Quiz: What Type of Spanish Do You Need to Learn?

There are many different reasons why people learn Spanish. This ranges from people who just want to learn a few words for a holiday, through to someone wanting to learn Spanish for business purposes. Understanding why someone wants to learn Spanish will help them to determine the type of Spanish lessons that will be best. Take this simple quiz to find out more!

1. Do you speak any Spanish?

• A. No
• B. I speak a few words
• C. I understand a little basic Spanish vocabulary and grammar
• D. I am fluent in Spanish

2. When you book a hotel in Spain do you

• A. Go to an English travel agent
• B. Have a go at booking it direct over the Internet
• C. Pick up the phone and have a go in Spanish, but be prepared to fail
• D. Speak fluently and confidently over the telephone

3. If you receive a document or visit a website that is in Spanish do you

• A. Panic and get someone to translate it
• B. Have a go at translating it yourself
• C. Translate most of it without the need of help, but refer to a dictionary for some of it
• D. Translate it without referring to a dictionary or other resource

4. Do you want to be able to order food and drink in a Spanish restaurant or bar?

• A. Yes
• B. At the very least
• C. I can already with a little help from a dictionary
• D. I can already without help

5. Do you want to be able to hold a conversation with someone in Spanish?

• A. No
• B. Yes
• C. I can already but I need practice
• D. I am fluent in Spanish

6. Is a qualification important to you?

• A. No
• B. Not really
• C. It might be useful to demonstrate my progression in Spanish
• D. This will definitely be useful for my cv

7. Do you plan to run a business in Spain or do business with Spanish speakers?

• A. No
• B. No
• C. This might be something I am interested in
• D. Yes, definitely

Answers

How you answered the questions will help to determine what type of Spanish will be best for you to learn.

Mainly A

If your answers were mainly A then a beginner's course of Spanish will be the best for you. A course for beginner learners will give you the foundations you require to build on if you want to develop your Spanish further. If not, this will give you the key basics that you require. If you are seeking to learn a few words only for holidays then holiday Spanish might be a good alternative.

Mainly B

If your answers were mainly B then you are likely to want a beginner's course but perhaps a course that has a focus such as conversational Spanish. This is ideal for people who want to learn enough Spanish to be able to communicate with others without worrying unduly about the finer points of grammar.

Mainly C

If you have answered mainly C then an intermediate course will be best for you. This will assume that you have the basics of Spanish, however, on which to build. A refresher course might therefore be beneficial. A course that follows a set syllabus and has a qualification might be a good alternative.

Mainly D

You already are fluent in Spanish, however need to take some lessons in your specific area of interest. This includes general business Spanish as well as more specialized areas such as legal or medical Spanish. Courses that offer a formal qualification will be useful to you as you can use this to demonstrate your proficiency on your cv. An immersion course might be useful as this will help you develop in certain key areas of Spanish as required.

Tips for Finding the Right Spanish Lessons

• Look through the course description and make sure that it offers what you want.
• Don't be afraid to ask or clarify what the course covers. If a course description does not say that it covers business Spanish, for instance, and this is important to you then clarify this before you start.
• Take some benchmark tests before starting a class to see how you will fit in. Many classes will offer a brief test to people that will allow them to accurately gauge their ability before starting.