New Course Starting September 2026 - Limited Spots
Step out of your house without crying inside or relying on apps.
The Spanish for Beginners' Storytelling Course for International Women in Madrid
Let’s face it, living in Spain is amazing, and at the start you feel that you're still on holidays here:
I mean, there’s the sun, the swimming pool and you just discovered the Ribera del Duero wines.
What’s there not to love?
So, obviously, you think that “getting by” with just English is enough, because hey, there’s our new best friend and private tutor GPT and G.oogle to save us from getting lost in translation and embarrassment.
But still… you’ve started to realise that…
- Speaking only English won’t help much when you accidentally lock yourself out -without your phone- and can’t explain the situation in Spanish to get help.
- Simple, everyday tasks—like returning a top at a shop— become difficult because they asked you a question and you froze.
- In an emergency, finding an English speaking doctor quickly won't always be a viable option.
- It'd be nice to try new dishes when eating out, but you just can't ask what they are or what the ingredients are, so you stick to the same old. Even worse, you can’t explain your intolerance or allergy.
- Using YouTube videos and ChatGPT as a private tutor has its (serious) limitations, as it doesn't prepare you for real conversations.
I know you’ve tried learning on your own, and you’ve done your best and yet…
- the apps,
- the videos, or
- the 146 grammar books you’ve bought
aren’t the problem. And neither are you!
On their own, they’re just not enough.
And yes, you can learn Spanish, because you already learned -at least- one language before, when you were little.
You did it by
- hearing stories,
- paying attention to everything around you and
- with lots of input.
It’s a myth that adults can’t learn languages.
It takes more time for sure, but with the right method, you can do it in less time than you think.
TPRS* and stories are the answer to you absorbing Spanish.
You tell stories.
I tell stories.
We all do.
And you learned your first language with stories.
So why not learn Spanish with storytelling?
What Exactly Is TPRS?
It stands for Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling and it’s a methodology for language learning that uses
- the power of stories,
- questions and answers,
- (a lot of) repetition, and
- context
for you to absorb the language and speak it fluently, without the need to memorise anything.
Forget
- Endless and boring conjugation rules that you won’t remember when talking spontaneously.
- Learning long lists of vocabulary, 90% of which you will never use in your day-to-day.
-
The books divided by topics that don't interest you, and are not natural.
Like, why do you need to wait until unit 6 to learn pains and aches?
Or wait until level B1 for you to say one phrase with more than one past tense?
#notnaturallanguage
So how does a typical lesson look like?
-
We start with a bit of weather and calendar talk: very British, but with more sunshine and warmth.
And very much like real-life chit chat. -
Then we talk about what you did last weekend or what your next weekend plans are: this way you start practicing dates, days, months, prepositions, pasts and future, and much, much more without a single fill-in-the-gap exercise sheet.
Yes, we do that from class 3 or 4.
And yes, you'll be able to do it with my help! -
Story time. One sentence and verb at a time, with lots of questions and repetition for you to absorb Spanish naturally.
This is where we co-create the story to make it more fun and exciting. -
Last, you and the rest of compis (classmates) re-tell the story.
First with help, then without.
And as you're re-telling it, I write it down for you <io read over whenever you like.
And then I let you go about your day, because, believe me, your brain will’ve worked a lot.
Hi, I'm Jimena and I arrived here as an expat, just like you.
When I arrived in Madrid back in 2013, that first year was very tough.
I didn’t know exactly how things worked, where things were (try finding biscuits in the supermarket, I dear you), and even as a native Spanish speaker, normal, everyday tasks felt like a neverending battle, as I had to learn some words Spaniards use and their ways.
I kept thinking: How do people survive here without speaking Spanish?
That led me to a path of professional redescovery and since 2017 I’ve helped hundreds of expat ladies in Madrid do more than just learn the Spanish they’ll use in their daily life:
I also help you
- Navigate the culture,
- Understand the different varieties of Spanish you’ll hear on the street,
- Develop tricks to keep absorbing and learning Spanish outside of class, too, and
- where to find the best carpet cleaner in Madrid.
So, if you want to learn Spanish the way you learned your first language — by living it, not memorising it,
you’re in the right place.
From Zero to Confident
Is the Storytelling-based Spanish Course for Absolute Beginners that gets you talking from day one.
