We are frequently asked about the differences between the Spanish spoken in Spain and the Spanish of Latin America. While there are distinctions between the varieties of Spanish, the first thing to make clear is that Spanish speakers can all understand each other, whether in Cadiz or Cusco, Salamanca or Santo Domingo. It’s like an American speaking English with a Brit and an Australian… normally no problem at all.

This said, there are some differences between the Spanish of Spain and the Spanish spoken in Latin America. There are also differences between the types of Spanish spoken in different parts of Latin America. And in different parts of Spain!

For a start, what is the language called? In Latin America, it is normal to call it castellano (Castilian, after the Castile region) as opposed to español (Spanish). This is also true in parts of Spain, where regional languages such as Galician and Catalan are official languages that could also be labelled “Spanish”.

Why are there differences?

When Spanish colonisers travelled the world to spread the word of god and take precious metals in return, they brought with them a language that was rapidly changing back at home.

A linguist called Marckwardt came up with the term “colonial lag” to describe a situation where the language spoken in colonies does not keep up with innovations in the language in its country of origin. An example in English would be the use of fall in the USA and autumn in Britain; when British colonisers went to America, fall was more common than the Latin version in British English. The older, Germanic word fall later became obsolete in Britain but has remained in common use in the USA.

This process happens with vocabulary but also with grammar.

Voseo

When the Spanish colonies were founded by different groups, they took with them the Spanish that was spoken in Spain at that time, along with elements of their local dialects. The Spanish spoken in the colonies then started to develop in slightly different directions as there was limited communication with Spain (telephones were still hundreds of years away). Some elements of older Spanish were kept, others dropped.

One of the clearest examples of that process is the use of vos in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Vos was an alternative form of tú (you) that was commonly used in Spanish when the language reached the southern cone of the Americas. It fell out of use in Spain but stayed in Rioplatense Spanish. Nowadays, just like 150 years ago, at a bustling Buenos Aires cafe, you are much more likely to be asked de donde sos? than de donde eres?

The use of vos now appears to be growing in parts of Latin America where it had previously been used by minority groups, such as Bolivia, Chile, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Importantly, people will understand you all over the world if you use tú or vos. Spanish people may just think you are a time-traveller from the middle ages.

Ustedes

Latin American varieties of Spanish do not use vosotros (you, plural, informal), preferring the formal ustedes. This means that learners in Spain have to remember another verb ending.

For example, in Spain you may say Cuál fue la última pelicula que visteis? (what was the last film you saw?) to your friends, but you would probably say Cuál fue la última pelicula que vieron? to their grandparents. In Latin America, you would use the second form for both.

Ustedes is also used in the Canary Islands; only the Balearics and mainland Spain use vosotros. If you only use the Latin American form, you will be understood perfectly well in Spain. In fact, people will probably just consider you polite!

Vocabulary

The vast majority of Spanish words are universal, but some are not. Some examples include teléfono móvil/celular and ordenador/computadora, with the second of each pair being the Latin American form. There are also many more words that vary between dialects. For example, a pen is boligrafo in Spain but birome in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.

Overall, the differences in vocabulary are no greater than those between British and American English.

A word of caution at this point. In Spain, the verb coger (to catch) is used all the time, not just to mean catching, but also grabbing or fetching. For example, coge las riendas de tu vida- take the reins of your life. In Latin America, coger is a slang term used extensively to describe, ahem, the act of love.

Pronunciation

photo: Caitlin Regan

The largest differences in Spanish are in pronunciation, but even these aren’t so big. For example, in many parts of Central America, s isn’t always pronounced and some other syllables can go missing. In Argentina, the double-l that is usually pronounced like the y in yellow is pronounced like the s in measure.

Perhaps the most notable difference between pronunciation in Spain and Latin America is the “lisp” that is common in Madrid and some other parts of Spain. Legend has it that this pronunciation started with King Ferdinand, whose lisp was copied by the Spanish nobility. As is often the case, legend is probably wrong; the pronunciation is more likely to have come from sounds that existed in medieval Castilian, although that doesn’t explain why it didn’t make it to the colonies. Not all innovations in language are logical; see our post on English spelling for more about that.

You will inevitably soak up the local accent wherever you choose to learn Spanish but this will not stop you communicating with all Spanish speakers. Everyone has an accent when they speak and there is no “better” or “worse” accent. If you do pick up a distinctive accent when you learn a language, whether Spanish or any other, it is a part of who you are and your personal experiences. It can also be a good ice-breaker on your travels.

Should you learn Spanish in Spain or Latin American Spanish?

Some people say that Colombian Spanish is the clearest and most beautiful form of the language. Some say that Argentine Spanish is the sexiest Spanish. Others believe that the Spanish of Madrid is the most important, as that is the home of the Real Academia Española which regulates the language.

When choosing where to learn Spanish, focus instead on where you would rather be, what kind of adventure you would like to have and, naturally, your budget. Rest assured, whatever variety of Spanish you learn, you will be understood all over the Spanish-speaking world.

See all of our destinations for Spanish courses abroad.

