Spanish Classes

Learn Spanish at the Instituto Cervantes, The Official Spanish Language Centre in New York. The Instituto Cervantes is attached to the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and is under the management and supervision of the Spanish Consulate in New York.

We offer comprehensive Spanish language classes aimed at developing students’ ability to understand, speak, read, and write in Spanish. All our native teachers are highly qualified and use the most up-to-date teaching methods. The classes are in Spanish from day one at every level with a view to helping our students to communicate in Spanish from the very first moment they start the course.

General Spanish Courses

Our small group classes of 4 to 12 students offer a lot of opportunities to practice your conversation skills. We offer 21 skill levels. For students who already have some knowledge of the language, we offer a placement test to assure every student is at the right level.

Types of courses

• 10-Week regular courses. Classes meet once a week for 3 hours each day.

• 5-Week intensive courses. Classes meet twice a week for 3 hours each day.

• Spanish Classes for kids (ages 4-16). Classes meet once a week for 1.5 hours each day. (Not available during the Summer term)

• Summer Camps. Classes meet for five consecutive days for 2 hours each day. (Only available during the Summer Term)

Levels

Level A1 Breakthrough: 60 hours (A1.1 & A1.2 are 30 hours each)

To enter level A1.1 no previous knowledge of Spanish is required.

Level A1 Objectives:

• Understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type.

• Introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows, and things he/she has.

• Interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

Level A2 Waystage: 90 hours (A2.1-A2.3 are 30 hours each)

To enter level A2 you need to be a returning student or take a level test.

Level A2 Objectives:

• Understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).

• Communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.

• Describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment, and matters in areas of immediate need.

Level B1 Threshold: 150 hours (B1.1-B1.5 are 30 hours each)

To enter level B1 you need to be a returning student or take a level test.

Level B1 Objectives:

• Understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.

• Deal with most situations likely to arise while traveling in an area where the language is spoken.

• Produce simple connected text on topics that are familiar or of personal interest.

• Describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

Level B2 Vantage: 150 hours (B2.1-B2.5 are 30 hours each)

To enter level B2 you need to be a returning student or take a level test.

Level B2 Objectives:

• Understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization.

• Interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.

• Produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

Level C1 Proficiency: 180 hours (C1.1-C1.6 are 30 hours each)

To enter level C1 you need to be a returning student or take a level test.

Level C1 objectives:

• Understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning.

• Express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.

• Use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic, and professional purposes.

• Produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors, and cohesive devices.