Learning Spanish Archives - Page 3 of 4

How Learning Spanish can Help you Get a Job

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Have you ever thought about learning Spanish for work? Of all the things that you could do to pursue a new job, a raise, a promotion or just more satisfaction at work, one of the wisest investments is learning Spanish. No matter what field you work in (or want to work in), the ability to speak Spanish can really pay off and supercharge your career.

Students who have been part of Fluency Corp’s Spanish language training programs have experienced this again and again. Learning Spanish for work opens doors for them to new opportunities and new levels of success. Here are just a few reasons you may want to consider Spanish classes to advance your career.

Speaking Spanish Can Help You Get an International Job

More than one-third of U.S. adults are interested in living in another country. If you’re part of that group, how can you make this dream true? Well, learning Spanish is one of the most powerful things you can do to open up your opportunities to work internationally.

Spanish is widely spoken around the globe. Only Mandarin Chinese has more native speakers. By 2050, 754 million people globally will speak Spanish, and there are 20 countries where Spanish is the official language.

Spanish-Speaking Workers Are Needed in the U.S.

Learning Spanish for work is still beneficial even if you have no plans to move outside of the U.S. The number of Spanish speakers in this country is increasing. By 2060, the U.S. will have more Spanish speakers than any other country except Mexico.

Throughout the U.S., companies need more workers skilled in Spanish. That need is particularly large in areas with large Hispanic populations, which include some of the hottest cities in the U.S. right now for relocations. More than half of the fastest-growing U.S. cities are located in either Florida, where more than one-fifth of all households primarily use Spanish at home, or Texas, where more than one-quarter do.

(A quick aside here: Not everyone in the U.S. who is of Hispanic origin speaks Spanish, and many, many U.S. Spanish speakers are also proficient in English and use it outside the home.)

Business Leaders Speak Spanish

In some occupations, it’s especially important to have some Spanish fluency. If you lead a workforce that includes a significant number of Spanish speakers, learning their language is an invaluable way to connect with your employees and show respect for them.

That’s why Envoy Air chose to work with Fluency Corp. Envoy wanted its leaders to better understand the culture of the different countries that its Spanish-speaking employees are originally from.

Through Fluency Corp’s language instruction, executives learned how to hold conversations in Spanish with employees about topics such as their families and how long they have worked for the company. By speaking to employees in their native language, Envoy executives are now building respect and collaboration.

We Need Nurses and Doctors Who Speak Spanish

The U.S. healthcare system has a shortage of professionals who speak Spanish. Less than 6% of physicians in the U.S. are Spanish speakers. There’s also a need for more nurses who can speak Spanish.

For healthcare professionals who need to communicate in Spanish with their patients and their families, a couple of semesters of language study back in college just won’t cut it. A general Spanish class doesn’t cover medical terminology like “intubate” or “hospice.”

If you work in healthcare and want to improve your Spanish skills, you should seek out Spanish training that’s customized to the needs of your profession.

Spanish is an Advantage in Travel Jobs

Learning Spanish can give you an edge in landing travel and tourism jobs. It can also boost your paycheck. For example, bilingual flight attendants are more likely to be assigned to international flights, which means more time in the air — which means more money.

Additionally, the U.S. Hispanic market is increasingly important to the travel and hospitality industry. U.S. Hispanic travelers spend almost $115 billion on domestic travel annually.

Spanish Speakers Have Opportunities in Entertainment

Did you know that U.S. Latinos account for almost one-fourth of streaming service subscribers and movie ticket buyers, even though they’re only 19% of the population? Meanwhile, more film and TV shoots are moving to Mexico, and revenue from Latino music is increasing faster than it is for the music industry as a whole.

Demand Is Growing for Spanish-Speaking Educators

We’re big advocates for bilingual and dual-language education as a way to help both Spanish-speaking and English-speaking kids grow up comfortable with both languages. But to educate a generation of bilingual kids, we need more bilingual teachers. Some states are even launching new programs to address this shortage.

Learning Spanish Expands Your Mind

Maybe nothing else in this article really applies to you, but you’re still interested in learning Spanish. Is it still worth the investment to take classes? Absolutely! Learning a second language can have some unexpected payoffs for your career. Becoming bilingual improves your intelligence, attention and other skills that can make you more creative and innovative.

Learn Spanish and Get Hired

We hope you’re feeling sold on the benefits of learning Spanish for work. So how do you go about it? What kind of Spanish language training is most effective? Here are a few tips for selecting a training option that will help you build Spanish fluency quickly.

Working with an instructor who’s a native Spanish speaker will help you get a better sense of how the language is actually spoken in real-life situations.
You’ll also want to find out whether an instructor has specific training in teaching Spanish to non-native speakers.
For best results, work with an instructor who has at least two years of experience teaching Spanish to professional adults.
Your Spanish classes should be customized to your needs at work. You don’t want to waste your time on cookie-cutter lessons. Instead, your lessons should center on building the vocabulary you need in your specific field and for the situations you engage in every day.

At Fluency Corp, we’ve helped professionals in all fields develop the Spanish skills they need for career success. Questions about how to get started with learning Spanish for work? Reach out! We’ll be in touch.

Questions about how to get started with learning Spanish for work?

4 Reasons Learning Spanish is Beneficial for Business

Illustration of an open book on a yellow background with the word "Espanol" above it along with line sketches of Spanish words and education related objects such as pencils and books.