We believe that learning a language during your trip is one of the best things you can do… not only will you have more fun when you are away, but you will come back with valuable skills.

Confidence

Samuel Johnson once wrote that “self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings”.

This was a man who promised to single-handedly write an English dictionary in 3 years (a task that had required 40 academics in France). The dictionary eventually took 9 years, but Dr Johnson’s work was the first great English dictionary. Perhaps he was on to something…

Exploring the world on your gap year will naturally bring you confidence, but much more so if you explore in another language. The buzz of having your first conversation in another language is unique. As your language skills develop you will become more and more comfortable in a whole range of situations, with a wide variety of people.

Make your CV stand out

Fluency in another language will make you more employable. The National Centre for Languages estimates (pdf) that British industry’s lack of language skills currently costs around 5% of potential overseas trade. Simply put, speaking another language makes you more valuable to employers.

Learning a language also shows dedication and a willingness to learn, not to mention that all-important confidence. It also shows that you didn’t waste a year lying on the beach (although we offer courses in locations where you can do plenty of that outside of study time!)

Enjoy your trip more

If you are planning on spending your gap year in South America, your experience will be transformed when you can speak Spanish (or Portuguese, if you want to base yourself in Brazil). In French-speaking Africa or Europe, you will struggle without French.

Being able to communicate with people you meet is a key part of your gap year experience… if you only speak English, you will only communicate with other English speakers.

Make international friends at the school

Travellers often hop from place to place, spend a couple of weeks here, a couple of days there. By studying at a language school, you are much more likely to make lasting friendships as the students will typically stay in one place for longer.

You will meet people from all over the world too. This isn’t always the case in hostels, which often gain popularity with a specific crowd or nationality.

Really understand a culture

Speaking the language is the difference between being a tourist and a real traveller. You will only really come to understand a place when you can understand and speak its language. Do you want your gap year to be a year-long holiday or something more?

Give your gap year structure

If you are considering a long, travelling experience for your gap year, a language course is the perfect way to begin. You will meet people, start to understand how things work in your chosen destination and become more comfortable living in another language. If you want to go on a grand tour afterwards, not only will you have extra confidence but you will be much better prepared for any challenges that come up.

It’s a big old world out there and most of it doesn’t speak English

Around 1.5 billion people speak English around the world. That means over 5.5 billion people do not. That’s a lot of stories you’re missing out on if English is the only language you speak!

Combine your language study with an internship, paid work or volunteering

You can add another dimension to your gap year by combining language study with a project that will get you really involved with the local community.

Find out more about our gap year language programs or language trips for adults.

At ESL, the choice is clear. From now on and in the long run, the Swiss organisation, which is a leader in the study abroad industry as well as a key actor in the fight for sustainable development, will encourage its customers to favour partner schools committed to sustainable development.

To support and promote its partners with social and environmental priorities, ESL has developed a self-assessment tool aimed at its partner schools. It wasn’t an easy undertaking, considering the company has established partnerships with over 350 schools throughout the world…

But ESL took up the challenge and, in collaboration with a consulting committee (ECO2 Initiative), its management developed a self-assessment tool specially designed for language schools. With the help of a questionnaire based on the ISO 26000 norm, which also serves as an action plan, the schools can now evaluate the degree of maturity of their environmental initiative implementation process.

For customers – this is new! On all ESL websites, the presentation page of each school will include a box showing the results of the self-assessment carried out by the school in question. The school’s CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy will thus be presented in a clear, comprehensible way. Does the school have a waste management policy accessible to all, an-energy saving strategy or access for disabled people? Does it integrate specific environmental content in its academic programme? Does it organise events to involve its students in projects designed to help the local community?

You will find out more about this initiative by discovering this fascinating tool put in place by ESL on all of its websites. So whom will you choose?

Even organisations that set out to present information as neutrally as possible are dependent on censuses and surveys for their information. For example, the EU’s Eurobarometer reports rely on asking people in which languages apart from their mother tongue they can hold a conversation. Self-assessment is notoriously tricky and people will hold themselves to different standards.

So, with that in mind, here are some statistics:

Most widely spoken language by number of native speakers

1. Mandarin (845 million)
2. Spanish (329 million)
3. English (328 million)
4. Hindi-Urdu (240 million)
5. Arabic (232 million)
6. Bengali (181 million)
7. Portuguese (178 million)
8. Russian (144 million)
9. Japanese (122 million)
10. Punjabi (109 million)

This information, based on number of native speakers, comes from Ethnologue, a widely-respected encyclopaedia of the world’s living languages. At the time of the last update, there were 6909 living languages, but that figure is likely to have decreased since then as languages become extinct.

When looking at the numbers, it is important to remember that the exact figures are difficult to measure. For example, when the US government asks about languages in a census, they state an approximate accuracy of 90%. In a country of (approximately) 312 million inhabitants, that’s a margin of error of (approximately) 31 million people. When it comes to measuring in India, home to three of the listed languages and over a billion people, the challenges are multiplied.

