"The lessons have been going very well!"
Harriet Robinson
Spanish course in Edmonton, Human Resources Manager, Emeco.
Spanish Lessons in San Francisco
With almost 600 million speakers worldwide, Spanish ranks in the top five of the world’s most-spoken languages. Further, the United States is one of the countries with the greatest number of Spanish speakers, with more than 50 million residents who speak it as their mother tongue or second language. This means that acquiring skills in Spanish with us at Listen & Learn will come in handy not only abroad but at home as well.
This is especially true in San Francisco, a city founded by Spanish missionaries in the 18th century and a home to native and level-2 speakers ever since. Every year, the city hosts Cinco de Mayo (a cultural event that commemorates the indigenous people of Mexico), the Colombian Carnival (a public event that features dancers of jazz, samba, and Caribbean rhythms), and more. Enhance your experience by developing your Spanish proficiency and impress the attendees with your skills!
Also, with more than 700,000 Spanish speakers living in San Francisco, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to practice what you learn in your lessons with Listen & Learn everywhere you go. There are dozens of meetup groups you can join to make new friends using your Spanish, the most popular of them being the Spanish Language Club.
So, are you a literature lover and would like to learn Spanish by reading the works of geniuses like Gabriel García Márquez or Federico García Lorca? Or would you prefer to use written exercises or role-play to learn? Don’t worry, we can prepare a personalized program for you. Just reach out to us at Listen & Learn and soon you’ll be watching Spanish-speaking series and movies, like La Casa de Papel or Bajo Sospecha, without any subtitles!
The type of courses we offer:
Face-to-Face 1-to-1 (Individual) General Spanish
This set of Spanish tutorials are less specific and more targeted at those who want to get a range of different things from learning Spanish. Even though all novice students will cover survival Spanish: enough Spanish to make a visit to the country or make good contacts with the locals, but what do you do from there? It depends on your needs. Those who have benefitted from these lessons have been those moving or investing overseas, spouses of overseas nationals, people who love to travel all over the world, those interested in Spanish culture, and those who just want to pass a specific examination in Spanish. Inquire now about our Spanish Courses or Take A Free Spanish Level Test
Face-to-Face 1-to-1 (Individual) Business Spanish
These Spanish lessons are driven towards people who have a requirement to learn Spanish to bolster their work output. For novices, you will find it useful to learn basic greetings and business etiquette; and once you have become more proficient then reading and writing will come to the fore. Typical students include those concerned with import/export, those seeking work in multinational companies, international negotiations, and anyone working with international colleagues or administration. Even on our most rudimentary beginners lesson, students can expect to finish the lesson with decent telephone and e-mail Spanish, as well as a good enough grip on the language for a short trip to the country. Inquire now about our Spanish Courses or Take A Free Spanish Level Test
Face-to-Face Closed (Private) Group General or Business Spanish
If there are 2 or more of you with the same level of Spanish, the same targets within the language, and be able to study at the same time and location, then you'll be happy to know that these Spanish lessons can also be made available for Two-to-One Spanish Lessons or Small Group In-Company Spanish Lessons. Listen & Learn do not generally recommend classes of more than 6-8 people, although Taster lessons in Spanish can run with up to 12 people. Bookings must be made for all participants at the same time. Inquire now about our Spanish Courses or Take A Free Spanish Level Test
Skype, Google Meet or Zoom Online 1-to-1 (Individual) General or Business Spanish
Our native speaker qualified Spanish language teachers can train you and your colleagues at your office or home at a time to suit you. Classes can be any day of the week (even weekends) in the morning, afternoon or evening. In certain circumstances, if your home or office is not suitable, you can take your classes at the trainer's office. Lesson books are provided. Inquire now about our Spanish Courses or Take A Free Spanish Level Test
Skype, Google Meet or Zoom Online Group (Closed or Open) General or Business Spanish
Those wishing to learn Spanish in groups of 2 or more together (Two-to-One Spanish Lessons or Small Group In-Company Spanish Lessons) can sign up for our group classes. All students must be at nearly the same level of Spanish proficiency, must have the same needs from the language, and must be able to study at the same time and place as the others. Bookings must be made for all students simultaneously. Listen & Learn do not propose group sizes or more than 6-8 people, but In-Company Taster Spanish Lessons can occur with up to 12 people. Inquire now about our Spanish Courses or Take A Free Spanish Level Test
