Welcome to A Year Abroad – our adventure under the Spanish sun. We have exchanged our known life and routines in familiar surroundings for an adventure in a country we are somewhat familiar with, but in a completely new place where we will live a full life and not just be on vacation. Join us on our journey here on the blog and on Instagram!
Learning the language is as hard as I thought
When we moved to Spain, I was hoping to “pick up” some language for free along the way. Well… no. Not so far, anyway. Spanish is fun, but it’s also very confusing. Grammar rules often seem random, and a lot of it makes zero sense to me. It feels like I have to learn to think from scratch…
Meeting reality after courses and apps
I’ve been through several Spanish courses in my life, both a long time ago before kids and everything, and more recently. And I’ve used language apps, mainly Duolingo, on my phone for years. But Spaniards are still speaking at 120km/h. I just can’t keep up! The beginning of a sentence, a word here and there… but whole sentences? Not to mention full conversations? The words run together and sometimes there seems to be just one long word with no breaks!
There is a big difference between sitting in a classroom, where things go slowly and you get help, and trying to pick up, translate and understand what someone is talking about. Dialects make things even more difficult. It’s one thing to learn Spanish from a textbook, but it’s quite another to hear, for example, Andalusian mumbling where half the word is either cut off or swallowed. And let’s not get into slang expressions … I’m increasingly understanding what it’s like to try to learn Norwegian bokmål and then meet someone from Sogndal or Northern Norway.
When “and” is not just “and”
At school we learned English, so like most Norwegians I’m bilingual. I have no problem communicating in English. But Spanish has a completely different structure and rules. Just take the conjunction “and”! In Norwegian and English, “and/and” is something we never even think about. It’s just “and”. But in Spanish, even this little word – or letter actually – can be difficult. Normally it’s y (pronounced «ee»), but if the next word starts with an «ee» sound, it suddenly changes to e. So «vino y tapas» is fine, but if you want to say «father and son,» it has to be «padre e hijo.» And of course, there are exceptions to the exception. I promise: learning Spanish is a bit like playing a board game where the rules change just as you start to understand them.
And then there is «sorry»…
I actually think most languages have different ways of saying sorry, depending on the situation you’re in. But learning when to use one or the other can be a bit tricky. If you say “unnskyld” in Norway, it usually works just fine, even though the correct thing to say might be “jeg beklager”. In Spanish, they have three different ways of saying sorry, and probably more variations that I’m not aware of.
Perdón: This is the one I hear most often. You use it when you bump into someone on the street, or if you want to pass people in a crowded market. A bit like “sorry, just passing through.” But when to use «perdóna»? Is this when you are talking to females?
Lo siento: For the heavier stuff. Literally “I feel it.” Use it when you really want to show empathy, like if someone tells you their dog has died. Definitely not when you bump someone’s elbow. So the tip is to remember that when you use this, the «feeling» is sad.
Disculpe: More formal, often used when addressing strangers. Perfect for questions: “Disculpe, ¿dónde está el baño?” (“Excuse me, where is the bathroom?”).
Although disculpe is a polite approach, I really hope that Spaniards will excuse my use of perdón for everything.
False Friends and Funny Mistakes
English can contribute a lot when it comes to Spanish words, but you can be fooled. Many English words are the same in Spanish, just with a different pronunciation; animal, actor, hospital and legal. Other words are practically the same; curioso, famoso and fabuloso. And then there are the words that can be «Spanish-ified» by adding «ido» and «idad» to the end of the word; fluido, universidad. And lots more!So an English-speaking person can get a lot of help! But be aware that not everything will be as you think if you translate it into something that seems correct in your English mindset.
A common example is if you get a little embarrassed and want to say «I’m embarrassed»… Estoy embarazada may seem logical to an English-speaking brain, but it actually means «I’m pregnant», and that’s not exactly what you wanted to say!
Other words to watch out for;
- Molestar (to bother) – Molest (abusar sexualmente)
- Constipado (a cold) – Constipated (estreñido)
- Éxito (success) – Exit (salida)
- Recordar (to remember) – Record (grabar)
- Introducir (insert) – Introduce (presentar)
- Sensible (sensitive) – Sensible (sensato)
- Librería (bookstore) – Library (biblioteca)
My life raft – Google Translate!
Today I had to ask about my broken chair in a store. As always, I asked in Spanish: hablas inglés? (Yes, I know it should be habla to be polite, but this is something I forget to do.) But no, she only spoke Spanish. So I took out my phone, opened Google Translate, and typed in my question. She thought it was really cool and was able to type in what I didn’t understand so I could understand what she meant. Much of her response was in Spanish, and I replied, “sí, sí” and nodded. She looked at me and said a sentence I didn’t quite understand, so she typed it into my phone. What did it say? “I feel like you understand what I mean.” And it was true. I understood, but I couldn’t convey what I wanted to convey on my part. Did I understand everything? No, not at all. But I understood the gist of it, and I’m very proud of it!
Throwing myself into it – crazy scary, but necessary
Everyone keeps telling me the same thing: “You just have to throw yourself into it. Speak Spanish, even if it’s wrong.” And yes, I know they’re right. But my oh my, it’s scary. My heart is pounding, and I feel like a five-year-old trying to explain myself.
Still, I try. I order in Spanish at cafes and restaurants, even though I almost certainly mess up the gender and word order. “Una café con leche” can become “un café con leche.” And yes, people notice. But I do it anyway. And I try to understand the answers I get, even though it often sounds like gibberish.
But I have a deeper understanding of how it must have felt for a German mother I knew at my children’s elementary school, who had moved to Norway and was learning the language while also getting settled in a new life in a new country. She sat through parent-teacher conferences and conversations, trying to keep up. Now I’m in that situation myself – only on Spanish soil.
Rewarding, but tough
Learning Spanish feels a bit like riding a bike down a bumpy road without a seat. It’s uncomfortable, I fall a lot, but I’m still moving forward – slowly but surely. And even though it often feels like nothing makes sense, I know that one day I’ll be able to put together the words that I’m carrying around in my head to form sentences.
I will keep trying, even though I probably won’t learn everything I need to speak fluently. The past and future tenses in Spanish are big hurdles and crazy difficult. But I’ll continue going to classes and doing work at home. I want to be able to make myself understood when I speak with someone, and understand when spoken to. And I would like to get to know people from Spain.
So… as the locals say: poco a poco – little by little.
Another little glimpse into our adventure here in Spain. Language is both a barrier and a doorway, and although it often feels like a puzzle with no clear solution, it gives us new experiences every single day. Follow us as we fumble, learn and laugh – under the Spanish sun.