Most widely spoken language by total speakers

Encyclopaedia Britannica suggests the following list, which seemingly combines native speakers with non-native speakers:

1. English  (1,000 million)
2. Mandarin (1,000 million)
3. Hindi/Urdu  (900 milllion)
4. Spanish (450 million)
5. Russian/Belarusian (320 million)
6. Arabic   (250 million)
7. Bengali/Sylhetti (250 million)
8. Malay/Indonesian (200 million)
9. Portuguese (200 million)
10. Japanese (130 million)

Estimating the number of second language speakers is extremely difficult and even the best estimates involve a fair amount of guess work. For example, the British Council suggests in The Future of English? that around 1.5 billion people in total speak English – a figure you will often hear – but that is 500 million more than the estimates used by Encyclopaedia Britannica. Half a billion people is a large discrepancy.

Most widely spoken language by number of countries/dependencies where the language has official or de facto status

Compared to the list of total native speakers, this one is relatively easy to measure. Of the five languages listed, Arabic provides the greatest challenge because the spoken languages that fall under the umbrella of “Arabic” are not all mutually intelligible. However, Standard Arabic is used as the written language in countries where dialects of Arabic are spoken.

1. English (64)
2. French (43)
3. Arabic (26)
4. Spanish (21)
5. Russian/ Portuguese (11)

This list shows the influence of European colonial histories on the world’s linguistic map. Languages with a large number of native speakers like Japanese and Mandarin have not travelled far beyond Asia, unlike the Western European languages that colonists spread to all corners of the world.

One challenge with compiling this list is that some countries, for example the USA, do not have an official language (despite various attempts to introduce one). In these cases, the de facto languages of the country have been counted, which naturally raises questions of its own. In other places, measuring what counts as a de facto language can be a challenge.

Languages of the internet

An interesting way of looking at the development of international languages is via internet usage. Internetworldstats.com aggregates information from various sources to create a list of the internet’s top languages by number of users.

1. English  (27.3%)
2. Chinese (22.6%)
3. Spanish (7.8%)
4. Japanese (5.3%)
5. Portuguese (4.3%)
6. German (4.0%)
7. Arabic   (3.3%)
8. French  (3.2%)
9. Russian (2.5%)
10. Korean (2.1%)

The rankings are based on internet penetration per country and seem to assign a generous “value added” dollop of users to English for the many people who are assumed to speak English as a second language and use it for browsing the web.

But this doesn’t quite illustrate how central English is to the web. A recent piece of research by a pair of Googlers shows the percentage of links going to and from websites in various languages. Unsurprisingly, many more links are pointed at English-language sites from other languages than the other way around.

A more informal way of measuring the languages of the internet would be to look at the number of articles in each language on Wikipedia:

1. English (3,801,000)
2. German (1,316,000)
3. French (1,174,000)
4. Italian (861,000)
5. Spanish/Polish (844,000)
6. Russian (790,000)
7. Japanese (778,000)
8. Portuguese (704,111)
9. Mandarin (385,000)

Which leads on nicely to…

Languages of publishing

UNESCO measures the number of books published by each country per year. Correlating the data for various countries, the British Council gives the following figures:

1. English (28%)
2. Chinese (13.3%)
3. German (11.8%)
4. French (7.7%)
5. Spanish (6.7%)
6. Japanese (5.1%)
7. Russian (4.7%)
8. Portuguese (4.5%)
9. Korean (4.4%)
10. Italian (4.0%)

The data are from a couple of years ago but English remains by a long way the number one language of international publishing.

So, which is the world’s most widely spoken language?

The tables give an interesting view of the world’s most spoken and written languages. Three of the world’s ten most widely spoken mother tongues are barely used for publishing, the internet or international communication: fields where English is dominant. The three languages are all Indian languages and educated speakers would be expected to speak English fluently as a second language.

English remains the world’s most important international language by most measures except for the number of total native speakers, but measuring this can be difficult in itself. A report published by the British Council estimates that around 2 billion people will be learning English at any one time during the next decade. But even then, more than two thirds of the world will not speak English.

We have a superb selection of destinations for an English course in California including the big cities, Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as many smaller but equally enthralling destinations.  In total, we work with over a dozen language schools in California, all of which are fully accredited and have years of experience of teaching English to speakers of other languages, so you will be in safe hands.

Here’s a list of our top destinations where you can learn English in California:

Berkeley

photo: Kai Schreiber

Just a short drive from San Francisco, Berkeley is home to around 110,000 people and is best known for its world-famous university.  The institution is the oldest part of the University of California and came to international cultural prominence in the 1960s as one of the focal points of the hippie world (although it had long been one of the world’s top academic institutions).

The “peace and love” spirit of the 1960s remains prominent in a city known within the USA for being left-leaning and liberal. Our partner school is located downtown, near the university campus… it’s a welcoming and exciting place to learn English and looks great on the CV!

Find out about our English courses in Berkeley

Los Angeles

Lalaland, the city of Angels… whatever you want to call it, Los Angeles is iconic. Home to rock stars and movie stars, has-beens and wannabes, there is nowhere else like it on the planet. It’s a sprawling beast of a city with superb beaches, incredible shopping opportunities and a generous sprinkling of stardust that will make your English course unforgettable.