Top Tips For…
spanish Books
Cien años de soledad - Gabriel García Márquez
Are you looking for a new book to sink your teeth into while learning Spanish? Then Márquez’s most well-known novel is the best choice for you. “Cien años de soledad” tells the story of the Buendia family in a town called Macondo and follows its members for seven generations. The novel blends magical realism and Colombian political history, making the book one of the most original works of fiction of the century. “Cien años de soledad” is recommended for upper-intermediate students due to the complexity of its vocabulary and complicated narrative. Learn more about the book here.spanish Books
Mandrágora - Laura Gallego
Are you tired of staring at your Spanish textbook when trying to acquire vocabulary? Then, reading a novel can be a great idea. Laura Gallego’s “Mandrágora,” for example, contains lots of everyday words and expressions that will help you get by if you ever visit a Spanish-speaking country. Read this novel and get to know the story of Miriam, a woman who has just started a new life as a servant to the king. While living at court, a series of strange events take place and she tries to solve a mystery with the help of new friends and colleagues. Learn more about the book here.El Entenado- Juan José Saer
“El Entenado” is the perfect choice for people looking to know more about Spanish grammar. Saer uses a great variety of tenses and irregular verbs when writing, so reading his novel can help you recognize how and when to use these conjugations appropriately. This is the story of a young man who ventures into the New World back in the 15th century. Learn more about his encounter with the natives and discover how the clash between two worlds affected both the conquerors and the conquered. By reading this masterpiece by Juan José Baer, you will not only improve your comprehension of Spanish but also expand your mind with a trip into the unknown. Learn more about the book here.spanish Songs
Macarena - Los del Río
Have you ever danced to the rhythm of Macarena? This was a massive hit in the 1990s and it’s still heard today in many bars and nightclubs across Latin America. The song is very simple: it talks about Macarena and her moves on the dancefloor. The song is extremely catchy and will surely get stuck in your head, which you can use in your favor to improve your language skills. Research shows that music activates the auditory cortex part of our brains, helping us repeat the song over and over while learning new vocabulary and structures. Dance to the rhythm of this catchy song!spanish Songs
Livin La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin
It can be very useful to listen to familiar songs dubbed in the language you want to learn. Luckily for language students, there are many singers who sing both in English and their native language, like Ricky Martin. So, why not try and listen to “Living la Vida Loca” in Spanish? Released in 1999, the song topped the charts and is still very popular today. It talks about the “crazy life” lived in Puerto Rico and there is a lot of vocabulary repetition and very few tenses, so it’s very easy to understand, even for beginner-level students. Click here to listen to the song!La Tortura - Shakira
“The Torture” is a song that follows the story of a man who cheats on his partner and wants to win her back. Shakira describes her tortured feelings and how hard it is for her to say no to him, knowing he will never change. Apart from being really catchy, the song tells an interesting story, so it’s worth the effort to understand it. Plus, it’s a very powerful way to get some Colombian words and expressions like “no te rajes” or “yo se que no he sido un santo” to stay in your mind long-term. Click here to listen to the song!spanish Apps
Memrise
Are you looking to increase your Spanish vocabulary outside your lessons? Then, you should consider Memrise, an app with a wide variety of lessons and resources that will help you learn new words in meaningful ways. For example, you can find videos featuring native speakers uttering phrases and words so you to learn how to pronounce them. Then, you can complete different exercises to help you remember those terms and understand their context of usage. Download Memrise and you can choose what to learn and decide when and where you want to practice, all while staying entertained and motivated. You can check out the app here!spanish Apps
Tuenti
This is a mobile operator based in Spain that offers messaging and social media services too. Created in 2006, between 2009 and 2015 it was known as the “Spanish Facebook,” with over 15 million active users. Today, Tuenti offers mobile telephone services within Spain and Latin America as well. Its plans are affordable and easy to use, and they offer instant messaging through the app. If Spain is on your bucket list, you might want to download the Tuenti app to your phone to stay connected with old friends back home and new friends while you are traveling. Download the app here!Arbor
