You do not need to be fluent to move to Valencia. You do need enough Spanish to get through the first weeks: a landlord's message, a bank counter, a cita previa () booking. This plan aims at that level, roughly A1 to A2, and it fits into 15 to 20 minutes a day. It is a starting point, not a promise of fluency.
Days 1 to 30: sounds and the first 300 words
Spanish is spelled the way it sounds, which makes the first month easier than most people expect. Spend the first week on the alphabet, the five vowel sounds and the rolled r. Everything after that rests on them.
From week two, read instead of drilling lists. Short stories written for beginners give you the same few hundred words again and again, in context, which is how they stick.
By day 30 you should be able to read a two-minute beginner story with a few lookups, and introduce yourself out loud.
Days 31 to 60: the words you will need for paperwork
Now aim the vocabulary at your actual move. These are the terms you will meet in the first month, and it helps to recognise them before you land:
- cita previa: the appointment you book before almost any office visit
- empadronamiento (): the town-hall registration, known as the padrón ()
- NIE: your foreigner identification number
- contrato de alquiler (), fianza (): the rental contract and the deposit
- darse de alta (): to register or sign up for a service
Read the matching guides while you study: NIE and residency, empadronamiento in Valencia and opening a bank account. Seeing the vocabulary in a real procedure is faster than memorising it cold.
Add a daily five-minute listening habit: a Spanish podcast or radio at slow pace, with no goal except getting used to the rhythm.
Photo: Artvill, CC BY-SA 4.0
Days 61 to 90: speaking, and a class
Reading and listening will carry you only so far. In the last month, start speaking, even badly.
Book a class or join a language exchange in Valencia. Our guide to learning Spanish in Valencia compares the options, and our Spanish language schools page covers schools in detail.
If you want an official yardstick, the DELE diplomas from the Instituto Cervantes certify Spanish at each level from A1 to C2. They are optional for daily life, and useful if a visa file, a job or a university asks for proof.
Spanish or Valencian?
Valencian is co-official with Spanish in the Valencian Community, under Article 6 of the Statute of Autonomy. In daily life, Spanish is enough for paperwork and most conversations. You will still see Valencian on street signs and hear it from many locals, so it is worth learning a few greetings. Our overview of the languages of Valencia explains where each language shows up.
Photo: Elke Wetzig (Elya), CC BY-SA 3.0
Your landing week: mobile data
Plan your connection before you fly. You will want maps, your landlord's messages and your bank app from the moment you land.
A travel eSIM like this is data only. It does not give you a Spanish phone number, and you will need one soon for appointment confirmations and bank codes, so plan to get a local SIM once you settle in.
A simple weekly rhythm
- Five days: one beginner story, 15 minutes
- Two days: listening only, no screen needed
- Once a week: say five new words out loud to someone, or to yourself
Keep it small and keep it daily. Ninety short sessions beat ten long ones.
About the author
Michael Bastin
Founder, ValenciaMove - Valencia since 2016
Michael has lived in Valencia since 2016 and helps people move here.
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