Just remember, if someone asks you what you are doing there, an authentic local response would be “I’m learning English… and I’m an actor/singer” (delete as appropriate).

Find out about our English courses in Los Angeles

San Diego

photo: coralmoore

At the southern end of California’s long, glorious coastline, San Diego is a laid-back student city of around a million people. The beaches are superb and offer plenty for water sports enthusiasts, the city itself is rapidly growing as people arrive in search of a good life and never leave.

The local zoo is known as one of the best in the world and a trip to SeaWorld is a great way to spend a day. Take an English course in San Diego and find out why Ron Burgundy called it “the greatest city in the history of mankind”!

Find out about our English courses in San Diego

San Francisco

photo: Frank Kovalchek

As one of the great international cities, San Francisco is a massively popular destination for US and international visitors. The Golden Gate Bridge is iconic, Haight-Ashbury is a legendary hippie hub and Chinatown is the place to go for late night food. Laid back in the extreme, people travel from all over the USA to be among like-minded liberals on the West Coast. And to recreate the chase scenes from Bullitt.  Just don’t call it ‘Frisco.

Find out about our English courses in San Francisco

Santa Barbara

photo: Juan Carlos Sánchez

100km north of Malibu on the coast of California, Santa Barbara is a treat for the senses. Famous for its superb beaches and surfing, this popular university city offers a welcome change of pace from the big Californian cities. That’s not to say it’s quiet… a city that was founded by Spanish settlers maintains a certain cultural buzz that creates a lovely contrast with the serene mountainous surroundings.

Find out about our English courses in Santa Barbara

Santa Monica

photo: Laura Padgett

One of the “cities within a city” that make up Los Angeles, Santa Monica is one of the most pleasant parts of Los Angeles County. The weather is great, the beaches are clean and the thrills and spills of the big city lie within easy reach. But Santa Monica doesn’t feel like the big city: the streets are lined with lo-rise, art deco houses (inhabited by celebrities and the well-to-do) and the air is much fresher than downtown.

Find out about our English courses in Santa Monica

If California is a bit too “far out” for you, how about Chicago, Boston or New York? They are among our wide range of destinations for English courses in the USA.

The sun blazes so hot that many city centre streets are covered with giant sunshades and the city rooftops are dotted with swimming pools… but where will you find the time for that siesta when there’s so much so see and do?

Start the day with… fresh orange juice y desayuno andaluz

photo: fvanrenterghem

Seville’s oranges are world famous and the juice they produce is simply perfect. Bright, tangy and very… err… orangey, a glass of freshly squeezed zumo de naranja natural (not ‘de bote’ – from the bottle) is the perfect way to start the day. For an authentic sevillano combination, have it with a slice of bread, smeared with olive oil or manteca colorá, and served with tomato and salt. Alternatively, tostadas with rich, dried Spanish hams are a meatier way to break your fast.

Barrio de Santa Cruz

photo: Jose Luis Filpo

Santa Cruz was Seville’s old judería. Nowadays, the winding streets and passages provide the perfect escape from the hot Andalusian sun. There are plenty of little stores to help empty tourists’ pockets but also plenty of great little tapas bars if you need to sit down and get out of the sun.

A number of little squares, including the Plaza de Santa Cruz, the Plaza de los Venerables and Plaza de los Refinadores nestle in among the streets and churches. The barrio borders the Jardines del Real Alcázar, where you may well bump into the resident peacocks.

At night, the barrio buzzes with activity as locals “ir de tapas” in the many little bars that line the streets.

Watch the young toreros in training at Parque del Alamillo

The Parque del Alamillo is one of the largest parks in Seville; popular with joggers, dog walkers and… toreros. On Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, you can watch the young bull fighters as they practise their skills against bicycles with horns attached, ridden by other young toreros at the Escuela de Tauromaquia de Sevilla.

The Alcázar & Cathedral

photo: John Picken

Well into its second millennium, the Alcázar stands south of the cathedral across Plaza del Triunfo.

After starting life as a Moorish palace called Al-Muwarak, 11 centuries later, the Alcázar is still an official residence of the Spanish royal family. Over the years, many of the regal residents – including the wonderfully named Peter the Cruel – have added their own personal touch to the palace, resulting in an eclectic and charming place to spend a few hours.

The gardens are particularly pleasant and offer some respite from the hot sunshine.

Meanwhile, the Catedral de Santa María de la Sede is so huge that you will struggle to see all of the many intricate details in a single visit… but you will have fun trying. The world’s largest gothic cathedral has 80 chapels, Christopher Columbus’s tomb and an immeasurable wealth of religious bling.

During the reconquista, the advancing Catholics were so charmed by the Giralda tower that they insisted the retreating Moors left their minaret standing. UNESCO calls it “a unique artistic achievement, a masterpiece of Almohad architecture”.

