Spanish Courses and Schools in Spain - Learn Spanish in Spain

Learn Spanish in Spain and you will experience a country of endless magnificence, rich in culture, history, diversity and beauty. Students at our Spanish courses and schools in Spain will experience the warm hospitality, enigmatic nature and boundless energy of Spain's open, friendly and flamboyant people. Spain, once the mother of the Spanish speaking world, has much more to offer than the outstanding countryside, fabulous beaches and a warm, diverse, energetic culture. It provides you with the opportunity to learn Spanish and experience Spanish language and culture in breathtaking locations, and warm and friendly environments. Choose to study Spanish in Spain and you will leave with lifelong memories of its people, places, culture and traditions. Learn Spanish in Spain and you will find yourself enriched and enlightened by its language, hospitality, warmth and pure magnificence. All of our Spanish Schools in Spain are equipped to provide you with a first class platform to build and improve your Spanish language skills. Accelerate your Spanish language ability by attending Spanish courses in Spain with Languages in Action.

Spain - History

The national history of Spain dates back to the fifth century A.D., when the Visigoths established a Germanic successor state in the former Roman diocese of Hispania. Despite a period of internal political disunity during the Middle Ages, Spain remains is one of the oldest nation-states in Europe. In the late fifteenth century, Spain acquired its current borders and was united under a personal union of crowns by Ferdinand of Aragon (Spanish, Aragon) and Isabella of Castile (Spanish, Castilla). For a period in the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries, Portugal was part of that Iberian federation.

Spain was the chief European power in the sixteenth century and was deeply involved in European affairs from that period up until the eighteenth century. Spain's kings ruled provinces scattered across Europe. The Spanish Empire was worldwide, and the influence of Spanish culture was all-encompassing, especially in the Americas. Because of this, Spanish is still the native tongue of more than 200 million people outside Spain today.

The Spanish Civil War (1936-39), which claimed more than 500,000 lives, recapitulated on a larger scale and with more brutal conflicts what had been erupting periodically for generations. The conflicts, which were around social and political roles of the Roman Catholic Church, class differences, and struggles for regional autonomy on the part of Basque and Catalan nationalists, were subdued but not eliminated under the authoritarian rule of Nationalist leader Generalissimo Francisco Franco y Bahamonde (in power, 1939-75). In the closing years of the Franco regime, these conflicts flared, however, as militant demands for reform increased and mounting terrorist violence threatened the country's stability.

When Prince Juan Carlos de Borbon became king of Spain following Franco's death in November 1975, there was little indication that he would be the instrument for the democratization of Spain. Nevertheless, within three years he and his prime minister, Aldolfo Suarez Gonzalez (in office 1976-81), had accomplished the historically unprecedented feat of transforming a dictatorial regime into a pluralistic, parliamentary democracy through nonviolent means. This accomplishment made it possible to begin the process of healing Spain's historical schisms.

The success of this peaceful transition to democracy can be attributed to the king's commitment to democratic institutions and to his prime minister's ability to maneuver within the existing political establishment in order to bring about the necessary reforms.

West European governments refused to cooperate with an authoritarian regime in the immediate aftermath of World War II, and, in effect, they ostracized the country from the regions political, economic, and defense organizations. With the onset of the Cold War, however, Spain's strategic importance for the defense of Western Europe outweighed other political considerations, and isolation of the Franco regime ended. Bilateral agreements, first negotiated in 1953, permitted the United States to maintain a chain of air and naval bases in Spain in support of the overall defense of Western Europe. Spain became a member of the United Nations in 1955 and joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1982.

Spanish Schools Spain - Geography

At 194,884 mi² (504,782 km²), Spain is the world's 51st-largest country. It is comparable in size to Turkmenistan, and somewhat larger than the US state of California.

On the west, Spain borders Portugal, on the south it borders Gibraltar (a British overseas territory) and Morocco, through its cities in North Africa (Ceuta and Melilla). To the northeast, along the Pyrenees mountain range, it borders France and the tiny principality of Andorra. Spain also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and a number of uninhabited islands on the Mediterranean side of the strait of Gibraltar, known as Plazas de soberanía, such as the Chafarine islands, the isle of Alborán, the "rocks" (peñones) of Vélez and Alhucemas, and the tiny Isla Perejil. In the northeast along the Pyrenees, a small exclave town called Llívia in Catalonia is surrounded by French territory.

