Hola chic@s,
There’s a quiet anxiety I see in almost every Spanish learner — myself included.
Beginners apologising for what they don’t know.
Intermediate learners embarrassed by gaps.
Advanced learners convinced they’re still “not good enough”.
It’s rarely said out loud — but it shapes how we learn and how we hide.
No two people ever learn Spanish in the same way.
We’re all building our own personal map, shaped by the:
podcasts we listen to
native speakers we talk with
classes we attend
Someone might learn bacalao on day one because they work in a kitchen.
Another learner might not hear it for years.
None of that is ‘ahead’ or ‘behind’.
It’s just different terrain.
I’ve recently started training Jiu Jitsu and it’s reminded me of what I love about learning Spanish.
All you need to do is show up.
You get confused.
You’re exposed.
Ok, maybe you don’t have someone trying to break your arm in a Spanish class, but you get the point.
No one leaves the class knowing the same things.
A beginner might retain one thing.
A more advanced learner, something else.
Your Spanish path is supposed to be messy.
It’s your path.
Love it.
Even if it looks a little unconventional by mainstream standards.
Sure it helps to start with the basics, but don’t cling to them too tightly, just keep moving forwards.
That’s all we ever really need to do.
So if your Spanish feels incomplete, personal, or oddly specific…
Good.
That means it’s yours ;)
If someone you know is quietly comparing their Spanish to others, this permission slip might help them find their footing👇
Un abrazo,
Harrison
Chat Spanish - Language for living, not just learning.
P.S - A photo from Jiu Jitsu. The art of showing up and being humbled. Connecting with others. How language learning should be.
Jiu Jitsu was a big inspiration for the Verb Lab 🧪 - practice, practice, practice. 💪