Siesta

photo: Keith Hammond

For a truly authentic experience, a menu del dia followed by a siesta is in order. Unlike their cousins in Madrid, sevillanos still like to go home for a siesta in the afternoon. Businesses and shops shut down between 2pm and 5pm during the hottest hours of the day and workers retreat for a big lunch and, if possible, a snooze.

You’ll be grateful you got forty winks when your evening gets going.

Catch a movie at the Cine Cervantes

El Cine Cervantes dates back to 1873 and is Seville’s oldest cinema. It may not have the latest gadgets – you can leave your 3D goggles at home – but it’s got a huge screen and part of the treat is when the lights come on to reveal the beautiful, old-fashioned interior.

Cine Cervantes, 33 Calle Amor de Dios

Tapas & drinks around Alameda de Hércules

photo: Helen T

Once the air has cooled down a little, the Alameda de Hércules comes to life. Home to dozens of tapas bars, restaurants and cafes, this long promenade is much loved by locals. Children play in the square late into the night as the bars and terraces fill up with people of all ages… Anadulsians are famously social and it isn’t just the twenty-somethings who stay out late here.

Although there are plenty of great restaurants in Seville, tapas are the way forward. Start late, finish later and enjoy the flavours of Andalusia. Check out this blog (in Spanish) for reviews of local tapas bars.

Flamenco

photo: Filipa Machado

Seville is the place for flamenco. There are many bars and venues that provide excellent entertainment every night of the week, with Casa de la Memoria de al-Andalus proving consistently popular.

For more about the history of Flamenco, Giles Tremlett’s Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through a Country’s Hidden Past has a great chapter on it. In the mean time, check out Camarón and Paco de Lucia and enjoy two masters at work.

Feria de Abril

photo: peribanyez

The sevillanos are legendary for their joie de vivre and Feria de Abril is the perfect time to join them. The fair officially begins at midnight on Monday two weeks after the Holy week and runs until the Sunday. Each day begins at midday with a parade of carriages and riders carrying the great and the good of Seville to La Real Maestranza, Spain’s oldest bullring.

During the day you can watch Spain’s top matadors in action or simply enjoy the sight of the local ladies dressed in bright gitana-inspired flamenco dresses. At night the action moves to a giant tented village that springs up during the festival.

Along the bank of the Guadalquivir River, casetas (special tents) belonging to everyone from local aristocrats to local anarchists keep going until six in the morning. Some are private, some are public… just take a stroll and find the atmosphere that is right for you.

Take a day trip to Cadiz or Jerez

photo: cabezadeturco

If you want a change of scenery, you have plenty of options nearby.

Cadiz is an enchanting city. Jutting out into the Atlantic, it has one of the longest (and nicest) city beaches in Europe, a legendary carnival and a huge range of historical sites to visit. Like elsewhere in Andalusia, the Moorish influence is strong and day trips to Tangiers are available from the port.

You can get from Seville to Cadiz for less than €10 with the bus or train and could well spot the resident flamingos on the journey!

Jerez is the home of sherry and has that wonderful laidback atmosphere that you can only find in wine producing regions. The tapas are excellent (and cheaper than Seville), the finos flow freely and the winding streets of the old town offer a taste of traditional Andalusia. The weeks of the Fiestas de la Vendimia in September are a great time to visit, as the town celebrates the grape harvest with flamenco, food and concerts.

Find out more about our Spanish courses in Seville

Looking for a destination for a French course where you can combine your language study with a relaxing stay by the Mediterranean? How about a diving course in the tranquil turquoise waters of the Caribbean? Or surrounded by the swelling Atlantic waves of the Bay of Biscay?

We have French courses all over the world, offered in partnership with acclaimed educators. Here is a selection to get your imagination going:

La Rochelle, France

photo: antonikon

A coastal city that has hosted everyone from the Knights Templar to German U-Boat command has plenty of history behind it. Famed throughout the years as a rebellious city, modern La Rochelle is a gorgeous place to study French. The Vieux Port and old town look much like they did when La Rochelle became a free town during the Reformation, but with the addition of some superb seafood restaurants for your enjoyment.

The nearby Atlantic coastline is superb for surfing, windsurfing and sunbathing, or you could recline on Plage des Minimes which is a short walk from the port.

Find out more about our French courses in La Rochelle

Biarritz, France

photo: Andy Roberts

Biarritz is two cities in one. Most famous for its glitzy side, which sees celebrities and aristocrats descend from all over the world to enjoy the highlife, this is also one of Europe’s top surfing spots. The two communities live side by side, perhaps brought together by a mutual appreciation of the spectacular seaside and beautiful beaches that can be found both within and near the town. The local cuisine is excellent too, with French, Spanish and Basque influences… the restaurants around the rue du Centre get their produce fresh from the nearby covered market and have something for all budgets.  Truly a place with something for everyone.

Find out more about our French courses in Biarritz

Sainte Anne, Guadeloupe

photo: Raïssa B.

If you set sail south-westwards from La Rochelle and keep going for a couple of weeks, you will eventually get to the Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe (assuming you are a good navigator). What you find when you arrive there will be pristine beaches, glorious sunshine and turquoise water perfect for scuba diving or just appreciating from the beach, rum in hand.  Because it’s part of France, you can use your Euros here too, which is a bonus.