Spanish language training may not be on your radar right now, but it should be. That’s true for both ambitious professionals and for HR leaders who are considering what skills their company’s workforce needs. Learning Spanish can be a great life skill to have, not just for a job! Here are just a few of the reasons that learning Spanish pays off.

1. The Number of U.S. Spanish Speakers is Growing…

By 2060, the U.S. will have more Spanish speakers than any other country except Mexico. This signals that companies doing business in the U.S. need more workers skilled in Spanish. Learning Spanish can be helpful especially in states like Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona that are close to the Mexican border.

2. …And So Is the U.S. Hispanic Population

Currently, about 17.8 percent of the total U.S. population is of Hispanic origin. That’s 57.5 million people, with $1.7 trillion in purchasing power. By 2060, that number will grow to 28.6 percent.

We do want to note, though, that not everyone in the U.S. who is of Hispanic origin speaks Spanish, and that many, many U.S. Spanish speakers are also proficient in English and use it outside the home. But we still see Spanish fluency as a powerful way to connect with your customers and clients who know the language.

Teachers, company leaders, and customer-facing roles can certainly benefit from speaking both English and Spanish.

3. Spanish is Widely Used Globally

We’ve talked about how important Spanish skills are for doing business in the U.S. Now let’s look at the global picture. Only Mandarin Chinese has more native speakers around the world than Spanish does. By 2050, 754 million people globally will speak Spanish.

Spanish is the official language of 20 countries. And some of those countries have been identified as among the best for global expansion and the best for business overall. Learning Spanish can be a fun way to connect with people from a different culture or background, and it can be a fun activity to learn alongside friends or family.

4. Opportunities in Mexico are Growing

As a Texas-based business, we pay special attention to the state of the economy in Mexico, and we see numerous promising signs about doing business there. For example, Mexico is expected to be the No. 7 economy in the world by 2050.

Overall, we believe Spanish language training benefits individuals and companies in a myriad of ways. Spanish fluency can facilitate collaboration between colleagues; show employees that company leaders care about them; build trust with customers, clients, and communities; and help HR leaders better serve diverse workforces.

Ready to learn more about Spanish language training? At Fluency Corp, we offer Spanish classes both onsite at your company and live online. Get your whole team together and learn Spanish with lessons tailored to your industry! All instructors are native Spanish speakers. Contact us for a free consultation: getfluent@fluencycorp.com or (800) 401-3159.

Why Your Spanish Classes in School Never Worked

Four bored business people sitting at table

Spanish Classes in School Didn’t Work for Me

Have you taken months or years of Spanish classes but you still can’t really speak Spanish? Spanish classes didn’t work for me, either. I completed five semesters of Spanish classes in high school. Even took the AP Spanish test. I then took two more semesters in college, followed by 6 months of studying abroad in Spain, which consisted of 2 Spanish grammar classes, a history class and a literature class. When I still couldn’t hold a decent conversation in Spanish I got frustrated and gave up!

I still remember my last Spanish class. I walked into the completely full class my junior year of college at Boston University. I sat in the back row and tried to be invisible, because every time someone asked me something, I couldn’t string together the words to respond!

Soon after, I dropped out of Spanish that semester, never to return to another Spanish class again, for the rest of my life.

But that’s not the end of the story.

Today, I am at a C1 level (advanced level). With this level, I can live and work confidently in any Spanish-speaking country.

Basically, dropping out of Spanish classes helped me get fluent. How?

Classroom Learning Vs. Real Life Learning

Studying a second language is part of high school graduation requirements or recommendations in many states. You may have also been required to take classes in a second language as part of your college degree. Formal Spanish classes (as I experienced them!) don’t help people get fluent. Why?

You’re not actually talking in the classes, you are observing. Instead of getting experience in how the language is used, you’re learning ABOUT the language. Take learning how to play the piano, for example. You could take hours of classes learning about the piano, but that doesn’t mean you will be able to play it after learning how it was made.

As children learning our first language, we aren’t taught about the language. So why do we learn our second language this way? Especially since it’s a 100% success learning our first language, worldwide. It’s guaranteed to work. There is not one person in the world that was not able to learn their native tongue – no matter what that may be.

When you were a child, your parents were actively encouraging you to speak. From Day 1, they were desperately trying to get you to make sounds and tell them what you wanted, to express yourself, to say your opinion, your desires, when you needed help, how to explain something, and so much more.

In contrast to the Spanish classrooms where I spent time (and where I’m betting you did, too). I was listening most of the time or analyzing how the sentence was put together, or dizzying myself amidst hundreds of vocabulary words – vocabulary words that I would soon forget since I wasn’t getting to actually use them in my experiences.

We never actually USED language in the way it’s supposed to be used: to communicate an idea, a desire, a need, an explanation, to tell a story, to ask a question – these are all the reasons why we speak to someone else.

Immersion Versus Grammar Rules to Learn a New Language

Luca Lampariello, who has learned nine languages (all while living in Italy, might I add), puts in this way:

A teacher, especially now in the Internet era, should be a leader, facilitator, motivator and content provider, showing the students how to “find water” even when the teacher will not be there to lead them to it.

Basically, set them up for success! Show them where to find movies in the target language, songs, chat rooms, free language exchange websites, novels, whatever floats the learner’s boat, essentially.