Mainland Spain is dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges, such as the Sierra Nevada. Running from these heights are several major rivers including the Tajo, the Ebro, the Duero, the Guadiana and the Guadalquivir. Alluvial plains are found along the coast, the largest of which is that of the Guadalquivir in Andalusia.

Due to Spain's geographical situation and orographic conditions, the climate is extremely diverse; it can be roughly divided in three areas:

• A temperate climate occurs in the inland areas of the Peninsula (largest city, Madrid).
• The Mediterranean climate, which roughly reaches from the Andalusian plain down the southern and eastern coasts and up to the Pyrenees, on the seaward side of the mountain ranges that parallel the coast (largest city, Barcelona).
• An Oceanic climate in Galicia and the coastal strip by the Bay of Biscay (largest city, Bilbao). This is area is known as the Green Spain.

Learn Spanish in Spain - Economy

The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990, averaging five percent annual growth. After a European-wide recession in the early 1990s, the Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994. Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. The centre-right government of former President Aznar effectively put forth the effort to gain admission as one of the first groups of countries to launch the European single currency (the Euro) on 1 January 1999. The Aznar administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment fell steadily under the Aznar administration but remains high at 10.1%. The socialist president, Rodriquez Zapatero, has initiated economic and social reforms that are generally popular among the masses of people, but that are anathema to religious and other conservative elements. Adjusting to the monetary and other economic policies of an integrated Europe, reducing unemployment, and absorbing widespread social changes will pose challenges to Spain over the next few years.

Spanish Courses in Spain - Food

Eating food out in Spain is often cheap and meals are substantial rather than gourmet. One of the best ways to sample Spanish food is to try tapas, or snacks, which are served at any time of day in local bars.

In Spain foods vary from olives and cheeses to fish and other meat delicacies. Most of Spain's cuisine is based on seafood, but local specialties are more easily found inland than along the coast. Specialties from the northern Basque Provinces include cod vizcaina or cod pil-pil; angulas, the scrumptious young eels from Aguinaga; bream and squid. Asturias is recognized and known for its bean soup, fabada, cheeses and the most delicious cider in Spain. In Galicia you can find shellfish, especially in casseroles, and quite a few regional seafood dishes such as hake à la Gallega.

In the eastern regions of Spain, the paella is spectacular. Prepared in different ways varying in its meats and seafood, this rice-based dish is a national favorite. More seafood specialties are prevalent in Catalonia with lobster Catalan. They also serve a mouth - watering butifarra sausage stewed with beans, and partridge with cabbage. Bread rubbed with olive oil and tomato, pan amb tomaquet, is a nice complement to local ham and cheese.

If you happen to be in the Castile area, be sure to try the roast meats, mainly lamb, beef, veal and suckling pig. There are also tasty stews, sausages, country ham and partridges. Andalucía is noted for its cooking (which shows a strong Arab influence), especially gazpacho, a delicious cold vegetable soup, a variety of fried fish including fresh anchovies, jabugo ham from Huelva and many dishes based on the fish which the coast provides in such abundance.

The Government classifies restaurants and many offer tourist menus (menu del día). Restaurants and cafés in Spain offer tableside service. And don't forget, in Spain the thing to drink with your tapas is a nice dry (fino or manzanilla) sherry, or a glass of tinto (red wine).

Spain - Climate

The climate in Spain is diverse, being affected by altitude (Spain is the second most mountainous county in Europe), the sea (Mediterranean or Atlantic Ocean) and continental effects (central Spain is in effect in a large land mass).

Mediterranean Spain consists of high sunshine levels, ranging from 6 to 12 hours per day depending on the season. Winters are generally mild and are much warmer than central Spain.
Rain is rare from June to August along the northern Mediterranean coast.

In the south, a very hot wind from North Africa (the Leveche) can occasionally occur, though sea breezes may stop temperatures from rising too high.

