Should you learn Spanish before you move or after you arrive?

Terms used

• Cita previa — The cita previa is the appointment you must book in advance for most Spanish public offices.
• Padrón — The padrón is the town hall register of residents, often needed to enrol in public classes.
• NIE — The NIE is the identity number given to foreigners in Spain.
• Gestor — A gestor is an administrative agent who handles paperwork with Spanish offices for a fee.
• Extranjería — Extranjería is the immigration office that handles foreigners' residence permits.
• Arraigo social — The arraigo social is a residence permit route based on social ties to Spain, after a period living there.

Key rules

• Before you go: Learn only a core minimum: greetings, your name and address, numbers, appointments, housing and health words.
• After you arrive: Put most of your study into Spain, starting with free or low-cost public classes.
• Padrón: Register on the padrón early, because many free classes ask for it.
• Immersion: Daily life alone usually stalls at around A1–A2, so add classes or structured practice.

The short answer

Learn a small core before you leave. Do most of your learning after you arrive. Your first weeks are full of Spanish-language tasks, so you need a few survival phrases on day one. Spain itself offers cheap or free classes and constant practice, so there is no need to pay for a long course at home.

What to learn before you go

Aim for the words you will use in the first weeks, not for fluency.

• Basics: greetings, spelling your name and address, numbers and dates.
• Appointments: phrases for booking a cita previa (an appointment), which you need for most offices.
• Housing: words for viewings, rental contracts, deposits and utilities such as electricity, water and internet.
• Health: simple symptom and body vocabulary. Public healthcare runs mainly in Spanish.

Most official paperwork is in Spanish: identity appointments, registering with your town hall, the Social Security number, the tax office and your health card. Forms are in Spanish. Staff in big cities sometimes speak some English, but this varies a lot by city, office and person.

Banking is easier. Online banks and branches in expat areas often offer English, though contracts are usually in Spanish. Private clinics in cities often have English-speaking staff.

If your Spanish is not ready, many newcomers pay a gestor (an administrative agent), a lawyer or a translator for the first tasks.

For pre-move lessons, group classes online are usually cheaper per hour than private tutors. Prices vary widely by teacher, lesson length and package, so compare current prices before you pay.

What to learn after you arrive

Free and low-cost classes

Public options are the best value. They include:

• adult education centres run by the regional government, which often offer free Spanish for foreigners;
• town hall programmes, free or low-cost;
• charities and migrant associations, some of them open to everyone;
• low-fee courses at universities and official language schools;
• volunteer language cafés.

To find them, ask your town hall's social services or immigration office, look at your regional education department's list of adult education centres, and contact local charities. Most classes want you to be registered on the padrón (the town hall register), so do that early. Enrol in person with your ID or NIE. Places can fill up, and availability and eligibility differ by region and town.

Paid courses in Spain

Private schools charge per week or month. Standard group courses are cheaper per week than intensive ones, and longer bookings cost less per week. Price depends on the city, hours per week, accreditation and extras such as exam fees. One-to-one lessons cost much more per hour. Get price lists from several schools.

Why daily life is not enough

Everyday life usually gets you to survival Spanish (roughly A1–A2) fairly quickly. Then progress often stalls. If you work or socialise in English, or live in an expat area, you will improve very little. Grammar mistakes set in and reading and writing lag behind. To reach a solid B1 or higher, add classes, a language exchange or deliberate practice.

As a rough guide, A1 to A2 takes about 100–120 guided hours and A2 to B1 about 150–200. These are estimates, not official targets. Speakers of Romance languages are faster.

If you plan to stay long term

There is no general language test for residence permits. The arraigo social route needs a report of social integration from your regional or local government, which can include proof of language training. The arraigo formativo permit requires enrolment in regulated training. Nationality by residence needs the DELE A2 exam and the CCSE test, unless you are exempt. Nationals of Spanish-speaking countries are exempt from DELE. You take these exams before applying, so plan courses ahead. Rules changed recently and differ by region, so check with Extranjería what your route needs.

The documents list, checklist and FAQ below cover what to bring and what to do in order.

Documents you need

• Your NIE or TIE (foreigner identity number or card), used as ID to enrol in free public Spanish classes.

• Proof of padrón registration, the town hall register of residents, which many free classes ask for when you enrol. Your town hall issues it.

• DELE A2 certificate from Instituto Cervantes, needed only if you apply for Spanish nationality by residence and are not from a Spanish-speaking country.

• CCSE test result (Spanish constitution and culture), needed only for a nationality application.

• Report of social integration (informe de integración social) from your regional or local government, needed only for the arraigo social residence route.

Checklist

• Learn a core minimum before you leave: greetings, spelling your name and address, numbers and dates, and phrases for booking an appointment (cita previa).

• Learn the housing basics before you leave: words for viewings, rental contracts, deposits and utilities.

• Learn basic symptom and body vocabulary, because public healthcare runs mainly in Spanish.

• Ask your town hall's social services and your regional education department about free Spanish classes, including CEPAs, as soon as you arrive.

• Register on the padrón so you can enrol in public classes, and bring your ID or NIE to the enrolment.

• Get price lists from several language schools in Spain if you want a paid course, and compare standard and intensive options.

• Check with Extranjería whether your residence or nationality route needs a language certificate, and plan courses and exams ahead of your application.

Frequently asked questions

Will daily life in Spain teach me enough Spanish without classes?

Daily life in Spain alone usually gets you to survival-level Spanish, roughly A1 to A2, covering shopping, cafés and simple transactions. After that progress often stalls, especially if you work or socialise in English. Reaching a solid B1 usually needs some classes, a language exchange or deliberate practice.

How many class hours do I need to get from A1 to A2 and from A2 to B1?

Going from A1 to A2 typically takes about 100 to 120 guided hours, and A2 to B1 about 150 to 200 hours. These are rough figures. Speakers of Romance languages are usually faster, and your study time and exposure change the total.

Where can I find free Spanish classes for foreigners in Spain?

Free or low-cost classes come from public adult education centres (CEPAs), town hall programmes, and charities such as Cruz Roja and Cáritas. Ask your town hall's social services, search your regional education department's list of CEPAs, and contact local charities. Places can fill up, so ask early.

Do I need to pass a Spanish exam to get residence or nationality?

Residence permits have no general language test, but Spanish nationality by residence requires the DELE A2 exam and the CCSE culture test, unless you are exempt. Nationals of Spanish-speaking countries are exempt from the DELE. You take both before applying, so plan the courses ahead of your file.