Find out more about our French courses in Sainte Anne, Guadeloupe

Nice, France

photo: Tim Bailey

Nice la Belle is France’s fifth largest city and is believed to be one of Europe’s oldest cities, not that you would know it looking at the glitzy Mediterranean promenades and legendary beaches. Elegantly perched on the Bay of Angels, this is a stylish seaside city that has long attracted weary travellers in need of some rest and relaxation. You can eat well, enjoy an environment that has long inspired artists and bask in superb weather throughout the year. Nice? Lovely!

Find out more about our French courses in Nice, or, just along the coast, you could consider Antibes as an alternative.

Aix-en-Provence, France

impressionist painting: Paul Cézanne

Ok, so it’s 30 minutes from the sea really, but Aix-en-Provence is glorious… and that journey to the sea is through the countryside that inspired local lad Paul Cézanne. The artist’s hometown sits 30km north of bustling Marseille but couldn’t feel further from the rambunctious port city. The gentle light that shines through Cézanne’s paintings glistens in the spray of the fountains that dot the town; Aix is an inspiring place for a French course.

Find out more about our French courses in Aix-en-Provence

Click here to see all of our French language destinations.

An official certificate is a mark of quality and shows that you have achieved a certain level in the language you are learning. This means that universities and employers can be confident in your ability.

Exam preparation courses and official certificates are hugely popular among learners of English. For example, IELTS, TOEIC, TOEFL and the Cambridge certificates (FCE, CPE, CAE, etc) are seen as an important professional step and are highly sought-after by employers. You can find out more about the variety of English certificates on offer here.

If you want to study at a foreign university, you will almost certainly have to provide official documentation to show that your language skills meet local requirements. Typically, there will be a single, officially acknowledged exam for this purpose in each country.

An official certificate is an investment for your future and can give you the motivation to study and really tighten up your language skills. We offer a wide variety of exam preparation courses and a number of our partner schools are official examination centres.

French: DELF/DALF

The French Ministry of Education awards two diplomas for learners of French: the Diplôme d’Etudes de Langue Française (DELF) and the Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française (DALF). The DELF recognises basic and intermediate level French (A1 to B2 on the CEFR), the DALF is the continuation for advanced French.

A successfully-completed DALF qualification exempts you from having to sit language entrance exams if you wish to study at a French university.

German: Goethe-Zertifikat

The Goethe-Zertifikat (often just called the Zertifikat) is the most widely-acknowledged German language certificate. It is awarded in six levels corresponding to the CEFR. A Zertfikat B2 will satisfy the language entry requirements for German university courses.

The exams are administered by the Goethe Institute, which is the not-for-profit body in charge of promoting German language and culture internationally.

The top level German exams are legendarily tough and passing one of these will give you a huge advantage when applying for jobs in the German speaking world. From January 2012, the Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom will become the new Kaiser of the German language exams, replacing the existing Goethe Certificate C2-level examinations: ZOP, Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom the Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS).

Italian: CILS

The Certificazione di Italiano come lingua straniera is issued by the Foreigners University of Siena and is recognised by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Rather like the French and German certificates, a CILS Due (B2) qualification will meet the language requirements of Italian universities.

Six exams are available, from A1 to C2 on the CEFR, but the most common are the B1 , B2, C1 and C2, which correspond to the CILS Uno, Due, Tre and Quattro qualifications.

The exams traditionally take place each June and December and can be taken at centres around the world.

Mandarin Chinese: HSK

The Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi exams have been attempted well over 100,000,000 times and counting. The exams are divided into writing and speaking sections and are offered at regular intervals throughout the year, all over the world. After a reshaping at the end of 2009, the six levels of qualification now on offer now roughly approximate the CEFR levels.

The HSK is known all over China and universities will generally accept a level 3 (intermediate) exam for entry to courses taught in Chinese.

Russian: TEOU, TBOU and TRKI

Issued by the Russian Ministry of Education, the TEOU (elementary level 1), TBOU (elementary level 2) and TRKI (4 levels ranging from intermediate to advanced Russian – B1 to C2 on the CEFR) are widely recognised in the Russian-speaking world.

The TBOU is the level required to attain Russian citizenship by naturalisation, the TRKI level 1 will get you into a Russian university, albeit with compulsory further language study until you can pass the TRKI level 2.

The exams are sometimes referred to as TORFL (Test of Russian as a Foreign Language) and can be taken three times a year at universities across Russia and Europe.

Spanish: DELE

The Instituto Cervantes in partnership with the University of Salamanca and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of Spain offer the world-renowned DELE qualifications. For EU students, a DELE B2 certificate exempts you from having to sit language entrance exams at Spanish universities.

Six certificates, ranging from A1 to C2 on the CEFR, are available and the exam can be taken at official centres around the world.

Find out more about all of the official exams, including dates

Like all languages, there are some things about German that are “easier” and some that are “harder”. Your experience with learning a language will depend on your own linguistic background. If you know a bit of Latin, for example, or speak a Slavic language, those four cases won’t seem nearly as bad!