Central Spain and the Southern Atlantic coast have a generally low rainfall though winter snow can be heavy on the sierras.
Summers are hot, particularly in the Guadalquivir valley. This area can also be notably windy with the winds being cold if coming from snow-covered sierras.

Northern Spain is influenced by depressions from the Atlantic Ocean, predominantly in the autumn and winter, making this the wettest and cloudiest part of Spain.
Sunshine levels average a mere 3 hours per day during the winter here, and about 8 hours per day in the summer. Summer temperatures are lower here than other parts of Spain, but it still enjoys warm and sunny weather.

Spanish Schools in Spain - Advice

Learn Spanish in Spain and our advice can really be summed up with one simple word - practice! What kind of Spanish study materials you use is not quite as important as how or how often you use them. Your own hard work and determination will be one of the biggest factors in successful language learning.

The Spanish school and course you choose in Spain is going to be the core of your Spanish study, so make sure you choose a Spanish language school in Spain that gives you structured lessons and lots of opportunity to practice your new language skills. Our Spanish courses at our Spanish schools in Spain give you the perfect opportunity to study, learn, and practice Spanish in a supportive, well planned and friendly environment.

You must work at your new Spanish language skills every day. Ideally, you should study Spanish an extra hour or more every day. If you can get at least an extra half-hour of Spanish study time, which is good too. Try to at least get a little review and study, learn and practice Spanish every single day.

If you attend one of our Spanish courses in Spain and you learn Spanish everyday, you will have a good basic knowledge of the Spanish language in a reasonable amount of time. Your knowledge and ability will increase and improve depending upon what other tools you use and what kind of experiences you have using the Spanish language.

Grammar Book. A good old-fashioned grammar book may be boring but they are a great way to really get to grips with the details of the language.

Phrase Book. These are extremely helpful books that you can carry with you. They can be useful for practicing pronunciation, or for quickly finding a lot of the more commonly used phrases, words and idioms. Phrase books are always a nice supplement to your Spanish learning method and they are convenient and cheap.

Dictionary. Absolutely necessary in the long run. You must have a dictionary if you wish to expand your vocabulary, and you will need one in order to take full advantage of many of the Spanish language learning tips set out here. Make sure you get one that translates both ways e.g. English to Spanish AND Spanish to English. It is also helpful to find a dictionary that contains idioms - the phrases particular to the language which you are studying - as well as phrases that are commonly used in the Spanish language, but may be difficult to translate. As an example in English - 'to give the cold shoulder' or 'it's a piece of cake!'

Flashcards

A simple Spanish language learning tip, but a very effective way to review, refresh your memory and expand your vocabulary. There are pre-made flashcards that can be purchased, or for extra help, you can create your own. Keep them with you at all times, in your pocket or in your car, and look at them for a quick review or language lesson at every opportunity. They are very convenient.

Talk to yourself

It may be obvious, but the best way to learn Spanish in Spain is to speak Spanish in Spain ! This convenient method can be used at all times, as you can even talk to yourself. Even if you are in public and don't feel comfortable talking to yourself out loud, you can make it your habit to practice Spanish by thinking Spanish. Throughout the day, think of the Spanish words for everything you pass - objects in your house, things you pass when you are traveling, things you use at work or school, etc. Learn basic Spanish phrases like - 'it is cold today' or 'it is sunny today' and use whichever is appropriate when you first look out the window. By putting this tip in to use on a regular basis, the vocabulary and phrases will become more routine and automatic.

Practice with friends

Taking it even further than practicing by talking to yourself, you can practice with your friends. Even if they don't speak Spanish, talk to the people you know by using your new language. Warn them in advance that you are practicing your new knowledge and they'll know what's coming. Even a simple 'good morning' or'see you later' in Spanish will make those phrases more natural to you. Your friend's might even begin to learn a few words and join in the fun too!

Listen to music

Listen to Spanish music. You'll hear the Spanish language used in a real context and this will help you pick out the rhythm and pronunciation even better. This method will also give you a further understanding of, and appreciation for, the culture and customs of the Spanish people. Music in Spanish might be easier to find than others, but Amazon or eBay and many other global websites will enable you to find music in Spanish and many different languages.