Colombia is a spectacular destination and the only country in South America with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Colombia is the gateway between Central and South America with Panama to the north, Venezuela to the east, Brazil to the southeast, and Ecuador and Peru to the south west.
The country was named in honor of Christopher Columbus, following the Italian version of his name (Cristoforo Colombo). Although Columbus never actually set foot on the current Colombian territory, in his fourth voyage he visited Panama, which was part of Colombia until 1903.
Find out everything you need to know about going to study in Colombia and start planning an incredible trip today.
Study Spanish in Colombia
Colombia is the birthplace of famous superstars like Shakira and it is a really popular country to learn Spanish with international students.
If you’ve started researching destinations in South America to learn Spanish, you should know that the Colombian variety of Spanish is clear and easy to understand. The language and accents do vary, however, from different locations like Cartagena to Bogota to Cali. Generally the Spanish on the coasts is spoken faster, and Spanish from Medellin has its own idiosyncrasies.
In cities like Medellín and Cali, the dialect of Spanish is the voseo form. Meaning that instead of the second person familiar pronoun tú, vos is used instead. Though tú is also understood by everybody, vos is a more friendly voice while tú is reserved for intimate circles.
English is taught in school, and Colombians are often exposed to subtitled Hollywood films, so while shy many Colombians know at least a few basic phrases in English. Expect to meet lots of friendly local teenagers and Colombians who will want to practice their English skills with you.
Colombians from more affluent backgrounds will likely have been to study in the U.S., Canada, England and Australia in order to learn English. Many university courses are in English, and the majority of high ranking professionals, executives and government workers in Colombia speak an acceptable level of English. French and German are also spoken, but to a much lesser extent.
Spanish Courses in Colombia
Schools offers an excellent opportunity to learn Spanish while studying in places like Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia. There are a large variety of classes and schedules, so that you can study Spanish at a time and in a way that suits you best. Staff are dedicated to helping international students practice and feel confident in Spanish, and also to help immerse you in Colombian and South American culture. Schools can arrange accommodation and also provide social/sightseeing activities too.
Popular Places to Study Spanish in Colombia
The main cities are where most language schools are based, including:
- Bogotá
- Medellín
- Cali
- Barranquilla
- Cartagena
- Cúcuta
- Bucaramanga
- Ibagué
- Soledad
- Pereira
Feedback and Reviews
“Learning Spanish with the teachers was a wonderful experience! I work different days every week and college class times were inflexible. With my Spanish School, I had the freedom to tailor my online lessons. The courses went in all sorts of different directions from describing our favorite actors, countries visited, to explaining a medical procedure. Conversation is the hardest part of learning a language and is impossible with apps and independent study. It is also harder for me to do it in a classroom with dozens of other students trying to learn at their own pace. I truly profited from the personalized teaching plan and continuous flow of conversation provided.” – Alice, USA