Should you learn Spanish or Catalan first in Barcelona?
• January, 12 2026
Many people don’t realise that Barcelona has two official languages – Castellano, also known as Castilian Spanish, and Catalan.
If you’re planning on staying in Barcelona for a long time, you should definitely make an effort to learn both of these beautiful languages. But which should you learn first?
Let’s peel back the linguistic layers and discover the benefits of knowing and speaking Spanish and Catalan when living in Barcelona.
Which should I learn first, Spanish or Catalan?
You should definitely start by learning Spanish to help with day-to-day communication. An estimated 98% of people in Barcelona speak Spanish. With a decent level of castellano, you’ll be able to confidently communicate in markets, in shops, at the doctor’s, in restaurants and with other daily interactions.
Why should I learn Spanish in Barcelona?
Choose the right Spanish course to hit the ground running and settle into life in Barcelona. You’ll find that studying Spanish while living in Barcelona makes it so much easier to learn the language – you’ll have lots of opportunities to practice, building your knowledge and confidence with language interchange groups and daily interactions with locals on the street.
Beyond living in Barcelona, speaking Spanish is an extremely valuable life skill. With over 600 million speakers around the world, it’s the second most-spoken native language. Take the chance to learn Spanish when living in Barcelona and you’ll open up opportunities across many aspects of life, from cultural understanding and career growth to advantages for career development and the ability to communicate when travelling to many countries around the world.
Why should I learn Catalan in Barcelona?
They say that to know a language is to truly know a group of people. And it’s true – learning Catalan will open you up to the heart and soul of Barcelona and give you a deeper insight into the beauty of the Catalan culture.
After you’ve lived in the city for a while, you’ll begin to notice that quite a lot of Catalan is spoken in the city – particularly in the neighbourhoods that are a little outside of the city centre. And throughout the city, the vast majority of signs are written in Catalan.
Just over a third of people in Barcelona count Catalan as their primary language, yet over 90% have an understanding of the language. Catalan is more widely spoken outside of the city, in the many towns dotted throughout the region of Catalonia, with between 80-90% of residents speaking the language fluently.
Words and phrases like ‘bon dia’ (good morning), ‘merci’ (thank you), (molt bé) very good and ‘si us plau’ (please) are all useful to know. Once you’ve settled into life in Barcelona and have learnt Spanish, you’ll find many free Catalan classes offered throughout the city to help you deepen your knowledge.
What’s the best way to study Spanish in Barcelona?
It depends on your situation.
If you’re just arriving in the city, the best way to fully immerse yourself in the language is to take an intensive Spanish class. You’ll make rapid progress, picking up foundational language skills and the confidence you need to communicate, embrace the local culture and make new friends.
If you’re coming to Barcelona to get a qualification to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL), you can take a Spanish course as part of your program. And if you sign up for the course before you come to Barcelona, you’ll be eligible for a student visa, which enables you to live in Barcelona for up to a year.
There are also semi-intensive courses and part-time courses available, for those who need to balance their studies with work or family commitments.
Want to learn Spanish in Barcelona? Drop us a message at Iberia Language Academy to find out more.
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