Where to Practice Spanish and Get Free Lessons in Cuenca, Ecuador

If you’re like us and have a goal to improve your Spanish language skills, spending time in a Spanish-speaking country is a great start – but you still have to be diligent about practicing.

There are a number of tools we recommend for learning Spanish that you can use on your own, at home or abroad. But really taking advantage of local resources can make a big difference in your language learning.

Here are the places we came across in Cuenca, Ecuador to learn and practice Spanish.

Updated: January 2022. Originally published: April 2016.

1. Take Spanish lessons at a school

We wrote all about our experience with the cultural and language program at Yanapuma school in Cuenca’s city center. We can definitely recommend this Spanish School and its convenient location.

Other language schools in Cuenca include: Si Centro, Simon Bolivar, and CEDEI.

2. Enjoy free classes and organized conversations

There are several places we encountered in Cuenca that offer weekly Spanish practice geared for expats.

A Pedir de Boca (now closed) – Here, the local chef teaches two hour lessons for free in the back of his restaurant on Benigno Malo. Lessons are conducted almost entirely in Spanish and he does his best to adapt to the fluctuating group in attendance each day.

YEES hosts a Saturday afternoon language exchange on the terrace at the back of Selina hostel and coworking. Announcements are usually made in GringoPost and GringoPost forums. When we went in November 2021, there were many Cuencanos in their 20’s and 30’s. It was very casual, just come and strike up a conversation with someone.

A Saturday morning language exchange was also being hosted in locations around Plaza Otorongo with a voluntary $2 contribution. This conversation group was facilitated by a teacher, but I’m not sure if it has continued.

During the pandemic, a free conversation group started on Zoom on Monday evenings. The group is guided to converse on topics in each other’s languages. You can find more information through announcements on GringoPost.

3. Live in a homestay

If you take classes through a language school, most likely they will be able to arrange a homestay for you with one of many host families around Cuenca. If you’re on your own, you can find some through Airbnb, including our host: Yolanda.

This is a great way to get immersed in the language – and often at least one meal per day is included in the deal.

4. Meet with a language exchange partner

Many Ecuadorians are eager to improve their English, and some are willing to meet on a weekly basis where you can both get a little language practice.

Spend the first half of your time conversing in Spanish and the second half in English, or vise versa. You can agree to prepare lessons for each other, or be more impromptu and just ask each other questions.

Check the CEDEI school, your host family, or Cuenca facebook groups for potential contacts, or put up a listing on GringoPost.com.

5. Hire a private teacher

If you’re dedicated and have the means, there are a number of native Spanish speakers who will come teach individual lessons at your house or another agreed-upon place.

From what I recall, $10 per hour is a reasonable tutor fee, give or take. Recommendations can sometimes be found on GringoPost.com or by asking around within the expat community.