A Journey in Learning Spanish and Communicating with Granadinos

For anyone who's curious—my apologies in advance if you’re not—I’m going to take this post to reflect on my last month in Spain and share the trials, tribulations, and triumphs I’ve experienced while adjusting to communicating with native—Andalusian, I might add—Spanish speakers.

The three places where I've made the most progress in my Spanish have been cafés, taxis, and of course, communicating with my host family.

Now for personal experiences, let’s start with my two most embarrassing moments, because… why not?

1. First, I accidentally told my host mom that I was pregnant while we were eating lunch. Oops. Fair warning: in Spanish, embarazada means pregnant, not embarrassed. If you want to say you’re embarrassed, try "estoy avergonzada" or "¡qué vergüenza!" Otherwise, your host mom may look at you like you have three heads.
    
2. Second, I was sitting at the table eating with my host mom, trying to explain something. I mispronounced a word and accidentally said a certain curse word, or palabrota, in Spanish. To make matters worse, my 8-year-old host sister was sitting across from me. But, no worries—everyone laughed, corrected me, and we moved on quickly. 😊

Okay… now that those are out of the way, we can talk about all the good stuff and things that I have learned. 

First, if you are a big coffee shop person like me, Granada is the place for you. There are so many amazing cafeterias that let you use your computer. Another special shoutout to Cafe Noat, which is owned by my host mom, La Reina Shaima! 

In coffee shops, you get plenty of practice with common phrases. Whether I'm asking about the menu, getting prices, or figuring out the number system, there's always something to learn. I remember my first day, though—I was in full-on culture shock. It felt like I’d forgotten all the Spanish I thought I knew. The woman at the counter told me, "Cuesta un euro con ochenta," and I just stared at her blankly. Then, she said, "It's a dollar-eighty." That’s always the most humbling part—when someone switches to English. It's like, “No, I promise I can do it”… then boom, English.

However, this experience has been one of constant growth. Now, I am able to confidently say my orders, ask for oat milk, or ask about ingredients in my food. Also, if you are like me and are always cold, you will quickly learn how to say things like “puedo cerrar la puerta, hace un poco frio.” This has become a staple for me because, for whatever reason, the door is always open at one of my favorite spots. 

It may seem like small stuff, but it’s been exciting to watch myself get better at thinking in Spanish and actually understanding it. Little by little, the language feels more natural.

Another great opportunity for practice? Taxis. You might be surprised, but taking a taxi to the airport or bus station is a perfect chance to chat with native speakers—some with different accents and dialects—and push yourself to respond to unfamiliar questions in real time. For instance, while traveling last week, I spoke with 3 or 4 taxi drivers, each originally from a different region of Spain or Latin America. We talked about everything from politics to their love lives to the sentimental value behind the peluche named “Luciana” sitting on the dashboard.

The coolest part? Watching vocab words I learned in Spanish grammar class come to life. Furthermore, talking with someone new for a 10-15 minute ride forces you to problem-solve in Spanish, which I believe is one of the most valuable skills. It’s nerve-wracking at first, and once in a while, you might have to say, “No entiendo, ¿puedes repetir un poco más despacio, por fa?” So, next time you're in a taxi, don’t just sit there scrolling through your phone. Start a conversation and learn about someone else’s life. It’s worth it!

So, from all these experiences, I guess the point is: You will have your momento embarazada — JUST KIDDING, PLEASE DON’T SAY THAT.

REMEMBER: “Embarazada” ≠ “Embarrassing” 😅

The real key is to take every opportunity to speak with others, learn new perspectives, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. People appreciate you trying, and they'll help you along the way!

Finally, I have one more anecdote. Consider this a little cultural PSA…

¡CUIDADO!

If you go out and are walking back from the club late, don’t sing too loud. If you do, there is let’s say a 30% chance that an Abuelita may throw water on you from her balcony. I heard from a friend…

¡Bienvenido a España!