If you are starting to learn Spanish, you may find it difficult to choose which teacher or tutor to choose from. You may have some questions: Should I learn with someone from Latin America or Spain? Should I learn all the variations of Spanish or a more standard Spanish? These are hard questions to answer, and for that matter, many language apps try to offer programs that generalize the language so that you learn in a more standardized way and for all Spanish native speakers to be able to understand you.
One of the reasons why you are in doubt about who to choose as your language guide is because Spanish is spoken in 21 countries as the official language, which makes it the second most spoken language in the world. Also, another reason is that some people on the internet may look up to sometimes say that Spanish from a particular country is better than another country, but that is not true at all. Although listening to such information may leave you confused, this article will help you find the right answer to your doubts.
To be able to tackle this matter in the best way, let´s see some points in favor of learning standard Spanish and some points that are against it.
In Favor
- Learning neutral Spanish will allow you to understand all Spanish speakers, and they will be able to understand you. It is better to learn neutral Spanish because it is always proper.
- If you learn neutral Spanish, you will not have any problem adapting yourself to the variations of Spanish in the country you visit; it will be easier to understand it, and you will be able to use it when appropriate.
Against
- Neutral Spanish does not exist on the streets, and it has been created artificially to be used in the media. Each country has its variation, which is what is special about a language.
- The student has to learn the vocabulary and expressions of each country or teacher. That is the real Spanish.
- The student should become familiar with the different Spanish accents. This will make it easier to adapt to the variations of the language when he or she visits different Hispanic countries.
- The student has to become familiar with colloquialisms which is what most people use to communicate. By doing this, he or she can see the differences from one country to another.
As you may see, there are many things to take into account, and you may feel even more confused now. Do not panic! To decide what Spanish to learn, you must answer one question first. Are you learning Spanish to move to a Hispanic country? If the answer is positive, then you should learn Spanish from that particular country on your own and with someone belonging to that country. However, if your answer is “no,” then learn a more standard and proper Spanish from someone who has a neutral accent and who speaks properly. This is more convenient because you will be able to understand and communicate with any Spanish speaker, and with time, you will be able to adapt your Spanish to certain regionalisms and colloquialisms. It is going to be fun!
By the way, likely, your teacher or tutor does not speak Spanish on the street the same way that he speaks with you in class, and that is fine. What happens is that this instructor is trying to help you communicate with anyone who speaks Spanish, and yes, you will maybe sound very formal at the beginning, but little by little, you will adapt your Spanish to sound formal or informal when appropriate, so do not worry much about sounding too formal.
To conclude, we can say that you can choose to learn Spanish with a teacher or tutor with neutral Spanish if you are not planning to move to a Hispanic country, but if you are, then learn the colloquialisms and regionalisms with someone from the country you are going to move to, so you can connect better with the people in the area.
On another note, what do you think about online classes? Italki was created back in 2007, and it has been growing since then. You can find thousands of teachers and tutors here, so look no further and take a lesson with someone who fits your needs on Italki. You can watch the video and introduction of the language instructor you are more interested in. Also, if you ever want to know more about my country, El Salvador, do not hesitate to reach out to me. Please leave in the comments your thoughts about what Spanish is better for you. I look forward to reading what you have to say on this matter.