On that note, language should be acquired, not learned. A language isn’t a set of facts to be memorized. It should be a constant process of discovery through various media: music, TV, podcasts, storybooks, comic books, art, YouTube videos, humor, newspapers, blog posts, Facebook posts, comic strips, letters to the editor, music videos and so much more.

Lampariello goes on to compare two students:

Student A memorizes grammar and lists of words.

Student B learns through context (examples of context below):

Practicing with a native speaker and getting corrections.
Reading things she is interested in, highlighting phrases and noting in what context they are being used.
Listening to music she likes.
Memorizing situational sentences and ways of speaking, even copying the tone used in various situations (formal, sad, happy, confused, informal, etc).

Which one of these students do you think will end up sounding more natural and fluent? Who will really be able to hold a conversation?

Immersion through relevant, interesting, fun interactions will always make a greater impact than memorizing rules. The NPR podcast, The Pulse, sheds a lot of light on this subject, through a recent study.

Morgan-Short, a language acquisition researcher, had two groups: a group that learned grammar structures and a group that did not learn grammar structures. Then, she gave them a language test in their second language.

Interestingly enough, those who had no grammar instructions were the ones who developed more native-like brain processing signals. Morgan-Short was not surprised and expected this outcome: this is how we naturally learn language (sans grammar rules).

In the real world, babies don’t go around conjugating verbs before they speak. In the real world, we never speak out of context in real life.

Can We Speak a New Language if We’ve Never Heard it Spoken?

I learned this the hard way. I studied French on my own for two years, but I came out of it with virtually nothing learned, because I was only reading books. My goal was to be fluent in spoken French, not to get a PhD in French literature and writing papers.

Before attending my first private tutoring session, I had told the instructor I had been studying for two years. When she asked me basic questions like “What is your name?” and “How old are you?” I couldn’t understand what she was saying until she typed it in the chatbox. How useful is that? Not very.

The Right Way to Learn How to SPEAK Spanish (Or Any New Language)

Dive into the language, choose material that you’re interested in (especially listening material and not heavy on the books) and always start speaking with a native speaker right off the bat.

We use this method at Fluency Corp, and it gets powerful results for our clients, their companies, the expats that they move internationally and the families that follow them. We also have communication training for the English-speaking monolinguals – how to speak in a way that everyone understands. Language should be inviting, clear, and effective.

Questions about how to get started with learning Spanish for work or taking Spanish classes in Dallas? Reach out! We’ll be in touch.

How Long Does it Take to Learn Spanish?

The first thing people ask in language classes is this: “How long is it going to take to learn Spanish?” It depends! When learning Spanish, there are many variables. For one, everyone learns at different paces. Secondly, there are different levels when learning a language. Thirdly, factors such as your age can influence how long it takes to learn Spanish.

Even when you’ve spent years learning a language, you never really learn everything about the language. Even native speakers of a language never learn everything about a language. I’ve been studying Spanish for years. I completed five years in high school, two years in college, and decades later, I am still learning Spanish.

Learning Spanish (just like learning to speak any language!) involves speaking, listening, reading, and writing the language, constantly. A breakdown in any one skill is a breakdown in the skillset.

I confess, that’s what happened to me. I wasn’t speaking the language, because I didn’t have a Spanish speaker to speak with. And that’s very important.

The short answer to how long does it take to learn Spanish is, “All your life!”

However, if you’re asking the question then I bet that’s not the answer you’re looking for. You want to know if you can learn Spanish in three months! Or, can you learn Spanish in six months? What about a year or two? Well, I can give you those answers too, and I will. But with a caveat.

Can You Learn Spanish in Three Months? Yes. But Here’s What You Get:

Sleepless nights as you watch videos, movies and listen to podcasts in an effort to hone your listening skills.
Limited vocabulary–after all, how many words can you really learn in three months.
Hopefully, a speaking buddy–otherwise, you will not be able to speak Spanish in three months. It is a given, cultural immersion is one of the best ways to learn a language.
How much reading and writing you do is dependent on what method you choose to learn Spanish. If you are doing the typical Spanish course, you may be able to read children’s books, but you may have a problem understanding the Spanish newspaper.

Can You Learn Spanish in Six Months? Yep. Here’s How:

24/7 use of Spanish, meaning: reading only in Spanish, watching TV in Spanish, writing only in Spanish, and speaking with Spanish-speaking persons. 24/7! This is why persons who choose to live in Spanish-speaking countries are able to speak Spanish after six months.

Can You Learn Spanish in a Year or Two? YES. Absolutely.

Make friends online with Spanish speakers and speak daily for at least 10 minutes.
If you watch sports, do it in Spanish. The same goes for any favorite pastime you have.
Practice every day, reading, writing, speaking and listening to Spanish.
Note, depending on where your Spanish buddy is from, you will more than likely start speaking that accent. So decide which accent you would prefer. Mexican accents are different from a Dominican’s, for example.
Periodically, measure your progress and assess (every three months or so) if your plans are working. If not, you may need to try something new.
However, if you wish to be fluent in Spanish, i.e speak like a native, and still have a life where you can enjoy quality time with friends and family, then it will take much longer than three months to two years, and like I said earlier, maybe all your life.
Having said all that, you could immerse in a culture (e.g. 6 months in Spain) and learn the language in much less time. i.e speaking fluently like a native. Going this route is good for you to speak naturally, learn idioms, and develop a real-life vocabulary, but you may need to take classes to improve on your grammar.