When?
From the 2nd week of September 2026 to the end of January 2027.
Where?
Online on Zoom
In Madrid for the face-to-face classes and the immersive activities
Limits
Minimum 3 students to open the group. Maximum 6 students, to make sure everyone gets enough talking time per class.
This is what in 4 months you'll be able to do:
- Say what you want, when you want it - without a second thought.
- Talk about your weekend or holiday plans when somebody asks you about them.
- Tell your Spanish bestie what you did last weekend -yes, in the past and without the drama.
- Make small talk with neighbours, your portero and other moms.
- Tell the doctor if something hurts and follow simple instructions.
- Find the ingredients of your favourite dish at the supermarket.
- Order the Menú del Día like a local.
- Be able to ask normal, every day questions and know if you need to use qué, quién, dónde, cómo, etc.
How much is this, Jimena?
4 Monthly Payments of €260, but Save Your Spot Now For
-
2 Live, Online Sessions each week for 16 weeks, that will be recorded for you to watch if you can't make class
-
1 face-to-face Session each month
-
2 live, Immersive Activities in Madrid
-
All material included
-
Access to me via WhatsApp
Safe payment with debit or credit card through Stripe. Terms and Conditions apply, as well as my Privacy Policy. Please read them carefully.
This is definitely for you if...
- You want to learn by speaking.
- You want to master first every day situations, like talking to a shop asistant.
- Traditional language learning methods haven't worked before.
- Grammar is a struggle and that's why you avoid speaking Spanish.
- You feel insecure whenever you need to say something in Spanish.
- You've reached the end of your Duolingo streaks and still feel that you're not prepared for life in Spain.
Do you have more questions?
Is it necessary to sign up for the whole course or can I try it for one month?
No, you can’t sign up only for one month, but I do offer you to save your spot until mid August.
In case you change your mind, just send me an email and you will get your deposit back.
If you´re not sure if this course is for you and want to talk to me first, you can schedule a free Zoom call here.
What happens after I pay the deposit to save my spot?
Once you pay the €50 deposit, your spot in the course is saved.
If you change your mind by August 15th, you can send me an email to info@jimenaibarra.com and I’ll refund your deposit, no questions asked, and not further payments will be due.
If I don’t hear anything from you after August 15th, I’ll send you a payment link for the first month of the course, which should be settled by August 28th.
Once the first payment is completed, you’ll get your €50 deposit back.
This payment will create a standing order for the next 3 months, so that you don’t have to think about paying and I don’t have to remind you.
If the first payment is not settled by August 29th, the deposit will not be reimbursed and you may lose your spot in the group.
If you’re not sure if this course is for you and want to talk to me first, you can schedule a free Zoom call here.
Is there a trial period?
There is no trial class as such, but a one week money-back gurantee from course start.
To access the course, though, you’d have to pay in advance, whatever plan you decide to choose.
I’m not a complete beginner but I’m can’t hold a conversation, is this something for me?
Absolutely! You’ll review the basics and build your confidence and conversation skills from there. You’ll be flying in no time!
I’m not sure this course is for me
This course is NOT for you if you…
- … want to focus on grammar and learn from there;
- … can already hold a conversation in Spanish.
- … want a traditional learning methodology.
What happens if I can't go one day?
I know that life happens and Murphy’s Law is real, that’s why I’ll record every class and will share the video on the Notion page of the group, so that you can have access to it at any time.
There are no discounts for not being able to attend a class.
What happens if you Jimena get sick?
If I -Jimena- get sick or have to move the class for whatever reason, I’ll let you know ASAP. But I promise that I always try to show up in class, no matter how bad I feel.
In any case, if I need to cancel or move the class, we will either reschedule it or give an extra class.
What does the price include?
- Access to your group’s Notion page
- Access to the group’s WhatsApp chat
- All the material, which you will find in the Notion page.
- One in-person “class” per month.
- 2 immersive activities in Madrid with the rest of my students.
How can I pay?
Only bank card with Stripe with recurring payments, so that you don’t forget and I don’t have to chase you.
Please note that I’m not responsible for any additional bank fees you may incur.
Safe payment with debit or credit card through Stripe. Terms and Conditions apply, as well as my Privacy Policy. Please read them carefully.
