Where to start

  • If your experience is mostly from apps: bear in mind that this doesn’t usually translate into classroom readiness. The level descriptions below are about classroom readiness, not just exposure to Spanish.

  • Many students overestimate their level. Knowing some vocabulary or set phrases is a great start, but on its own it usually corresponds to Beginner level when learning in a classroom. If you’re feeling rusty or unsure, it’s better to start lower. Rebuilding weak foundations is harder than moving up if you find the classes too easy.

  • All our courses follow the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), with deliberate minor tweaks to sequencing (some things are taught earlier than other schools). As a rough guide, each core level takes around 15 hours of classroom learning. This sequencing reflects the Hackney Spanish Method™, where key grammatical structures are introduced earlier to support more confident use later on.

  • We divide our courses into two broad stages:

    • Core Levels: Beginner (A1.1) → Upper Beginner (A1.2) → Elementary (A2.1) → Upper Elementary (A2.2)
      These are the stages where you build your foundation. You’ll receive most of your grammar input here, alongside structured practice to help you understand how the language works and start using it with confidence. Progress through these levels is based on what you’ve actually learned more than use. Most students do each of these levels once, then move up.

    • Expansion Levels: Intermediate (B1) → Upper Intermediate (B2) → Advanced (C1)
      These levels are all about use. You already know the core structures, so now it’s about putting them into practice. You'll work with real-world materials, develop fluency, and refine how you speak, write, and understand Spanish. These are flexible ranges and some students stay at the same level across more than one term. The curriculum changes each term to deepen and extend that use without repetition.

Curriculum overview (for self-assessment)

CORE LEVELS

The “key grammar” listed below highlights the main signals we look for. You don’t need perfect control of everything, but these areas should feel broadly familiar before moving up.

BEGINNER (A1.1)

This is your starting point. You’ve never studied Spanish before — or maybe you know a few words and phrases but have no real grasp of how the language works, especially the verb system.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to have simple conversations in everyday and holiday situations. You’ll know how to ask and answer basic questions, tell the time, talk about your likes and dislikes, describe where things are, and express essential information about yourself. You’ll also have a clear understanding of the building blocks of Spanish grammar — enough to get by, and enough to keep going.

Key grammar: the basic verb system, the present tense, reflexive verbs, regular commands, estar / hay, the verb gustar, among other topics.

UPPER BEGINNER (A1.2)

You already have the basics. You’re familiar with present tense verbs — both regular and irregular — and have met reflexive verbs, simple commands, and gustar. Maybe you finished our Beginner course, or maybe you studied elsewhere and just need to pick things up again.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to talk about past events, give directions, describe your habits, and handle most day-to-day conversations with some confidence. You’ll also be able to read and write short, simple texts. This is where things start to click.

Key grammar: Irregular commands, pretérito indefinido, pretérito imperfecto, ser versus estar, and using past forms to describe completed events and habits, among other topics.

ELEMENTARY (A2.1)

You’re no longer a beginner. You can follow and take part in basic conversations. You’re ready to go further and start using Spanish more naturally.

In this course, you’ll build fluency and range. You’ll work with real texts — from blogs, the news, or short stories — and start recognising patterns in the language. By the end, you’ll be able to express future plans, talk about experiences in the past, and handle longer conversations in familiar situations. This is often a transition level.

Key grammar: pretérito perfecto, contrast between pretérito perfecto and indefinido, contrast imperfecto and indefinido, among other topics.

UPPER ELEMENTARY (A2.2)

You’re getting comfortable now. You know your way around the three main past tenses (indefinido, imperfecto, perfecto — the three will be revised here), and you’re used to working with real-life materials. You can read basic texts, write short messages, and have everyday conversations without too much hesitation.

In this course, you’ll learn to talk about hopes and wishes, describe situations in more detail, and speak about history or personal memories. You’ll keep refining your grammar and expanding your vocabulary — and you’ll start sounding more like someone who really speaks Spanish, not just someone who’s learning it.

Key grammar: presente subjuntivo, imperativo negativo, condicional simple, futuro imperfecto, pluscuamperfecto, among other topics.

EXPANSION LEVELS

From this point on, progression depends less on new grammar and more on how confidently you can use what you already know.

INTERMEDIATE (B1.1–B1.2)

You’re comfortable in Spanish and can hold conversations on a range of everyday topics. You can understand and respond to moderately complex spoken and written texts, and you’ve worked with a fair amount of grammar by now.

At this level, you’ll keep strengthening your command of the past tenses (indefinido, imperfecto, perfecto), and you'll use the present subjunctive with growing confidence. The focus is on practice: listening, speaking, reading, writing — with grammar used to support better, more confident communication.

UPPER INTERMEDIATE (B2.1–B2.2)

You have a solid grasp of Spanish. You’re able to follow native-level materials and express yourself clearly, even when things get nuanced or abstract. At this stage, the focus is less on learning new grammar and more on refining what you already know — and using it naturally.

You’ll work with all four main past tenses (indefinido, imperfecto, perfecto, pluscuamperfecto), conditional structures, and both present and imperfect subjunctive (si tuviera dinero...). You’ll engage with podcasts, articles, short stories, and films, and develop the kind of language that lets you express subtle opinions, narrate stories, or take part in deeper discussions.

ADVANCED (C1 - C2)

At this level, you’re fluent — or nearly there. You can understand complex, native-level materials and express yourself clearly, precisely, and with personality. The emphasis is now on nuance, idiomatic use, and cultural range.

Classes revolve around conversation, literature, film, translation, writing, and presentations. You’ll revisit grammar, but always in context — to polish your accuracy and stretch your expression. Expect to challenge yourself, expand your vocabulary, and push your Spanish into more sophisticated territory.

If you are still unsure, get in touch and we’ll help you figure out where you are!