What the Experts Say About Learning Spanish Quickly

The reality, however, is this, the average person who wants to learn Spanish is really looking for conversational fluency–not native fluency. That is, they want the ability to visit a Spanish-speaking country and be able to communicate with everyone they meet.

Or, using Spanish at the workplace, or just being able to communicate with the new neighbors from El Salvador. Frankly, each scenario presented requires a different level of Spanish.

According to best-selling author and podcaster, Tim Ferris, “To understand 95% of a language and become conversationally fluent may require months of applied learning; to reach the 98% threshold could require 10 years.”

Many people will read this and be intimidated by it. Who has that kind of time? Especially if your work contract is only five years. However, Tim, himself, has a post on his blog: How to Learn Any Language in 3 Months. So there’s that.

Then there is the study. According to an FSI study, i.e. the Foreign Service Institute, it should take a new learner approximately 600 classroom hours to achieve conversational fluency in Spanish. They also suggest an approximate 1:1 ratio between the time spent independently studying Spanish and the time spent in a classroom.

That means the actual time would be approximately 1200 hours. At 3 hours a week (the typical number of hours spent in a Spanish class) it will take approximately 4 years to learn Spanish–conversational Spanish that is.

What Fluency Corp Says

If your plan is to learn Spanish for the workplace, then Fluency Corp has several programs, one of which should be able to meet your needs. Becoming fluent in Spanish for business doesn’t happen after only a lesson or two. It takes consistent, steady work.

FluencyCorp has lots of options for building your workforce’s Spanish skills to enable you to learn Spanish in as short a time as possible. A lot depends on you.

One of the most effective methods that consistently gets the best results is The Bellieu Method. With this method, participants do not spend the majority of time listening to lectures, but rather are encouraged to practice the language as much as possible in lessons, allowing them to learn in a comfortable setting with structured goals.

So How Long Does it Take to Learn Spanish?

So while I cannot give you a definitive answer as to how long it takes to learn Spanish, I can tell you, that if you really wish to learn Spanish, are fairly young, have the time to invest in learning (and this is super important), and implement SMART goals, it should not take as long as Tim Ferris suggests.

What are SMART goals? A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.

At the end of the day, how long does it take to learn Spanish? It is all up to you. Contact us today to get started on your Spanish language SMART goal!

Cultural Differences Between Mexico and Spain

As corporate language trainers, we can tell you that there is more to language classes than just language. For example, when we help our clients learn Spanish, we also teach them about the culture of the Spanish speakers they’ll be interacting with.

We do this because effectively communicating in another language doesn’t just mean knowing the right vocabulary words. It also means understanding the behaviors of those around you.

In Spanish-speaking countries around the globe, you’ll find a variety of rich cultures. However, the cultures our clients most frequently need to learn about are those of Spain and Mexico. Just as these two countries have differences in the way they use Spanish, they also have important cultural differences.

In this article, we’ll give you an overview of some of those differences. (Please keep in mind, though, that — just like in the U.S. — there are also regional variations within each country.)

Communication Styles in Mexico and Spain

Before founding Fluency Corp, I spent time living in both Spain and Mexico. So I can give you my firsthand impressions of how people in both countries communicate.

Spaniards are direct, but at the same time diplomatic – not rude, but frank. They say the truth, even if it may sting a little. As someone who has also lived in Boston, where people also have a direct communication style, I felt very comfortable with this. People in Spain are also quite gregarious and will talk a lot — possibly loudly to show their feelings about a particular topic.

While the Spanish brought their language to Mexico, they did not bring their direct communication style. Or, if they did, it just didn’t stick. I found Mexican people to be very polite, indirect, and sugary sweet.

There are some similarities in the two countries’ communication styles, though. Communicating in public is more formal than what English speakers may be used to. Spanish speakers in both countries also show respect by using courtesy titles and last names (for example, Señor Smith) instead of first names.

Social Etiquette in Mexico and Spain

The differences in how people interact in Spain and Mexico can be evident from the first time you meet someone. In Mexico, I’ve found greetings to be warmer and more effusive. In Spain, things are a little more on the formal side.

The same kind of preferences play out in personal space. In Mexico, people tend to stand closer to you when speaking than they do in the U.S. In Spain, the opposite is true. The (unwritten) rules on punctuality, however, are a little looser in Spain. Both at work and in social settings, meetings or events can start a bit later than the stated time.

In Mexico, starting things on time is a bigger deal, especially at work. In informal, personal settings, things are a bit more flexible.

Differences Between Mexican and Spanish Food

Let’s finish up with a topic that most people love: food! I’ve had wonderful meals in both Spain and Mexico. But the cuisines of these two nations are very different.

Mexican food staples include corn, chilis, beans, tomatoes, fruit, and meat. Corn is found in the famous, warm Mexican tortillas and tamales, which are filled with just about any vegetable or meat and dipped in one of the many salsas, from mild to very picante. (Or as my grandfather says, picosa.) Just a few of the chiles you will run into in Mexico are cascabel, poblano, serrano, and jalapeño.

Each region of Mexico has its own specialties, such as shark and octopus in the Yucatan region.

In Spain, the typical daily diet is more Mediterranean style: olive oil, fish, vegetables, legumes, fruits, some poultry, and some dairy. Spain gets a large amount of its food from the sea (the country is surrounded by water) and the olive trees that flourish there.

