own, you can check out some of the free resources available at the many public libraries located around the city, which include course books and useful audiovisual materials like short videos and films in Spanish. However, if you truly want to become a proficient Spanish speaker and communicate effortlessly with the locals, your best option is to study with us at Language Trainers,as we offer engaging, tailormade language courses that will help you become a fluent speaker in close to no time. All you need to do to start learning with us is send us a quick enquiry now , and one of our team members will get in touch with you in just one business day to answer all your questions about our personalised Spanish courses!