Learning Spanish in a Conversation Group: Why It Matters
Find out how conversation groups enhance Spanish learning. Gain practical experience and fluency with interactive, real-world discussions
You might be thinking that these words you’re reading were written by a robot. Maybe ChatGPT, maybe Copilot. But rest assured: behind every letter, there’s a human pounding the keyboard. Yes, artificial intelligence arrived a couple of years ago to stay—and to integrate into just about every area of our lives. Spanish classes are no exception
The first question we asked ChatGPT at Jaleo Madrid was:
“Are you going to steal our jobs?”
The robot answered politely: “No.”
We won’t lie—while that was the answer we wanted to hear, it didn’t exactly reassure us. But we saw the potential it had and decided to explore how we could integrate it into our work, not fight against it.
The first idea was pretty simple: have students submit a written text to ChatGPT and ask it to evaluate their level according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Not only did it provide an answer, but it explained its reasoning clearly—and it lined up with our own evaluation. That gave us confidence.
Next, we tried something every Spanish teacher has probably done by now:
“ChatGPT, can you create a fill-in-the-blank exercise with the subjunctive?”
It did—and surprisingly, its limitations with the subjunctive were… very similar to our students’. That made us laugh—and trust the tool even more.
Another way we’ve used ChatGPT is in our communication with students—not to replace our voices, but to supplement and support the learning process. For example, we’ve asked it (right in front of students!) to describe what a learner with X number of hours of Spanish should know.
The robot’s answers matched our expectations, which helped reassure our students—and helped us save time. That freed us up to focus on more personalized and meaningful aspects of teaching.
At the most recent Spanish conference we attended, the topic of AI inevitably came up again. We left with even more ideas. One great suggestion? Ask ChatGPT for several possible corrections of a student’s text—not just one—and then use those as the basis for rewriting, comparing, and analyzing where the errors or weaknesses are. This type of activity fosters reflection and deeper learning.
The world of AI hasn’t come to take our jobs, nor has it come to eliminate language learning. If anything, it can make our lives easier—if used thoughtfully, ethically, and creatively.
So no, ChatGPT can’t replace your Spanish teacher. But it can help you practice, get feedback, and explore language in new and fun ways. And when paired with a human guide? Even better.
By the way—yes, the image that goes with this post was created by Copilot. We’re not hiding it.
If you want us to show you how to use AI as an ally in your Spanish classes—or you just want to chat with a human—come visit us at Jaleo Madrid or write to us on WhatsApp. We’d love to hear from you.
Find out how conversation groups enhance Spanish learning. Gain practical experience and fluency with interactive, real-world discussions
Many people find dating in general, difficult. Trying to think of the right words to say, when to make the first move, starting a conversation while trying to seem confident, but not too confident because you don’t want to come on too strong, but not too weak either because that’s not attractive. Now imagine doing all that in a foreign language! It may seem like a daunting task but the truth is, dating someone from another country can be the best thing you ever did and using language as a gateway, instead of a barrier, is the best way I have found to get passed your fears and meet that next special someone who could change your life forever, and if not, well at least you will improve your Spanish.
¿Piensas que es difícil pronunciar en español? ¿Tienes pesadillas con el sonido ‘rrrrrrrrrrr’ pronunciado por hispanos? No te preocupes, no es grave. Es un problema que sufren muchos estudiantes de español, sin embargo, podemos ayudarte a solucionarlo con un poquito de práctica en casa. ¡Que no cunda el pánico! Pronunciar un nuevo idioma es algo difícil, sobre todo si tiene sonidos diferentes a los de nuestra lengua materna. Nuestra boca debe ir al gimnasio para ponerse en forma y pronunciar adecuadamente todos esos sonidos que resultan extraños para nuestros oídos. Prepárate, necesitaremos un poquito de paciencia. El sonido ‘r’ (perro, carro) Primero tienes que pensar en la posición de la lengua. Debes colocarla detrás de la montañita que encontrarás detrás de tus dientes. ¿Lo tienes? Ahora no tienes que hacer