Just like in Mexico, every region in Spain has its own specialties, like the empanadas from Galicia or the spicy chicken from Basque country. Of course, no matter where you are, you can get the famous Jamón ibérico (ham).

While the food is delicious in both Mexico and Spain, the way residents of each country enjoy that food is a little different. In Mexico, meals are more leisurely. In fact, there’s a word for Mexico’s dining style: sobremesa. It refers to spending relaxed time hanging out after a meal.

Teaching Fluency in Language AND Culture

If your organization’s U.S. employees interact with colleagues from Spain or Mexico, cultural fluency goes hand in hand with language skills in smoothing communication and encouraging connection.

At Fluency Corp, our language classes, both in person and online, are taught by native speakers who also serve as cultural guides.

Ready to learn more? Set up a free consultation by contacting us or call us at (800) 401-3159.

How to Use ChatGPT to Practice Spanish

If you’re learning Spanish (or any other language), you’ll gain fluency faster if you take advantage of every single opportunity to practice. While we believe that language classes are essential for anyone who’s learning Spanish for business, we also encourage our students to supplement their lessons by using language apps, listening to music or podcasts in Spanish, and watching Spanish-language TV shows.

Now there’s an exciting new tool to add to that list: ChatGPT.

The buzz about ChatGPT, and generative AI in general, is huge, so we’re betting you’ve at least heard of it. But you may not have thought about ChatGPT’s potential in language learning. To get some ideas about using this AI tool to practice Spanish, we “interviewed” ChatGPT. Here are some ideas it generated, along with our commentary.

Ask ChatGPT Questions About Spanish

Let’s say you’re taking our advice and watching your favorite Spanish-language show on Netflix. One of the characters uses a phrase you’re not familiar with. You can ask your instructor during your next Spanish class. But that’s a week away – and you need answers now!

ChatGPT has your back. Just ask it what the phrase means and you’ll get your curiosity satisfied. But ChatGPT can also do more than simple translation. If you’re writing an email in Spanish and you’re unsure about a grammar rule, ChatGPT is there with advice. It can provide synonyms, conjugations, and sentence structures.

Our Take:
We love how ChatGPT can answer questions about Spanish 24-7. But we still recommend talking with your Spanish instructor about questions that come up between lessons. Chances are, they can expand on ChatGPT’s answer and enhance your learning even more.

Practice Spanish Conversation with ChatGPT

Conversational practice is the most important factor in how quickly you’ll become fluent in Spanish. And ChatGPT is ready to become your new conversation buddy. Just let it know that you’d like to practice Spanish conversation. ChatGPT can ask you questions and also respond to your questions.

Our Take:
Talking with ChatGPT is pretty cool, and, like we said earlier, every little bit of Spanish practice helps. But it’s important to note that your conversations with ChatGPT are written, not spoken. Conversations with actual humans move a lot faster.

So, in addition to using ChatGPT, we also recommend taking Spanish classes that center on conversational practice and looking for more opportunities to have real-life conversations, such as meet-up groups.

Edit Your Writing with ChatGPT

If you work with Spanish-speaking colleagues, you may need to write things like emails, reports and presentations in Spanish. With ChatGPT, you now have an editor fluent in Spanish. Ask ChatGPT to review your writing to identify errors and suggest improvements.

Our Take:
Besides tapping into ChatGPT’s potential as a proofreader, we also recommend that you ask your Spanish-speaking colleagues for feedback about your writing. Showing them that you care about using the language correctly is a powerful sign of respect. And it’s a way to have another conversation in Spanish.

Learning About Culture with ChatGPT

We always say that communicating in another language isn’t just about mastering vocabulary. It’s also about understanding the culture of the native speakers you’re interacting with.

Like us, ChatCPT has the knowledge to offer you both cultural insights and language help. For example, let’s say you are fairly fluent in Spanish and you’ve even worked in Spain before. But now your company is relocating you to Mexico.

While you’re probably in good shape for the move language wise, you need to learn about how Mexico’s culture differs from what you experienced in Spain. ChatGPT can help you start learning about these differences.

Our Take:
When we asked ChatGPT some questions about culture in different Spanish-speaking countries, we were impressed that its observations closely tracked with our own experiences. But if you’re going to be moving to a different country, or interacting regularly with colleagues from that country, take your cultural learning deeper than simply typing a few questions to ChatGPT.

For example, ask someone from that country what they think about ChatGPT’s answers about their culture. And, as ChatGPT will tell you itself, remember that there are cultural differences between various regions in any country. Furthermore, something that’s generally true about people from a particular culture may not be true for the specific individuals you meet.

Spanish Classes from Fluency Corp

The bottom line? We’re excited about ChatGPT as a tool to help learn Spanish. But we want to emphasize that it should be just one of the tools in your toolkit. Like we said earlier, Spanish language classes are still the best way to build fluency quickly.

If you’d like to hear more about how we approach Spanish language training at Fluency Corp, just contact us getfluent@fluencycorp.com or (800) 401-3159.

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The Differences Between Spanish in Spain and Mexico

Are you looking for Spanish language training options for your employees? There’s a very important point you may not have considered: Which version of Spanish do they need to learn?

We don’t often think about this in the U.S., but Spanish has many forms, just like English does. English speakers from Birmingham, England, and Birmingham, Alabama, could probably understand each other. But they’d have to listen extra carefully and probably still experience some miscommunications.

