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Spanish courses for members of the public

We teach European Spanish, but references are made to the other forms of Spanish spoken around the world, especially to Spanish spoken in Latin America.

Colourful welcome sign for a house saying 'Bienvenidos' in Spanish.
Develop your Spanish language and intercultural skills

I participated in Spanish courses for three years – from the complete beginner level up to intermediate in my final year. It was an incredibly enjoyable and rewarding experience. What I liked most was that the teaching was focused on practical skills and we were encouraged to communicate in Spanish from the beginning. I appreciated being able to develop my transferable skills, for example by working in groups and giving presentations, which are crucial when looking for jobs or internships. Aleksandra Noskowska, BSc Accounting and Finance

Qualifications

In semester 2, you have the option of sitting for the internationally recognised Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE) qualifications from A1 to B2. To help you prepare for the exams, you can join our DELE preparation workshops, which are offered free of charge to anyone enrolled in another Spanish class; they are not available to join as standalone classes. If you would like to join the relevant workshop, please speak to your teacher after you have enrolled in your core class.

DELE exams take place at DELE examination centres. The closest of these to Bath are in Cardiff and London.

Placement test

If you have never learned Spanish with us before, please take this placement test so that you know which course is suitable for you.

We recommend reading our Terms and Conditions for information about what to do if you enrol at the wrong level and need to transfer to a different class.

Available courses

The following Spanish courses are available for members of the public, although not every course runs every semester. Check the timetable below to see which classes are running this semester.

Complete Beginner (Working towards CEFR A1.1): This course is suitable if you have never studied Spanish before. At the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • take part in basic conversations
  • read simple texts and write short paragraphs

Post Beginner (Working towards CEFR A1.2): Enrol on this course if you have taken the Complete Beginner class, or if you can:

  • engage in basic conversations, exchanging information such as name, nationality and occupation
  • read simple texts and write short paragraphs on familiar topics

Elementary Part 1 (Working towards CEFR A1.3): Enrol on this course if you have taken the Post Beginner class, or if you can:

  • understand main points in short, clearly spoken messages
  • engage in conversations on familiar topics such as routine or leisure activities
  • write about familiar topics in simple linked sentences

Elementary Part 2 (Working towards CEFR A1.4): Enrol on this course if you have completed Elementary Part 1, or if you can:

  • engage in everyday conversations on topics such as the weather, hobbies and daily routines
  • express opinions and preferences, describe simple facts and plans
  • write short coherent texts on familiar topics

Lower Intermediate Part 1 (Working towards CEFR A2.1): Enrol on this course if you have completed Elementary Part 2, have a GCSE or equivalent, or if you can:

  • engage in conversations on a range of familiar topics
  • understand short recordings on familiar topics
  • write short texts on familiar topics, including past events

Lower Intermediate Part 2 (Working towards CEFR A2.2): Enrol on this course if you have completed Lower Intermediate Part 1, have a GCSE or equivalent, or if you can:

  • interact with a degree of fluency and accuracy in common social situations
  • understand texts on non-abstract topics and give opinions
  • write longer texts on a variety of topics, including past events and future plans

Intermediate Part 1 (Working towards CEFR level B1.1): Enrol on this course if you have completed Lower Intermediate Part 2, have an AS level or equivalent, or if you can:

  • interact with a degree of fluency and flexibility in common social and professional situations
  • understand the gist and some detail of broadcast materials on topics of general interest
  • write structured texts on a variety of topics

Intermediate Part 2 (Working towards CEFR B1.2): Enrol on this course if you have completed Intermediate Part 1, have an AS level or equivalent, or if you can:

  • describe past experiences with accuracy, talk about dreams, ambitions, and hypothetical situations
  • understand the gist of simple news reports
  • write structured texts on a variety of topics including simple news, experience and plans

Upper Intermediate Part 1 (Working towards CEFR B2.1): Enrol on this course if you have completed Intermediate Part 2, have an A level or equivalent, or if you can:

  • communicate in various situations, including some unpredictable and abstract topics, express opinions about current issues and formulate hypothesis
  • understand and comment on simple news reports
  • write about experiences and hypothetical situations with confidence

Upper Intermediate Part 2 (Working towards CEFR B2.2): Enrol on this course if you have completed Upper Intermediate Part, have an A level or equivalent, or if you can:

  • communicate clearly on a variety of topics, deliver an unscripted presentation with reasonable fluency
  • understand and comment on most broadcast news with some support
  • write about abstract topics and hypothetical situations with a good level of accuracy

Advanced Part 1 (Working towards CEFR C1.1): Enrol on this course if you have completed Upper Intermediate Part 2, lived in a Spanish speaking country, have CEFR B2/C1, or if you can:

  • communicate clearly and confidently in a wide range of situations
  • understand broadcast news and current affairs programmes
  • produce extended pieces of writing on a variety of topics, including hypothetical situations

Advanced Part 2 (Working towards CEFR C1.2): Enrol on this course if you have completed either Upper Intermediate Part 2 or Advanced Part 1, lived in a Spanish speaking country, have CEFR B2/C1, or if you can:

  • take part in debates and present an argument convincingly
  • understand authentic broadcasts with ease
  • analyse complex texts dealing with any topics and recognise implicit meaning
  • produce extended pieces of writing on various topics that you research independently

Class timetable

In semester 2 2024-25, classes start week commencing 10 February 2025 and finish week commencing 28 April 2025, with a two week break for Easter (7 - 18 April 2025).

Enrolments for semester 2 are now closed. The class timetable for semester 1 2025-26 will be published on this page later this year. If you would like to be notified when the timetable is available and enrolments are open, please complete this form.

More ways to develop your Spanish language skills

We organise our own cultural events, student-led Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) sessions and Language Cafés. If you are enrolled on a Foreign Language course, you are welcome to take part in all these activities; please ask your teacher for more details after you have enrolled.

Enquiries

If you have any questions, please contact us.