So let’s start with the common moans that learners of German have:

Schwere Sprache…

Mark Twain – not a fan

Mark Twain chronicled his troubles with learning German in a tongue-in-cheek article called The Awful German Language. “Surely there is not another language,” he says, “that is so slipshod and systemless, and so slippery and elusive to the grasp.” But was he being fair?

Genders

These are something that native speakers of English will not be used to. German has three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine and neuter. Every noun has a gender, so it is das Messer (the knife), die Gabel (the fork) and der Löffel (the spoon).

The problem is that grammatical gender does not equate to gender as you would be tempted to think, so the little girl is das Mädchen (neuter) while a pickaxe (die Spitzhacke) is feminine.

When you learn a noun in German, you need to learn its gender with it. Looking on the bright side, there are plenty of clues to gender in the ending of the nouns: words ending in -er, -ich, -ling, are usually masculine, for example.

Cases & declinations

German has four grammatical cases: the nominative, accusative, dative and genitive. The role of a word within a sentence will determine its case, which will in turn determine the article you use. So das Madchen becomes dem Madchen (dative) if you are giving her something, for example, because she is the one receiving the object of the statement, which would have an accusative article.

The case determines the article you use but also affects the ending of any adjective you use to describe an object, so das hubsch Mädchen (the pretty girl) becomes dem hubschen Mädchen if you are giving her something. “A pretty girl” would be ein hubsches Mädchen. Twain talks about an American student of his acquaintance who would ‘rather decline two drinks than one German adjective’!

If you are not used to them, the cases take time to get your head around. But anyone who has studied Russian (six cases), Latin (seven) or any of the Slavic languages will be more than familiar with them. Once upon a time, English also made liberal use of these cases, but that fell away in the Middle Ages when a large amount of French was assimilated into the language.

Word order

German likes to keep you hanging on! The second verb in a clause is pushed to the back of that clause. What’s more, some conjunctions (most commonly weil – ‘because’) also push verbs to the end of a clause. So a sentence like “I want to go to the toilet because I’m about to explode” becomes “I want to the toilet to go because I about to explode am!”

The verbs also have a habit of stacking up at the end of a sentence, particularly when talking in the past tense. But once you get used to the rhythm of German, the word order will become perfectly natural.

German plurals

This is a pain, no way around it! There are five different ways in German, whereas in English you can usually add an “s” to make a plural. But then again, it’s not always so easy in English: children, men and sheep are among the many examples of irregular English plurals.

Nicht so schwer!

St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna

Sounds tough so far? Fear not as there is plenty about the German language that makes it a pleasure to learn.

Spelling & pronunciation are obvious

Unlike languages such as English and French, in German you say what you see. This makes it easy to grasp the pronunciation and spelling. What’s more, Germans actually pronounce all of the syllables, making it easy to follow German television, song lyrics and conversations.

It’s kind of familiar…

If you speak English, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian or any of the other Germanic languages, a lot of German will be familiar to you. Did you know that 97 of the 100 most frequently used English words are from Germanic roots?

The tenses are easy-peasy

In German, it is perfectly normal to use the present tense when talking about the future. “I go to the cinema tomorrow” is a grammatically fine sentence.

In much of Germany and everywhere south of the Weißwurst Equator (including Austria and Switzerland), when talking about the past speakers don’t bother with the preterit for 99% of verbs and just use the perfect tense (“I have been busy”), which is pretty easy to learn.

Compare that to the assortment of tenses in English or Spanish!

There is plenty of logic in there

All the nouns are capitalised – even Mark Twain admits that’s a good idea. But there is plenty more that is highly logical in the German language. For example, once you get your head about the verb prefixes they make it easy to guess the meaning of a verb. About.com has some really useful pages on the German verb prefixes.

Once you have mastered the genders and cases, you will appreciate the solid sense of the language. Some people speculate that the old stereotype of the humourless German comes from the precision of the German language, which doesn’t encourage the double entendres that are so popular in English language humour.

Have fun making up words

German is famous for its compounding, meaning you can stick two or more words together to make a new one. The longest German word recorded by the Guinness Book of Records was 79 letters long. Can’t find the word you’re looking for? Make it up!

So, is German a difficult language to learn?

There are some elements of German that are easier to learn and others that are harder. However, the parts that you personally find “easy” or “hard” depend largely on your own background.

One thing is for sure:  you will have more fun and make much faster progress if you learn German in immersion with one of our award-winning programmes. Check out our German courses in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and our post about great destinations for a German course in the winter. Viel Spaß!

It’s 1911 and after more than two weeks on the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, you arrive in Buenos Aires. Stepping off the boat in the sticky air of La Boca, your fellow passengers wildly embrace relatives and old friends from Italy and Spain: earlier arrivals in search of a new life in the New World.

Uptown, you soon find yourself among spectacular colonial buildings, grand theatres and the pomp of one of the world’s most prosperous cities. Fine horses pull the opulent carriages of wealthy merchants, rich from taming the vast wilderness that fills Argentina’s interior. Overhead, colourful and unfamiliar birds dart across the sky.

