Conversational Spanish

Status:	Active, open to new members
Contact:	Conversational Spanish Leader (May)
When:	Weekly on Mondays 2:00 pm-3:30 pm
Venue:	Kilbarchan Old Library
Cost:	£3 for tea/coffee and room hire

One of the best ways to keep our brains active in later life is to learn a language. It can take a while, especially if you’ve never studied Spanish before. This group is a safe place to try and speak the language or to brush up on the Spanish you already know.

The group often suggests things they want to know more about, like how to start a conversation in a café or bar. The main point is to use the Spanish we know. We all make mistakes, but this is a friendly place and we are growing more confident as we talk in Spanish.

The activities certainly help our brain to focus and it’s all done in a fun way.

Recently we had a meeting where you had to pretend (or not!) that you had forgotten a Spanish word and then try to describe it to the rest of the group. This reflects real life situations where people have needed an item in a shop (a torch) or a hotel (a bottle opener) but they couldn’t remember what it was called in Spanish.

We are also translating and reading aloud parts of the novel Como Agua Para Chocolate by Laura Esquivel which is set in Mexico and is about cooking, food, family and thwarted love.

We always start with a chat, cuppa and biscuits and pay £3 for this and the hire of the room. If you would to join in and brush up on speaking Spanish, please send an email to the group leader, May, using the contact link above.

Previous Language Learning

In spring, there was a deja-vu feeling in the group as they re-learned some staples in the Spanish language - practicing the Spanish alphabet, numbers and using commands. This was followed by directing our group leader, May, to make a pretend cake. We were given her favourite recipe to translate and had to explain the ingredients needed and give May exact instructions for each part of the process. It made Bake-off seem effortless!

In early spring the group translated part of a Spanish book Antologia Poetica about the life of Robert Burns whose Day is celebrated in Scotland and Spain on 25 January.

In January, 2026 we used Christmas cards and postcards to work in pairs and describe in Spanish what we see on them. It’s a quick fire exercise where we try and use complete sentences. Although we are not exactly beginners, it’s amazing how quickly we forget basic vocabulary. so this playful practice gets our brains in gear.

Previously we read and translated a children’s book Historia de una gaviota y del gato que le enseñó a volar (The Story Of A Seagull And The Cat Who Taught Her To Fly) by Luis Sepúlveda. It is moral fantasy tale with a lot of humour in it to balance out some sad moments in the story.

In June we were looking at how to have a conversation about something which happened in the past. There are a couple of key tenses to choose from. No doubt when we next meet up and talk about what we did over the summer, these tenses will come in handy!

In March, our group practising different Spanish verbs and common tenses to use. We then write some short sentences using these verbs in everyday situations. Members take it in turn to have a go at speaking and listening to these verbs. So far we have practised our vocabulary for eating out in a restaurant, asking about and checking the price of items, and also expressing ways to complain.

Getting back into the swing of things, we took turns in January to ask and answer basic questions about activities we enjoy doing. Since it was a new year, members shared any resolutions they had made, suggested things they wanted to learn or practice more of in the Spanish group.

In November and December 2024 we discussed the ways we try and help the environment as well as we exploring the world of conjunctions. We also practiced common words and phrases which describe the weather.

In October 2024 we learned some basic vocabulary to use if our phones, tablets or laptops stop working when we go abroad. We usually practice speaking new phrases in pairs. This means we each take turns at being the shop assistant or helpline advisor, or the customer with the faulty gadget. We try to memorise a few staple questions and some standard information to give in these situations, so we can get the right support.

The group has also looked at daily life in Spain, with rules for attending football matches to talking about the weather.
Previously, we enjoyed a musical session where we tried to write down the lyrics of Besame Mucho. This popular song was written by a sixteen year old Mexican song writer, Consuelo Velazquez. At the time of writing she had never been kissed.

Previous Language Learning

Paisley and District u3a Groups