The same is true for Spanish speakers from different countries. There are many other variations in Spanish around the world.

But since most of our clients are learning Spanish to communicate with colleagues in either Spain or Mexico, that’s where we’ll focus today. Here are just a few of the distinctions between how Spanish is used in Spain and Mexico.

Spanish Vocabulary Differences Between Spain & Mexico

Just as U.S. English speakers say “elevator” and British English speakers say “lift,” there are also vocabulary differences between Spain and Mexico.

Vale in Spain expresses okay or agreement. This term is not said in Mexico.
In Spain, tio can mean guy, and tia can mean guy or gal. But the dictionary meanings of these terms are uncle and aunt.
In Mexico, tickets are boletos. In Spain, tickets are billetes.
The word for computer in Mexico is computadora. In Spain, it’s ordenador.
In both Mexico and Spain, Spanish speakers use the word coche for car. But Mexicans may also use carro, while Spaniards say automóvil.
Whether you are in Spain or Mexico, you might hear the word autobús for bus. But Spanish speakers in Mexico may also call it a camión.
In Mexico, a potato is a papa. In Spain, the more common term is patata.
Mobile phones are known by different names in Spain and Mexico. In Spain, your phone is your móvil or teléfono móvil. In Mexico, it’s known as celular or teléfono cellular.
Craving some ice cream? In Mexico or Spain, ask for helado. In Spain, you can also use the term helado de crema.
If you’d rather have a soda, you can use the word refresco in both Mexico and Spain. In Spain, you could also say bebida gaseosa.
Here’s one more important vocabulary word. Dinero means money in both Spain and Mexico. But Spaniards also use the word plata.

Spanish Pronunciation Differences Between Spain & Mexico

Z and C (before E or I) are pronounced very differently in Spain vs. Mexico. You can immediately tell if someone is from Spain due to this pronunciation difference. In Mexican Spanish, this sound is akin to the S sound in English. In Spain, though, it’s more like the Th sound in English.

But that’s not the only pronunciation difference between Spanish as it’s spoken in Spain vs. Mexico. In Spain, the letters J and G before E and I are pronounced as a guttural sound, similar to the “ch” sound in the Scottish word “loch.” In Mexico, the same letter combinations are pronounced more like the H sound in English.

You may also notice different pronunciations in different regions of the same country. For example, Spanish speakers in both Mexico and Spain pronounce the letters LL and Y similar to the Y sound in English. But in some parts of Spain, you’ll hear a Zh pronunciation instead.

Why did these differences emerge? Over hundreds of years and many thousands of miles, groups of people change a spoken language over time. In Medieval Castilian Spanish, just as in Medieval Olde English, words were spelled differently than they are today.

What These Differences Mean for Spanish Language Training

The variations in language and culture between Spanish-speaking countries are a compelling reason to choose live instruction (whether in-person or online) instead of relying on language apps to teach your employees Spanish. Apps are a great way to casually explore a language or supplement what you’re learning in a class. But live classes can take your employees to a higher level of Spanish proficiency and be more customized to their needs.

We always advise choosing instructors who are native speakers of the language being taught. But, in this case, it’s also important to know the specific country your instructor is from. For example, let’s say your company wants the executive team to learn some Spanish because a large segment of your workforce is from Mexico.

The best instructor for you to work with should also be from Mexico. On the other hand, if you’ll be sending some U.S.-based employees to your Madrid office, their instructor should be from Spain.

At Fluency Corp, we have extensive experience helping our clients improve their Spanish skills and learn about the culture of the country they’re relocating to or visiting, or that their colleagues hail from.

Ready to learn more? Set up a free consultation by contacting us or call us at (800) 401-3159.

Discuss Salary Expectations in Spanish

You’ve passed the seemingly endless process of getting a new job, and you’ve gotten hired by your international dream company? Or you’ve interviewed many candidates with Spanish skills and finally found THE ONE? Congrats! Spanish is a language that many companies want their employees to be fluent at. Because they can grow into a new big market. It’s also the official language of many countries that a lot of people want to work in. So, we know how hard it is to find the perfect employee and company for bilingual jobs. But now it’s time to discuss the salary!

Wage talks are already a sensible subject to discuss, and if the conversation is in Spanish, it can be even more complicated. You might already have a good level of this language. But even then, it’s complicated to know the jargon for salary discussions in Spanish. Don’t worry, though. We’re here to teach you basic and important words and phrases to discuss your salary expectations in Spanish.

Tips to Succeed at a Salary Discussion in Spanish

Research and learn some Spanish words and phrases about salary, money and business before going to the interview. Wage talks can have very specific words, like “rango salarial”, that you must know to have a proper conversation with your recruiter/candidate.
Write down your goals and offers for the meeting. How much payment will you ask for? If they give you an offer, how would you accept it or negotiate it? What salary range are you willing to accept? Consider different options that may happen and write down your responses to that. Going into the meeting with the knowledge of what you want and are willing to offer, will make you discuss better.
Practice before-hand. We already told you to memorize some words and phrases. But talking about salary and money can make people nervous sometimes and mess with their fluency and memory. So, it’s better if you practice a Spanish salary conversation before the real one happens. You can sit down with a friend and ask him to play the role of the recruiter or candidate. And you practice as yourself. It will help you be more confident in the real meeting.
Don’t panic if you forget how to say a word in Spanish. One word or phrase won’t ruin the whole meeting. People understand that bilingualism is hard and therefore you may forget one or two words. If this happens, just say the word in your native language if you know that the other person speaks it. Or even better, try to describe in Spanish the word or idea that you’re trying to express. This will show that you have great problem-solving skills even in another language.

