Can You Live In Barcelona Without Speaking Spanish?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Can you live in Barcelona without speaking Spanish? By not learning or speaking Catalan in Barcelona,

there will be much of local life that you'll be missing out on

. One of the most important arguments for learning Catalan over Spanish is from those who have children who attend local schools.

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Can I live in Spain without speaking Spanish?

Sure. If you're living in a major city, studying a course taught in English, interning or working at a company that requires English, or are living in expat areas such as Costa del Sol or Malaga, you can get by with just English in Spain. In all these scenarios,

you can live in Spain even if you don't speak Spanish

.

Can I get by speaking English in Barcelona?


Yes. Many people speak English especially the people that tourists generally come into contact with

. English is quite widely spoken in Barcelona, especially in the tourist industry and by many young Spanish/Catalan people.

Can you go to Barcelona without speaking Catalan?

Can I work in Spain if I don't speak Spanish?

Language requirements to work in Spain


If you don't speak Spanish, besides working for a multinational company, jobs in Spain for English speakers include tourism, real estate, teaching English, and services aimed at expats

. For other types of employment, you will generally need to speak Spanish.

What jobs can an English person do in Spain?

  • Business Consultant Jobs in Spain for Foreigners. …
  • IT Jobs for Americans in Spain. …
  • Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Jobs. …
  • Medical Practitioner Jobs for Expats. …
  • Tourism and Hospitality Jobs in Spain for Americans.

Is it easy to get a job in Spain as a foreigner?

The overall unemployment rate stands at 14.3%. Of the entire population, 14.5% of the unemployed population includes foreigners. Verdict:

It might be hard to find jobs in Spain for expats, but it's not impossible

. Once you do find a job, you'll have plenty of good things waiting for you!

Is Spain English friendly?

Spain is a wonderful place to live and

it is one of the best countries to live in Europe for English speakers

. However, if you want the sunshine and lifestyle of Southern Europe, but also wish to be able to find an English speaker to converse with at work or at the bar, Cyprus could be an even better choice for you.

How safe is Barcelona?

The ‘Safe Cities Index 2019' by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), confirmed that Barcelona was

one of the safest cities in the world in terms of general crime

and overall ranked 19th in personal security and 26th overall in the world.

Is Spain good for English speakers?

The 2019 English Proficiency Index places Spain in 25th place out of a total of 33 European countries and 35th in the world, with

no improvement noted since last year

.

Is it better to speak Spanish or Catalan in Barcelona?

In Barcelona, 98% of the population speaks

Castilian Spanish

. About 50-60% of Barcelona's total population speaks Catalan. Some of the Catalan speakers speak it as a first language, and Castilian Spanish to them is considered a “second language”.

Which is easier to learn Spanish or Catalan?


Catalan has been easier to learn than Spanish

because I am now VERY familiar with the grammar and vocab. Romance language speakers, especially Iberian language speakers, have a head start.

Is Catalan on duolingo?


Catalan is also an option on Duolingo, although only if you have the website language set to Spanish

. That means that if your native language is English – you get a double workout in the tutorials, translating Spanish to Catalan and vice versa.

How long does it take to learn Spanish?

If you start out as a beginner and spend an average of 1 hour per day working on your Spanish, you should able to reach conversational fluency within

8 – 12 months

. That translates to roughly 250 – 350 hours of time spent.

How easy is it to move to Spain?

Unless you're an EU/EEA citizen who has the freedom to move and live anywhere in the Schengen area,

moving abroad is not that easy for foreigners

. Most non-Europeans need to get a job in Spain or get accepted to one of the universities in Spain to get residency for a year or more.

What is the best job in Barcelona?

  1. Surgeons / Doctors. Salary Range: from 5,200 EUR to 17,400 EUR. …
  2. Judges. Salary Range: from 4,400 EUR to 14,700 EUR. …
  3. Lawyers. Salary Range: from 3,610 EUR to 11,900 EUR. …
  4. Bank Managers. …
  5. Chief Executive Officers. …
  6. Chief Financial Officers. …
  7. Orthodontists. …
  8. College Professors.

Is it worth living in Barcelona?

Pros of living in Barcelona:


It was ranked the world's 13th best cycle-friendly city in 2019

, so there are few better picks on the planet. Endless nightlife and restaurants: genuinely one of the most fun cities in the world, Barcelona has an almost-infinite number of places to eat, drink and dance.

How much money do you need to live comfortably in Spain?

