Today we will talk about English in Spain and how confident you should feel in Madrid if you cannot speak a word of Spanish (or if you can even think about moving to Madrid before you learn any Spanish). The answer is very clear, it is not a problem at all. Spain has change a lot in the last decades, we are not any more the country that visited hemingway (sadly said in part because we have lost some good things that diversity gave us), but definitely we have learnt and developed a huge deal and we can proudly say that we finally got on Europe ́s train (we were always in Europe maps but it never felt like it, now it does).
One of our main ways to keep up our Gross Domestic Income is tourism, and we know as a country that English is vital in order to keep on going. Sadly, the 2007 financial crisis that hit the world, did it with fiercely strength in Spain, so a lot of our youngsters had to migrate abroad and now are back with great abilities in English that previous generations did not have. You will still find the odd waiter that reminds you of Manuel from Faulty towers, but it is not very usual and if that happens they will offer you another waiter that will be able to communicate with you in English. And that is in bars. In banks, real estate companies, lawyer offices, insurance companies and “serious businesses”, they will be able to offer you assistance in proper English.
Another thing is when you deal with everyday ́s life, when you have to deal with your landlord, some skills in Spanish would help you a whole lot. In any of the two cases, and talking specifically of Madrid, our people will embrace anybody from other countries, we are most of us ourselves “arrivers” so we treat very well the outsider. I would say more, we take pride in doing so and welcome new comers. It may seem too good, but it is true. Once that we have talked about our wonders, let talk a bit about our dark side. We are a culture of picaresque, we are cheeky, we like to look for the best price or offer (remember that Spain was under Arab control during 700 years so we now how to haggle), that means that no matter how many years you have been is Spain, or how well you can talk Spanish, or how well you know us, sometimes is good to have a Spanish contact or help (I do not say that this is right, but it is still this way).
So remember, not knowing Spanish is not a no no in Madrid (I now people that they have lived in Spain for more than a decade and they can barely get away with asking for a couple of beers and something to eat in Spanish), that learning a new language, even challenging, is always great, rewarding and in our case it will give you loads of points tobecome “one of us”, the ultimate feeling lining in Madrid, which is not difficult but even if we love to embrace newcomers we appreciate a huge deal if you show a bit of effort learning our language, and last and no least, a Spanish contact, friend, or assistant is a huge help to deal with everyday life in Madrid.