Arriving in Buenos Aires a century later is another experience, but no less impressive. During your final approach to Ezeiza Airport, you get an idea of just how huge this sprawling city of 12 million has become, as it slopes far off into the far distance. The drive into the city centre takes you past shimmering skyscrapers, flashing advertising boards and along the 14-lane beast that is Avenida 9 de Julio.

Buenos Aires is rambunctious, it’s wonderful and you will soon be seduced its sultry charms. But there’s much, much more to discover in Argentina than its capital city. In one of the most naturally diverse countries on the planet, deserts, glaciers, mountains, cattle ranches, jungles and vineyards are just the start of it.

It’s little wonder this is one of our most consistently popular destinations for Spanish courses. Use a Spanish course in Buenos Aires as a starting point from which to discover Argentina and beyond.

Bariloche & Patagonia

photo: chadica

Serene mountain lakes, splendid Andean peaks and a tremendous range of Alpine activities make San Carlos de Barlioche, on the banks of Lake Nahuel Huapi, the ideal launchpad from which to explore Patagonia. During the winter, a thick blanket of snow makes this Latin America’s top winter sports destination. Many locals say it is even nicer once the snow has melted and the hills are green.

Bariloche is just the start. Patagonia has so much to offer visitors: go penguin watching at Punta Tumbo, try your hand as a gaucho, hike in the Andes, enjoy the best fly fishing in the world or sail with the whales in Puerto Madryn.

Further south in the barren landscapes of Tierra del Fuego, the scenery becomes glacial; the most southerly part of the inhabited world could not feel further from sweltering Buenos Aires. This is where journeys to the Antarctic set off. The weather in the extreme south sticks around zero for most of the year, preserving the iconic nearby glaciers which date back long before humans were thought to have arrived 10,000 years ago.

Magellan’s crew reported seeing giants in these parts (the name Patagonia supposedly comes from the Italian for “giant feet”), so keep your wits about you!

Iguazu

More than 3,500km to the north east of Ushuia, the Iguazu Falls lie on the border between Argentina and Brazil. Engulfed in thick jungle, where clouds of bright butterflies flutter in the sticky warm air, the waterfalls are one of Latin America’s top tourist attractions. And they are spectacular.

A series of walkways take you below, around and above the waterfalls, through the jungle and past some of the most fantastic scenery you will ever see. According to legend, when Eleanor Roosevelt saw the Iguazu Falls, she came out with the immortal line “poor Niagara”!

This is a good place for a short stop off when travelling, but once you have seen the Falls, it is probably time to move on fairly quickly, whether to Brazil, nearby Paraguay or elsewhere in Argentina.

Salta, Jujuy & the North West

Salta, in the north west of the country, offers a completely different aspect of Argentina. The colonial city centre is appealing, the rolling valleys to the west are breathtaking and the indigenous population keeps ancient, native traditions alive. But what is really spectacular lies just to the north, as you journey into Jujuy Province, through the clouds and on to the Altiplano.

The “Tren a las Nubes” (Train to the Clouds) leaves from Salta and is a 16 hour, 400km round trip into the Andean desert. You travel from the lush, wine-growing regions around Salta and Jujuy into the mountains, through the clouds and finally onto the otherworldly desert plateau. It is a truly breathtaking journey over bridges and aqueducts, through the spectacular scenery of multi-coloured mountains and up to altitudes of almost 4,000m. The locals chew coca to deal with the thin air.

The bus is a cheaper alternative, still spectacular and will drop you off near the Bolivian border, if you would like to go further and discover the ethereal salt flats in Uyuni or the many other jaw-dropping experiences in Bolivia, South America’s most altitudinous country.

Mendoza

Mendoza province lubricates Argentina. Latin America’s largest wine region lies around 1000km to the west of Buenos Aires, a journey probably best taken on one of Argentina’s legendary coaches (entertainment can include games of bingo, pirated DVD’s and onboard karaoke!). Chevallier and Cata are among the most popular bus companies.

A great way to explore the vineyards is with the Bikesandwine tour, where you rent a bicycle for the day and roll from bodega to bodega, learning about wine and glugging the Malbecs for which the region is known. Mendoza is famous within Argentina for its great food, high standard of living and friendly residents, who are especially pleased when foreigners take the chance to practise Spanish with them.

The bus journey from Mendoza to Santiago in Chile takes you through a mountain pass, alongside Mount Aconcagua (South America’s highest peak) and into Argentina’s neighbour. It is one of the few long South American bus journeys that should definitely be taken during the daytime, if only to see the high Andean peaks, winding roads and later the desert flowers as you descend to the west.

Buenos Aires

photo: Ana_Cotta

Beautiful, bewitching, addictive… Argentina’s capital is a city that moves to its own rhythm. A city where sensuality is woven into the fabric of everyday life, where booms and busts come and go and even the greatest pleasures are enjoyed with a distinctive twinge of melancholy.

See our Must See… Buenos Aires post for more about Argentina’s seductive capital city or find out more about our Spanish courses in Argentina.