Winter Intensives! July 10-21

The weather is getting colder, so it's time to learn some more Spanish to warm up our hearts.

Join us for Winter Intensives from home, or come to our cozy Northcote centre for two exciting weeks of study and practice.

We will offer 4.5-hour and 10-hour CONVERSATION COURSES from beginner to advanced!

Christmas traditions in the Spanish speaking world!

It's beginning to look a lot like Navidad! But what exactly does that look like in Spanish-speaking countries?

Get your Hispanic Christmas cheer on!

'Trick or Trial?' The Witch Hunt for Meigas and Sorginak

With the spooky season upon us, here are two bewitching tales from Northern Spain to get you in the Halloween spirit. Witches have always been a popular element of northern Spanish folklore, particularly in the regions of Galicia, Asturias and the Basque Country, a land where the mountains are high, the mist is thick, and there are plenty of caves for covens - the perfect recipe for witchcraft to thrive!

Slang and Profanity!

Spanish speakers have invented many vibrant expressions to convey strong emotions and paint colourful pictures. Some come from religion or relate to food or body parts, while others are just plain funny or absurd.

Even if you don't plan on using slang or profanity, it sure is helpful to know what others are saying - especially in high-stress situations! It's also essential to know the strength and cultural differences of the words you're using. Google translate can't help you with this!

It's time to let loose some "tacos" (swear words)! Here is a small selection to whet your appetite our new Slang & Profanity Workshop!

Podcasts, in Spanish!

Podcasts can be seriously entertaining, funny, informative - and a wonderful resource for practising your Spanish!

Check out El Patio's Spanish podcast recommendations. There's something for every level!

How to study in Spain for FREE

One of the benefits of being a student at El Patio is being able to connect with the Hispanic world here, in Melbourne. But sometimes these benefits stretch a little further abroad.

Any student at El Patio can apply for a scholarship to Valladolid in Spain for 1 or 2 weeks. Read this article to find out more!

Which Course or Workshop for my Level in the Summer Intensives?

¡Yupi! 2022 is the year of learning Spanish! (well, every year is ... but this year is THE year). And the Summer Intensives are an excellent way to get things started. If you're wondering whether to take a Conversation Course or are thinking about completing the next level up in two weeks, here's where to find out which options are right for you.

Hints and Guidelines for Zoom classes!

We're really pleased to be able to keep our classes going during the COVID-19 period. Online (Zoom) classes are now the norm for the moment.

For the best online class experience, we've laid out a set of guidelines, from both the tech point of view - as well as best behaviours!

El Patio's 2021 Netflix Shortlist - A Series in Spanish for Every Mood!

Read on to find El Patio's top recommendations for brand-new series in Spanish that you can start watching right now on Netflix! Practising Spanish was never so entertaining!

Learning Spanish in Lockdown

At its heart language is communication - a fundamental component of every social interaction - so when we find ourselves in an era of isolation and social distancing, where does learning a new language fit in?

Subscribe to our newsletter!

Each month we'll send you Spanish language tips, practice exercises, useful links, special offers and fun upcoming events.

View past newsletters


Join our online community!

Become our friend on facebook or follow us on twitter. Connect with us and become part of our online spanish community.