The daily cost of living in your second language

Key rules

• Official language: Offices must deal with you in Spanish, but they have no duty to serve you in English.
• Outside tourist zones: Shops, banks, town halls, police and tradespeople mostly work only in Spanish.
• Regional languages: Spanish works everywhere, even where Catalan, Basque, Galician or Valencian is co-official.
• Foreign documents: Documents in other languages usually need a sworn translation.

The short answer

You need real Spanish for daily life outside tourist zones. Spain sits in the middle of the range for English: better than France or Italy, but clearly below Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands. If you are coming from one of those, expect more effort than you are used to.

Where English runs out

In big cities (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga) and in resorts on the Balearic and Canary Islands, you will find English, especially among younger people. In international clinics and expat-focused agencies, it is common.

Elsewhere, plan on Spanish for:

• Doctors and clinics. Many doctors read English. Receptionists and nurses often don't, and appointments and paperwork are in Spanish.
• Housing. In smaller towns, landlords, estate agents and community administrators work in Spanish. Contracts are in Spanish.
• Utilities. Electricity, water, gas and internet have Spanish-language customer service. Some large companies have an English line.
• Everyday errands. Shops, markets, bank branches, town halls, police and tradespeople such as plumbers and electricians mostly work only in Spanish.

How much this affects you depends on the town and on who you meet.

Dealing with the authorities

Every public office must be able to deal with you in Spanish. English is not an official language, so no office has to serve you in it. Official forms, including those for residence and tax, are in Spanish. Some have English instructions, and some national portals have English pages. Big-city foreigner offices and town halls with many expats, such as on the Costa del Sol and in the Balearics, may have English-speaking staff.

In general, expect to complete procedures in Spanish or with a translator, a gestor or a lawyer. A gestor is a paperwork professional who handles administrative procedures for you. Documents in other languages usually need a sworn translation; see the documents block below.

Regional languages add a layer

Several regions have a second official language next to Spanish:

• Catalan in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands
• Valencian, a variety of Catalan, in the Valencian Community
• Galician in Galicia
• Basque (Euskera) in the Basque Country and the Basque-speaking part of Navarre
• Aranese in the Val d'Aran

You will see them on road signs and public signs, on bilingual forms, on public broadcasting and in schools. Regional public-sector jobs may require the language.

You can live in all these regions with only Spanish, because Spanish is always legal to use and everyone speaks it. How much of the regional language you meet varies:

• Catalonia: Spanish works in daily life, and Barcelona is easy. Catalan is used more in smaller towns.
• Basque Country: Basque is on signs and in schools. It is more in daily use inland and in Gipuzkoa. Spanish is understood everywhere.
• Galicia: Galician is widely spoken in rural areas and among older people, and it is the language of much public signage.
• Valencia: Valencian appears on signs and in schools. Spanish dominates much of the south and the Alicante coast.
• Balearics: Catalan is used in schools and administration. Spanish, English and German are used in tourist areas.

The practical effects are mainly the language of instruction when you choose a school, official forms and signs, and some public-sector jobs. It rarely blocks daily life, but learning some of the local language helps you fit in.

What to do

Learn basic Spanish before you arrive, and aim to hold simple conversations on health, housing and bills within your first months. Budget for a translator or gestor for the first official procedures. If you are going to a region with its own language, ask schools which language they teach in before you pick one.

Documents you need

Documents in other languages

• Any document issued in a language other than Spanish, with a sworn translation into Spanish (a translation by a translator officially approved to certify it). Offices usually ask for this when you submit foreign documents.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get by with only Spanish in Catalonia or the Basque Country?

Yes, you can live in Catalonia or the Basque Country with only Spanish, because Spanish is always legally usable and understood everywhere. Catalan and Basque show up on signs, in schools and on official forms. In smaller towns, and in the interior and Gipuzkoa for Basque, the regional language is used more.

Does a regional language affect which school I choose for my children?

Yes, the regional language matters most for school choice, because it is often the main language of instruction in public schools. This applies in Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, Valencia and the Balearics. Ask the school which language its classes use before you enrol.

Can I rely on English with doctors and utility companies?

No, you cannot rely on English with doctors or utilities outside big cities and tourist areas. Many doctors read English, but receptionists and nurses often do not, and appointments and paperwork are in Spanish. Large utility companies sometimes have English support lines; international clinics are an easier option.

Is Spain easier in English than Portugal or Germany?

No, Spain is harder in English than Portugal, Germany or the Netherlands. Spain usually sits in the moderate proficiency band of the main English-skills ranking, below those countries and roughly level with or slightly above France and Italy. Plan to learn basic Spanish.