Spanish Vocabulary to Discuss Salary

Are you looking to apply to a Spanish company? Or are you going to interview a Hispanic candidate for your international/bilingual position? Then, you need to know at least the basic Spanish words about salary. So both parties can discuss this topic freely and honestly and be happy with the payment agreement. To help you out, here are some Spanish words you’re probably going to use when talking about salary. They work for both recruiters and candidates.

Rango salarial – Salary rank
Expectativa salarial – Salary expectation
Salario – Salary
Abierto (a) – Open
Negociable – Negotiable
Flexible – Flexible
Entrevista – Interview

But you also need to learn some Spanish questions and answers. Because memorizing single words won’t do all the work. So, here’s a very important and common question you might hear or ask during an interview; we added different answers.

Dígame, ¿cuáles son sus expectativas salariales? / Tell me, what are your salary expectations?
Mi rango salarial es flexible / My salary rank is flexible.
Estoy abierto(a) a discutirlo / I’m open to discuss it.
Podemos negociarlo / We can negotiate it.
Mi rango salarial es negociable / My salary rank is negotiable.

In every language there are some basic expressions that work as answers, goodbyes and more, such as “hello” (hola) or “very good” (muy bien). These words also work in different situations, like being at a party, at the doctor, or at a job interview. That’s why we leave you with some of the most basic Spanish expressions you need to know. You’ll probably use these with a recruiter, a candidate, or even at any business meeting.

This one is perfect to answer something positively or affirm something with a lot of strength.
Por supuesto / Of course
This next one is usually used to remark that the result of something was extremely good. For example, when you get an A+ on your exam or when the marketing strategy goes just as you expected. It’s also used as an extremely positive answer to how you are or how you feel.
Excelente / Excellent
Finally, this one is perfect to say goodbye and end a conversation or interview with a lot of respect. It shows that you were aware that the other person took some time off their busy day to spend it with you. And it doesn’t matter if it was part of their job to spend time with you to make the interview. It’s still important to show that you are grateful for that; it reveals your education and values. The phrase can be used by recruiters or possible workers, though it’s usually said by the candidates.
Gracias por su tiempo / Thank you for your time

Become Fluent in Spanish to Get the Salary that You Deserve

Now that you know some Spanish vocabulary for wage talks and job interviews, you can apply for your dream job. Or start the Spanish interviews to make sure you hire the best bilingual employee. But this is just one part of what you can learn with us. If you really want to excel as a Spanish speaker, you need even more knowledge and practice. And we can help you with that!

Here at Fluency Corp, we have the best Spanish classes for you and your teamwork! Our classes go beyond a normal school Spanish lesson, because we customize our programs to the job and your needs. And because we are aware that you and your teamwork have a busy agenda, we offer online or onsite classes. As well as flexible schedules. So you can choose what accommodates better for you and your company.

Learning with us will make you fluent. And having great Spanish skills will help you get a better salary. Check our testimonies to learn more about how we’ll make you speak Spanish to impress in your business.

Want to learn more about Spanish classes for you or your company? Email getfluent@fluencycorp.com.

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Interview with President International of Wingstop

Below is an Interview with Larry Kruger About How Learning Other Languages has Changed His Career:

Micah from Fluency Corp: What is your job title and what do you do exactly every day?

Larry: I am President International and Executive Officer at Wingstop Restaurants Inc, a publicly traded company on NASDAQ (WING). As an Executive officer, I work with our CEO and other executive team members to set the strategy and oversee the growth of our restaurant business and specifically in my role as President International overseeing all the existing business and expansion of our network outside of the United States.

Micah: What languages do you speak?

Larry: I speak English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Micah: How did you learn those languages?

Larry: I was born in the US and grew up speaking English at school, while speaking Spanish at home with my parents who were originally from Argentina. My Spanish vocabulary improved as I grew older. I studied it at college and used it more and more as a professional. Portuguese became an important language of focus for me as I did business in Brazil for various years; a personal tutor helped build my vocabulary and grammar.

Micah: How has knowing another language helped your career?

Larry: It allowed me to achieve great success in public companies as well as my entrepreneurial ventures internationally. Not only was the knowledge of foreign language a key part of my success, but also the appreciation and understanding of foreign cultures that come as part of learning other languages. I have a good understanding of French and Italian as well which allows me to feel comfortable literally anywhere in the world.

Micah: What could you not have done if you hadn’t known another language?

Larry: I don’t believe I could have achieved the level of success that I have. I would have been limited in an International career and would have not provided me a clear advantage/differentiation to other executives in my company or industry. Many times I have been the only officer of my company who has spoken a language other than English and has had extensive global knowledge of different cultures and trends.

Micah: Why do you think it’s important to know another language than just your native language?

Larry: It provides you a totally different level of understanding of the world, its various cultures and an appreciation to the differences of how people relate. When you speak to someone in their language, they feel that you understand them better and are making an effort to know their point of view much better.

Micah: If someone was thinking about studying another language for their career, what advice would you give them about learning a language? Would you wholeheartedly tell them to learn one?

