Speaking Spanish

If they've lived here for years and are permanently resident, they're immigrants not expats.

Learning anything ( especially a language) is needs driven. If people live in communities, socialise and associate largely or only with others of the same nationality, they are less likely to develop fluency in the native language of the country they are immigrants in. If there are services available in their own native tongue ( eg. electricians, plumbers, painters, translators for visits to the doctor or to hospital) and they are willing to pay for that ease of communication, then they will do so. 

Those of us immigrants who work here ( and depending on the nature of our work) do tend to communicate bilingually; we are more likely to socialise with Spanish people, listen to Spanish radio, watch Spanish TV and probably buy our food from street markets ( where the need to communicate in Spanish is far more necessary) rather than supermarkets. Some vote their age as a barrier to learning - it isn't, it's the level of intent which is the driving factor, or the barrier.

And what about the people {like me} that find it impossible to learn a new [any new} language. I have been trying religiously for over 20 yers and like you I have the basics but learning fluency is just impossible for me. I can spend hours or even days learning a new phrase and the next day it has gone.  It is something you have in you or don´t have.   It's like trying to teach someone advanced mathematics or physics.  Short term memory is a problem for a lot of people. On the other hand I worked with a Russian guy a long time ago and within a couple of weeks he was fluent in German. It's a gift not everyone has. 

No, you’re not wrong — but it is more complicated than it sometimes looks.

Learning a language as one gets older is genuinely difficult. Work, habits, confidence, and even fear of making mistakes all play a role. Many people arrive in Spain fully intending to learn Spanish, but real life gets in the way. And there’s also the very common situation where you try to speak Spanish, only for the other person to switch straight to English because they’re busy or want the interaction done quickly. That can actually discourage learners over time.

At the same time, I do agree there’s a difference between struggling to learn and making no effort at all. If someone has chosen to live in another country long-term, learning at least basic communication is simply respectful. You don’t need to have perfect or fluency — just enough to function independently, show willingness, and engage with the local culture. 

8 times out of 10 who ever you're speaking to will understand you, be helpful and maybe even gently correct your mistakes. I do not take that as rude or mean. 

If you reverse the situation, it puts things into perspective.

A Spaniard living in somewhere like Dublin or Devon would have very little chance of finding fluent Spanish-speaking trades people or services. They’d be expected to learn English to manage everyday life, and most people would see that as completely normal.

So it’s reasonable to think the same applies the other way round — living long-term in another country means making an effort to learn the local language, even if you never become fluent.

Situations where clarity is critical — medical, legal, emergencies — are completely understandable reasons to look for English-speaking professionals. But relying on English for everyday life after many years does understandably frustrate locals, especially when it comes with the expectation that everyone should adapt.

And yes, the “speaking louder and slower in English” approach tends to come across badly anywhere in the world, not just Spain. Most people aren’t annoyed by mistakes in Spanish — they usually appreciate the effort far more than perfection.

So no, you’re not wrong. Wanting residents to make an effort with the local language isn’t unreasonable. But it’s also fair to rrecognize that learning later in life can be slow, uneven, and sometimes discouraging — even for people who genuinely want to improve.

There are quite a few threads here that talk about this subject duolingo- Learning the language: Spanish have you seen them?

A key factor — how often you actually practice what you learn.

Language learning isn’t just about lessons or apps; if you don’t use it regularly, you forget it. Many people study Spanish but then fall back into English day-to-day, especially in areas where English is widely spoken, so progress slows or stops. Regular real-life practice — ordering food, talking to neighbors, dealing with appointments — makes the biggest difference.

I agree completely - people have to put themselves into situations where they need to speak Spanish ( hence my mentioning shopping at markets rather than supermarkets etc). Socialising with Spanish people is also a very effective way of doing this. Spanish people appreciate the effort taken and are happy to help and explain if an error is made. 

It still doesn´t alter the fact that if your brain is not able to learn a specific thing, then no matter how much you listen to others some people can not retain certain things. Thats why we have scientists and physicists and mathematicians and doctors, because each person can learn different sets of skills. We don´t all have the same memory retention. 

The brain is most definitely able to learn a specific thing. Difficulties in learning are reflective of the teaching style - the educational psychologist and teacher Katherine Butler researched learning styles and teaching approaches over many years and with many different ages of students. She published, in the 80's the definitive guide: The Learner's Dimension" which categorised learning styles into 5 groups and emphasized the need to get a match between the teaching style to the learning style of the individual. Sadly, many teachers and their styles of teaching operate within very narrow dimensions: it's great if the teaching approach matches a student's learning style -  then you're seen as "bright/clever/academic". However , if it doesn't then as a learner, a student will struggle ( whether they are an adult or a child) and a clear result of this is the number of child students seen as " Special Needs " and adult learners who think they can't or will never "get it" when, with a different approach to teaching, they would make the same progress as those seen as more "academic". 

And just to prove my point. I have completely forgotten why I joined this pointless discussion. 

I don't think it is a pointless discussion, I was asking a question to solicit peoples opinion as I was interested to know others thoughts.

Maybe your opinion is pointless?