Arbor is a new app in the fintech field that helps people save and optimize their expenses. It has several tools, with its expenses planner being the most useful of them. You can upload invoices to keep track of all your expenses and divide them into categories (like taxes, transportation, food, leisure, and so on) to understand where you spend your money. You can even set financial goals per week or month, and you’ll receive congratulations once you attain them. All you need is a mobile phone and some reading knowledge of Spanish. Click here to find out more about the app.spanish Comedy
El Chavo del 8
Who ever said that learning a new language is boring? One of the biggest mistakes that students make is to just use textbooks to learn. Of course, flashcards and books are very useful but watching comedy in Spanish is a great method to improve your vocabulary and grammar while having a laugh. For instance, El Chavo del 8 is a Mexican show that follows the adventures of a poor orphan boy called el Chavo and other low-income characters who live in the same housing complex (la vecindad). Put away the books and turn on the TV to pick up some Mexican slang! Click here to learn more about this Mexican series!spanish Comedy
La Casa de las Flores
Watching movies and series is a great strategy to improve your Spanish. Even if you are just starting with your course, try not to watch dubbed series but the original Spanish and use English subtitles instead. This will help develop your ear for the language, and once you become more proficient, you can use Spanish subtitles or none at all! If you like comedy, we recommend trying The House of Flowers. This is a very popular black-Mexican comedy television series you can watch on Netflix. You’ll develop a greater awareness of contemporary Mexican society and culture while having some fun and improving your Spanish. Click here to learn more about this series.Allí Abajo
Allí Abajo is a comedy that playfully depicts the cultural differences between one of the northernmost regions in Spain, el País Vasco, and Andalucía in the south. It follows Iñaki, a man from the north, who falls in love with Carmen, a nurse from the south. This is a great series that can help you understand the cultural differences between Spanish regions and will serve to increase your awareness and understanding of dialects in terms of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. This series is great for any level of proficiency and will help you to pick up some slang and expressions from Andalucía and País Vasco! Wanna know more about the movie? Click here.spanish Lifestyle
Sunday Football - Argentina
Argentina is known as the country of tango, asado (barbecue), and, of course, football, one of the most important traditions for men (and women, too!). The passion people hold for this sport extends to all corners of the country. Those who live in Buenos Aires have the privilege of going to “la cancha” (football stadiums) to watch the most exciting matches live, while those who live elsewhere frequently get together with their friends and family on the weekends to watch their favorite teams, like River Plate, Boca, San Lorenzo, and more! Learn more about Argentinian football here!spanish Lifestyle
Take a Siesta - Spain
Have you ever listened to “La Isla Bonita” by Madonna? Then, you’ll probably know that, after lunch, Spanish people take their siestas. Throughout the country, almost every shop closes during the hottest part of the day so people can rest and take naps. The period traditionally occurs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., but it can be longer or shorter, depending on the region of Spain. Spanish people take this habit very seriously, even holding sleeping competitions, so don’t be surprised if you ever go to Spain and find all the shops closed in the afternoon! Click here to know more about the "siesta"!Go for Beer at Tapas Bars - Spain
A tapa is an appetizer in Spanish cuisine that is eaten before dinner. From chips (papas fritas) to chicken fingers or croquettes (croquetas de papa o acelga). And though they are served in small portions, you’ll soon discover they are more than enough to be a complete meal on their own. Combine a few tapas with some beers with friends and taste the best Spanish cuisine on offer. You’ll even find that most regions have their own specialties! For example, Madrid bars use a lot of potato in their tapas, while Barcelona bars use more fish. Want to know more about tapas? Click here!Testimonials
From our clients all over the world
Client case studies
Have a look at successful and satisfied clients.
Nick Alcock
French in Amsterdam
Going from not being able to create basic sentences to being able to hold conversations. It’s been great to notice the progress month by month
Our Clients Include
From our clients all over the world
St Jude Medical
Language learned: Portuguese in Minneapolis.
The Nature Conservancy
Language learned: Indonesian in San Francisco.
