To begin with, it all depends on your goals, your starting level, how much time you have to study, the languages you already speak, your working hours, whether you live somewhere the language is spoken, how willing you are to make Spanish or Catalan part of your life, the learning strategies you use and whether you can speak the language every day. Many factors affect language learning. A language is alive, and to learn it, you need to live it.
Now for the second important point: define what “speaking well” means.
Does it mean being able to shop in Spanish or Catalan? To see a doctor? To book a restaurant or hotel? For these goals, you may only need a focused session for each situation.
Does speaking well mean being able to enjoy a holiday in Spain and manage everyday situations in the local language without feeling lost?
Does it mean explaining your daily life or having a casual chat with a neighbour in the lift or the waiter at your local café?
Does it mean sharing dinner with native speakers and discussing spontaneous topics? Talking about a film, a TV series or a podcast you have enjoyed?
Does it mean describing your professional experience in a job interview? Starting a job in Spanish or Catalan? Working confidently in either language?
As you can see, there are countless possible goals, and everyone needs to find their own. None is inherently better or worse; they are simply different.
Now that your goal may be clearer, another question probably comes to mind.
What is the best way to learn a language? How can I do it? Where should I start?
The best way is the one that works for you. If this answer leaves you uncertain, that is normal. There is no single technique or miracle method for learning a language. As with many things in life, we cannot expect to master a language in three months, six months or even a year.
In an age of instant results, we want everything right away. But a dish simmered slowly for hours will not turn out the same as one cooked in fifteen minutes. Likewise, the level reached after three months is not the same as after three years. Neither is automatically better; they simply suit different needs and stages of life.
What matters is learning and enjoying the journey. Let us remember that education is a privilege that many people still cannot access.
Think about where, how and when you would like to learn. Life involves movement and adaptation, and lessons can adapt too: online, in person, blended, one-to-one lessons, private groups, at a convenient time, at the office, in a business centre, café or cultural centre. There are countless options.
Contact me so we can get to know each other and find the system that best suits your lifestyle, schedule, learning profile, personality and circumstances.