Larry: Yes, absolutely critical. The earlier in their life the better, but there is never a bad time to learn. It will expand your mind in many ways beyond the language itself. Today’s world is more connected than ever and even just in the US, the Hispanic community is the fastest growing sector of the population. If they can learn English, why can’t we learn Spanish? Most educated people around the world grow up speaking more than one language – we can do the same here.

How to Create a Spanish Language Training Program

So, you’re thinking about creating a Spanish language training program for your employees?

Well, you’ll need to know the right elements to make one as well as the appropriate timing to use it. Learning a language can seem especially stressful for professional adults who need to immediately use their skills for business. But this is because people underestimate the steps needed to build a quality language training program. Take a look at these steps for how to build an effective Spanish language training program and when to start.

Find the Best Spanish Instructors

Not every Spanish speaker will make a good Spanish teacher. Teaching is an important skill entirely on its own and you must identify instructors that can properly communicate the meaning and significance of what they are teaching so your employees actually understand and aren’t just memorizing words to pass an exam. You also want instructors that can properly gauge your employees’ strengths and weaknesses and adjust accordingly to help each person increase their proficiency.

You might think credentials matter little if they already speak Spanish fluently. But it’s best to hire someone with specific training in teaching Spanish to non-native speakers, similar to hiring English teachers with TEFL certification. This also goes hand-in-hand with finding someone with sufficient experience, at least two years of teaching professional adults. Ask as many questions about their background as you can. This will be the biggest factor in determining whether they’re the right fit for your company.

Help Your Employees Practice, Practice, Practice.

Facilitate ways for your employees to continue Spanish conversations outside of the class times. This is arguably one of the most vital points of learning a language since practicing outside designated times makes it become more natural over time and therefore move your team closer to fluency. Make Spanish-Only lunch sessions. Partner learners with native speakers on work projects. Find events where they can meet Spanish speakers. You can even make a competition out of it and award whoever speaks Spanish most often for the day.

The key is lots of conversational practice to truly connect with how a language is communicated. Ensure class times are filled with sufficient time for your employees to speak Spanish. Beware of the whirlpool of reading textbooks and listening to audio programs. A perfect score on a written exam could bear little significance when it comes to speaking Spanish. These forms often miss important dynamics of a language such as cultural double-meanings and slangs. Listening and speaking with a native speaker is always the most practical way of learning.

Cultural Immersion Activities

People often think you need to backpack across the country or spend a year with a host family to become immersed in a culture. While this is arguably one of the most effective ways (but only if you’re using the language with the family for many hours a day), it’s not the only way. Cultural immersion can also happen by surrounding your employees with Spanish culture right here in the U.S. through music, news and television shows. In a world made smaller through technology, we can access an array of resources to supplement Spanish language learning without ever leaving the office.

Place Spanish magazines in the break rooms. Turn the TV on to a Spanish news network. Utilizing these simple tips can help your employees become much more comfortable in Spanish culture. Take advantage of the multiculturalism of the US by taking the next company retreat to the nearest town with a significant Spanish-speaking population. Communicate with the locals, try new food and learn their history. Taking these steps brings Spanish off the page and into real life. These fun and interactive experiences can provide excitement, which leads to a stronger resolve to learn.

When do you Need a Spanish Language Training Program?

It might be time to deploy Spanish language training if you have a growing concern in one or more of these areas: global expansion; gaining new clients or loss of talent/connecting with current employee population.

Global Expansion

Expanding one’s business abroad is an exciting move, but it can be hampered if the employees you send don’t know a sufficient level of Spanish to connect with new clients. This could also result in a language barrier within the company. That means time and energy wasted on trying to interpret what was said instead of getting the actual work done. Top this off with the stress of moving to a new country and assimilating into a foreign country can spell disaster for a move that was supposed to mean better opportunities for the company and the employee. Be sure to invest in Spanish language training before making the move or you’ll suffer bigger costs later.

Gaining New Clients

Aside from establishing business abroad, one could access new markets right here in the US. But Spanish-speaking clientele won’t just show up at your door and assume you speak their language. You have to make it apparent by training your employees in the language so they’re capable of communicating with Spanish-speaking customers directly. Instead of simply hiring more native speakers as employees, give your employees the opportunity to elevate their communication skills which benefit the company even more in the long run.

Loss of Talent

No one wants to miss out on talent. But you could be if you gloss over the resume of a monolingual applicant. You can prefer to hire applicants who can also speak Spanish but keep in mind the English speakers who may not have had the opportunities to learn Spanish prior. This doesn’t mean they can’t get the job done. It could mean they can be of greater value to the company with the support of Spanish language training. This can decrease the loss of talent by accounting for potential which we all know is just as essential, if not more, than experience.

Creating a Spanish language training program can be tedious, but completely worth it. It can open new avenues for both the employees and the company which further strengthens the relationship and gives the company an edge. Taking the right steps to build the program is essential to moving your employees to fluency in the most effective manner. Determining the right time to take these steps results in saved time and energy to be used in getting your company to the success level you’re shooting for.

At Fluency Corp, we offer successful corporate language training programs. We’re committed to getting your employees to reach the language learning goals established. Interested in learning more? Then don’t hesitate to contact us for further consultation, feel free to contact us at getfluent@fluencycorp.com or (800) 401-3159.

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