Essential Skills for Expats 1: Learn Spanish

In our series of articles about essential skills for expats in Mexico we examine five essential skills any budding expat considering Mexico should develop, whether the move is for living, working, or retirement—full-time or part-time. In this first article, we examine possibly the most essential skill of all: learning the local language.

Even if you plan to live in an area of Mexico that is settled by large foreign expat communities speaking English, you will still need to learn some Spanish to get by on a daily basis, and especially if you want to get the most of your experience of being in Mexico.

Spanish is Mexico’s official language, and is spoken by over 450 million people in over 20 countries world-wide. By being able to understand and speak Spanish, you will gain access to the culture in a way that you would otherwise not be able to benefit from by having everyone else speak to you in English.

Furthermore, many of the people you will need and want to interact with regularly may not speak much English, if any at all. On a daily basis these could include the local shop keepers and market traders, the gasoline station attendant, the bank clerk, your maid and the gardener.

People who provide essential services on an ad-hoc basis and who also may not speak English include the plumber, the car mechanic, the electrician, or the local doctor.

It’s inconvenient having to ask someone to translate for you all of the time. It’s also good manners to demonstrate at least a modicum of skill in everyday use of the local language. Spanish is a phonetic language, so it’s easy to grasp the basics and you can start learning right away, with online lessons.

Resources for learning Spanish

Mexperience offers guides with insights, a series of articles about the use and nuances of Mexican Spanish, and connections to language lessons.

• Our Learning Spanish guide is an integral part of our Living & Lifestyle section, where you can learn about how Spanish is used in Mexico, as well as the reasons why Spanish is such a great language to learn.
• Our PinPoint Spanish series of articles helps you to learn about the context and nuances of Mexican Spanish in everyday usage.
• Connect to people who offer Spanish Lessons so that you can accelerate your learning.