El Patio Spanish Language School

We are in a golden age of pop music, with incredible hispanic artists at the helm.

You surely know plenty about Bad Bunny by now, and you've likely been bopping along to Karol G...but have you discovered Rosalía yet?

If you’ve somehow escaped her orbit so far, she’s a Spanish singer from Catalonia who began in flamenco and then proceeded to absolutely obliterate the idea that artists need to stay inside neat little genre boxes.

Flamenco, reggaetón, hyperpop, bachata, industrial sounds, electronic music, whispered confessions, religious imagery, internet chaos — Rosalía somehow folds it all together into something that feels simultaneously ancient and futuristic.

And honestly? Nobody else really sounds like her.

Come with us, let's talk about the intoxicating world of Rosalía! Head over to our blog to keep on reading: https://elpatiospanish.com.au/blog/read/327/rosalia-genre-bending-ground-breaking-breathtaking

Stay warm this winter with two exciting weeks of Spanish study and practice 😁

Our intensive courses are offered between terms as a way to get started, get ahead or work on your conversation skills.

You can take a 10 hour Conversation course to brush up on your skills or take a whole 15 hour Elementary level. We're also offering a short and sweet 4.5 hour Beginner Conversation course for those who want to practice before jumping into Elementary 2 next term!

📍 Northcote & CBD

Head over to our website to see what we've got on offer and enrol - elpatiospanish.com.au 👍

Learning a new language is full of small wins, confusing moments and the occasional identity crisis 🫠 The good news? We've all been there!

At El Patio, we focus on conversation and real-world communication from beginner level. Our immersive classes are designed to get you speaking, listening and building confidence early on, so you're less likely to be making this face when your teacher asks a question 😂

If you're keen to get cracking on your Spanish learning journey, come and join us! Term 3 starts July 20 or check out our Winter Intensives to get a head start!

Visit elpatiospanish.com.au/enrol to learn more.

Football is better with friends ⚽

As we prepare for World Cup fever to take over Melbourne, here are a few places you can catch timezone friendly key matches and cheer on your team. ¡Vamos!

Spanish and English words can be very similar and following familiar patterns often helps us to learn Spanish.

However, we need to be careful because within these patterns lurk false friends...words that look or sound similar to English words, usually with a common root, but have completely different meanings!

In Australia it is common to hear someone say they are "going to the snow" to refer to the mountains, whereas a Canadian will find this turn of phrase confusing or presupposed. Even a reference to our dear and humble thongs can be a source of international ridicule 😆

Both English and Spanish speakers regularly fall victim to the false friend. So if you're keen to avoid an awkward or confusing moment, head over to our blog to find a list of common false cognates to get familiar with.

👉 https://elpatiospanish.com.au/blog/read/38/false-friends-false-cognates-a1-b2

Melbourne is never short of vibrant cultural experiences to help you immersive yourself in the Spanish-speaking world!

If you're looking to add a little Latin jazz flavour to your life, is bringing her Este Sentimiento show back to the club on Friday 26th June.

Joined by an all star line up consisting of Melbourne’s most dynamic jazz and Latin musicians, Cristina will interpret works by Omara Portuondo, Duke Ellington, Antônio Carlos Jobim and more.

From smoky Cuban ballad to vibrant salsa grooves, Este Sentimiento promises an unforgettable evening of passion, rhythm, and connection.

Bookings at pariscat.com.au 🐈 🎺

El Patio is proud to be sponsoring the 2026 HSBC Spanish & Latin American Film Festival 📽️

Get ready for a colourful celebration of Spanish-language cinema with a standout selection of 31 films from Spain and Latin America, including star-studded dramas, comedies, thrillers and more!

Screening at participating Palace Cinemas across Melbourne in June & July.

View the programme and book your tickets at www.spanishfilmfestival.com 🎟️

Spanish Film Festival in Australia

Say ¡Hola! to PAU from Argentina 🇦🇷, the most recent addition to our teaching team at El Patio.

Ever since she started learning English as a child, Pau has known she was destined to work with - and between - languages! Find out what Pau loves about teaching in Australia below and head over to our blog at elpatiospanish.com.au/blog to keep on reading, including Pau's playlist for practising Spanish with music!

❓ What is a loveable aspect of teaching Spanish in Australia?
One aspect I love of teaching Spanish in Australia is how interested students are in the cultural aspects of Spanish-speaking countries. We Argentinians particularly love to brag about our amazing country, so I really enjoy the questions, reactions, and curiosity about our vocabulary, traditions, food, music, and so much more.

I truly appreciate people who make the time to learn a language alongside all the responsibilities of adult life nowadays, so for me, a language classroom is always an enjoyable and welcoming place to be.

¿Qué aspecto te gusta de la enseñanza del español en Australia?
Algo que me encanta de enseñar español en Australia es el interés que los estudiantes tienen en aspectos culturales de países hispanohablantes. Nosotros, los argentinos, tenemos una cierta tendencia a presumir de nuestro increíble país, así que disfruto muchísimo las preguntas, reacciones y el interés en nuestro vocabulario, tradiciones, comida, música y muchas cosas más.

Valoro mucho que los alumnos encuentren el tiempo para aprender una lengua entre todas las responsabilidades de la vida adulta hoy en día, por lo que un aula de español siempre me resulta un lugar muy agradable de habitar.