Cost of living in Spain is one of the lowest in Western Europe, even in the cities. (And the famous Spanish sunshine you get for free.) Leaving aside rent or mortgage payments—and depending on your lifestyle—a couple could easily live on

$20,000 to $22,000 a year

and still eat out regularly.

Can I live in Spain after Brexit?

Can I still move to Spain now that the Brexit transition period has ended?

Yes, you can still apply for residency in Spain like other non-EU nationals

. There may be preferential rules introduced for UK nationals.

How can I immigrate to Barcelona?

When you're moving to Barcelona from USA or another non-EU country, you will need to

obtain a Visa to live in Spain

. In order to live in Barcelona, or Spain in general, you need to obtain a Spanish Residency Visa of some kind. There are four popular Spanish Residency Visas that people use to move to Barcelona.

What is the highest paid job in Spain?

  • Surgeon, with an average salary of 64,500 euros yearly.
  • Project manager engineer, 59,900 euros.
  • Sales manager, with an average of 58,880 euros.
  • And IT director, with 48,000 euros a year.

What are the shortage occupations in Spain?

Shortage occupations generally occur in highly skilled professions such as

IT, engineering, sales, medicine, shipping and teaching

. The banking, energy and tourism sectors also need skilled graduates.

Is Spanish hard to learn?

No matter what your mother tongue is,

Spanish is generally one of the easiest to learn

, as it shares some unexpected similarities with many languages. Of course, Spanish still has challenges that may be different for speakers of different languages.

Will I learn Spanish if I move to Spain?

International Spanish language schools

That way,

you can seamlessly continue to learn Spanish in Spain after you move

. Because Spanish is so widely spoken around the world, it should come as no surprise to learn that there are many international language schools where you can learn it.

Why does nobody speak English in Spain?

According to experts, Spaniards' difficulty learning English can be explained in part by

the size of the country, its relatively low GDP and number of people who speak Spanish worldwide

. Other critics put it down to faults in the education system and cultural quirks like dubbing.

Will I get mugged in Barcelona?

Trying to Steal the Suitcase

Like all major cities,

muggings can happen at any time, anywhere in the world

. Barcelona is a beautiful city and although muggings happen, it should not discourage travelers from exploring that area. Instead, we need to be more cautious, aware, but not paranoid.

Are there blacks in Barcelona?

In Spain, especially Barcelona,

African Americans make up an even bigger minority percentage

. Overall, be prepared to not see many people that look like you when you study abroad in Barcelona.

Where should I not live in Barcelona?

Three districts to avoid in Barcelona

Want to be on the safe side? Then consider avoiding

Ciutat Vella

. This covers the area of the Barri Gotic, El Born, El Raval, and Barceloneta.

Is Portugal poorer than Spain?

Which European country speaks the best English?


The Netherlands

has emerged as the nation with the highest English language proficiency, according to the EF English Proficiency Index, with a score of 72. It is ahead of five other northern European nations at the top of the chart.

Where can I travel if I only speak English?

  • Belize. 82% Belize is a gorgeous Caribbean country that boarders Mexico – its capital city is only a 1.45 hour flight from Cancun! …
  • Singapore. 83% …
  • Israel. 85% …
  • Sweden. 86% …
  • Denmark. 86% …
  • Bahamas. 87% …
  • Trinidad and Tobago. 87% …
  • Malta. 89%

Is it hard to learn Spanish in Barcelona?

Can Catalan speakers understand Spanish?

For instance, I know many Spanish speakers, who have lived in Catalonia for a long time, such as ten years, who can neither speak nor understand Catalan. Most Catalan speakers know Spanish because they studied it at school, but

Spanish speakers, who haven't learned Catalan, are unable to comprehend any Catalan

.

What language should I learn for Barcelona?

If you wish to be more widely understood, then learning

Spanish

would be the option. You can take an online Spanish immersion course to learn the basics before you come to Barcelona. Barcelona is a truly international city, and it attracts people from all over Spain and indeed the rest of the world.

Can you live in Valencia without speaking Spanish?

Oh dear… the language

In Valencia, people speak Spanish (Castellano) and Valencian. No need to invest hours in learning Valencian, but

you need to know at least the basics of Spanish before moving to Valencia

.

Where is the most English spoken in Spain?

All in all, neither language is definitively more or less difficult than the other.

Spanish is arguably somewhat easier for the first year or so of learning

, in large part because beginners may struggle less with pronunciation than their French-studying colleagues.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.