Whether you are traveling or living in Colombia, learning to speak Spanish beyond an “Hola, como vas?” is crucial in order to smoothly get around the country, discover its authentic side and in my opinion, not get ripped off.
**Learn the do’s and don’t of bargaining and negotiating in Colombia**
The large majority of us will have had taken some type of Spanish class back in high school, which by now is most likely all forgotten. But believe it or not, by bathing in latin culture and surrounding yourself by Spanish-speaking people, you’ll find yourself picking it up right back up again.
Plus, according to The Guardian, “There are 41 million native Spanish speakers in the US plus a further 11.6 million who are bilingual, mainly the children of Spanish-speaking immigrants. This puts the US ahead of Colombia (48 million) and Spain (46 million) and second only to Mexico (121 million).”
This means learning Spanish, opens up opportunities worldwide, not only to connect with others but presenting you with millions of possible job prospects you otherwise would not have had access to!
Not to mention, if you’re going to learn Spanish in South America, it’s said that the bogotano accent is the clearest of them all.
So, if you want to get a full immersion and get back on track to learning Spanish as fast as possible, here are the best ways to learn Spanish in Bogota super quickly:
1. Join a salsa class
You’d be surprised that there’re more Colombians in salsa classes than foreigners. Even if dancing is a crucial part of socializing in Colombia, it doesn’t mean all Colombians know how to dance well. Especially bogotanos to say the least!
Credit: Nueva Lengua Academy
Taking a salsa class in Colombia is is a great opportunity to engage with locals and learn Spanish at the same time! It’s a double whammy!
2. Take a Colombian cooking course
If you like to get your hands dirty in the kitchen, what better way to discover the country through its food?! Learn Spanish and discover the gastronomy through a cooking course. Learn about local ingredients, and local techniques used to make traditional Colombian dishes.
Que delicia it is to learn Spanish in Bogota!
3. Attend cultural events in Colombia
Attend concerts, go to the theater, tour the city with a local guide, or just go to the movies! The mix of visuals and language together will help communicate the idea and the essence across better than learning Spanish in a classroom.
Plus, if you come to learn Spanish in Bogota, the idea is that you are able to experience both the city and learn at the same time. So why have to choose between one and the other?
4. Engage in small talk
Colombians love to talk, and even more so to strangers! Don’t be afraid to engage in small talk in the streets or when you go about in the city. This is a great way to learn Spanish in Bogotá very fast!
I find people are relatively patient and will try to speak slowly for you so that you can understand them. Take advantage of the friendly and open a Colombian culture to practice all that theory you only ever saw on paper!
5. Go to language exchange events
I have been to a few of these and believe it or not it is usually full of Colombians who are looking to meet foreigners and practice their English. You can do the same and practice your Spanish, share a few beers with locals and potentially make local friends!
Check out the language exchange events and networking events in the city here.
6. Hang with locals as much as possible
Speaking of friends, from the years I’ve lived in a foreign country to try to learn the language, the worst mistake I saw other foreigners make was that they all hung out in a group of foreigners instead of mixing it up. As a result, they did not fully immerse with the local culture and everyone when back to their respective countries a few months or a year later without having made the most of their year abroad.
If you are truly set on learning Spanish in Bogota quickly: my number one recommendation is to make local friends.
7. Take an intensive Spanish course
In case you need to brush up on your use of the past tense, future tense, and the ever famous subjunctive, consider taking an intensive Spanish course in Bogota. This is a great way to give you all the tools to go out and practice and engage in any of the activities above.
At the end of the day, the only thing holding you back from learning a new language is fear of embarrassment. Make all the mistakes you need, get out there, and talk with your body if you need to. That’s truly the only way to learn!
If you’re looking to learn Spanish in Bogota through any of the ways above, I strongly recommend you check out Nueva Lengua Academy located in the heart of the financial center of Bogotá.
Their activities and weekly classes start from $185 and include everything from cooking classes, salsa classes to intensive Spanish courses. Email them or give them a call at +57 315 8559 551.
2 comments
And not to forget put caracol radio on whenever you’re not doing anything else to absorb the Colombian accent subconsciously
Very helpful indeed!