Do I Need to Know Spanish?
Posted by Pixelpat on May 16, 2008
Do I Need to Know Spanish?
You might be asking yourself: “Do I Need to Know Spanish before I leave for my Costa Rican Vacation?”
While it is beneficial to know Spanish, it isn’t absolutely necessary. Many people in Costa Rica speak English, especially in the hotels and restaurants in the cities. In the country and small towns it might be harder to find someone who speaks English.
Knowing even a small amount of Spanish before you go is very helpful. Your public library probably has an introductory course on CD you can borrow and listen to on your way to work a couple of weeks or months before you leave for your Costa Rican Vacation. Before I went to Spain for a Spanish immersion program ( not knowing any Spanish) I studied The Living Language Course . I was glad I did. At least I could ask where the washrooms were, or tell the taxi driver to drop me off at the hotel, bank or restaurant.
Of course, knowing the language of the country in which you travel enriches your experience. When you communicate with people, you also get to know them better. People are happy to tell you about their country, its customs and culture, but if you don’t know Spanish you might not have your questions answered right away.
Visiting and traveling through Costa Rica is an effective way to learn and practice Spanish. You might be shy and hesitant to speak at first, but the best way to learn is just by doing. Locals appreciate your willingness to learn their language and are sympathetic to your efforts. If you ask them to speak slower or tell them you didn’t understand they will often rephrase their sentence to help you.
As you meet more people you will find several who also wish to practice English with you…
Just think, as your vocabulary and knowledge of Spanish improves, you’ll know some Spanish and will no longer be asking the question: “Do I Need to Know Spanish?“
